---
title: uncouth — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «uncouth» in the Early Modern English dictionary: Unfamiliar, strange, or rough and unpolished in manner or sound. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# uncouth

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** uncouth birds, birds, whatever, sound · **What happens:** unpolish, be, answer, have, talk, come · **To what, where:** manner, uncouth birds, Parrot, education, head, changes · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«uncouth» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [uncouth in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/uncouth.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unfamiliar, strange, or rough and unpolished in manner or sound.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:uncouth:m1:1
# text = Unfamiliar, strange, or rough and unpolished in manner or sound.
1	Unfamiliar	Unfamiliar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	rough	rough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	unpolished	unpolish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	conj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **unpolish** | participle |  |  |  | manner or sound |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Oh! those were uncouth birds,” answered the Parrot. “They had no education, and talked of whatever came into their head.

<!-- .note -->
From Andersen's Fairy Tales.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* “Oh! those were uncouth birds,” answered the Parrot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:uncouth:x1:1
# text = “Oh! those were uncouth birds,” answered the Parrot.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
4	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	uncouth	uncouth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
10	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	Parrot	parrot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | past |  | that uncouth birds |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: express* | past | that uncouth birds |  | the Parrot |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent parrot=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* “They had no education, and talked of whatever came into their head.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:uncouth:x1:2
# text = “They had no education, and talked of whatever came into their head.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	education	education	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	talked	talk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	whatever	whatever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
12	into	into	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** *in a quote* | past | birds *= bird* | no education |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent education=Patient |
| 2 | **talk** *in a quote* | past | birds *= bird* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **come** *in a quote* | past | whatever |  |  | birds's head |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into head=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
While watching these changes, the maiden was startled by the sound of an uncouth voice, which seemed to issue from below the self-bored stone, close beside her.

<!-- .note -->
From More English Fairy Tales.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:uncouth:x2:1
# text = While watching these changes, the maiden was startled by the sound of an uncouth voice, which seemed to issue from below the self-bored stone, close beside her.
1	While	while	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
3	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	_
4	changes	change	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	maiden	maiden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	startled	startle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	uncouth	uncouth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
19	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
20	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	mark	_	_
21	issue	issue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	xcomp	_	_
22	from	from	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
23	below	below	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
25	self	self	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	bored	bored	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	amod	_	_
28	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
30	close	close	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	amod	_	_
31	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | gerund | the sound of a uncouth voice *not said here* | this changes |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent change=Theme |
| 2 | **startle** | past · passive | the sound of a uncouth voice | the maiden |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |
| 3 | **seem** | past | the sound of a uncouth voice | issue from the bored stone |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Midas, king of Phrygia, alone demurred at this decision, having the bad taste to prefer the uncouth tones of the Pan's pipe to the refined melodies of Apollo's lyre.

<!-- .note -->
From Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome.

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:uncouth:x3:1
# text = Midas, king of Phrygia, alone demurred at this decision, having the bad taste to prefer the uncouth tones of the Pan's pipe to the refined melodies of Apollo's lyre.
1	Midas	Midas	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Phrygia	Phrygia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	demurred	demur	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	_
11	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	having	have	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	taste	taste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	prefer	prefer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	uncouth	uncouth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	tones	tone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	Pan	Pan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	26	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	's	's	PART	POS	_	24	case	_	_
26	pipe	pipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	_
27	to	to	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
29	refined	refine	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	30	amod	_	_
30	melodies	melody	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	nmod	_	_
31	of	of	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
32	Apollo	Apollo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	34	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	's	's	PART	POS	_	32	case	_	_
34	lyre	lyre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **demur** | participle |  | Midas king of Phrygia *not said here* |  | this decision |  | alone *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | gerund |  | the bad taste |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent taste=Patient |
| 3 | **prefer** | to-infinitive |  | the uncouth tones of the Pan's pipe to the refined melodies of Apollo's lyre |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer tone=Stimulus |
| 4 | **refine** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 5 | **intonate** |  |  | the Pan's pipe to the refined melodies of Apollo's lyre |  |  |  |  | nom tone «communication transitive»: of=patient |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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