---
title: wah — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wah» in the Early Modern English dictionary: In Kipling it is an exclamation of surprise; in Uncle Remus it is a dialect spelling of "war". Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wah

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, surprise, ole nigger grapplin, Little, elephant, father · **What happens:** be, tell, wi, say, wag, quote · **To what, where:** exclamation, Kipling, dialect spelling, Uncle Remus, meezles, fluffy head · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«wah» 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: [wah in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/wah.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Kipling it is an exclamation of surprise; in Uncle Remus it is a dialect spelling of "war".

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:wah:m1:1
# text = In Kipling it is an exclamation of surprise; in Uncle Remus it is a dialect spelling of "war".
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Kipling	Kipling	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	exclamation	exclamation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	Uncle	Uncle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	Remus	Remus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	dialect	dialect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | a exclamation |  | Kipling |  | of surprise | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | surprise | a dialect spelling |  | Uncle Remus |  | of war | 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 -->
"Dat ar jug's bin ter wah, mon.

<!-- .note -->
From Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:wah:x1:1
# text = "Dat ar jug's bin ter wah, mon.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Dat	that	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	ar	ar	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	jug	jug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	bin	bin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	ter	ter	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	6	conj	_	_
8	wah	wah	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	mon.	Monday	PROPN	NNP	Abbr=Yes|Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In ole times, 'fo' de wah, I ain't heer tell er no seventy-fi'- year-ole nigger grapplin' wid no meezles.

<!-- .note -->
From Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:wah:x2:1
# text = In ole times, 'fo' de wah, I ain't heer tell er no seventy-fi'- year-ole nigger grapplin' wid no meezles.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	ole	ole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	fo	for	ADP	IN	Abbr=Yes	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	de	de	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	6	flat:foreign	_	_
9	wah	wah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	ai	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	heer	heer	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
15	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
16	er	e	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	15	advmod	_	_
17	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	20	det	_	_
18	seventy	seventy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	fi	fi	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	23	punct	_	_
23	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	ole	ole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
26	nigger	nigger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	compound	_	_
27	grapplin	grapplin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	29	punct	_	_
29	wid	wi	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	acl:relcl	_	_
30	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	31	det	_	_
31	meezles	meezle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	29	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **wi** | past | ole nigger grapplin | no meezles |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Wah!” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant,” and he wagged his fluffy head, quoting his father. “The Government may pay for elephants, but they belong to us mahouts.

<!-- .note -->
From The Jungle Book.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* “Wah!” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant,” and he wagged his fluffy head, quoting his father.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:wah:x3:1
# text = “Wah!” said Little Toomai, “thou art a big elephant,” and he wagged his fluffy head, quoting his father.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Wah	wah	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	Little	Little	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	_
7	Toomai	Toomai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	11	nsubj	_	_
11	art	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	wagged	wag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
20	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
21	fluffy	fluffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	quoting	quote	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	advcl	_	_
25	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
26	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Little |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **wag** | past | elephant | elephant's fluffy head |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent head=Patient |
| 3 | **quote** *speech: other* | gerund | elephant's father |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* “The Government may pay for elephants, but they belong to us mahouts.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:wah:x3:2
# text = “The Government may pay for elephants, but they belong to us mahouts.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	belong	belong	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	obl	_	_
14	mahouts	mahout	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pay** *in a quote* | may | the Government |  |  |  |  | for elephants | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent for elephant=Theme |
| 2 | **belong** *in a quote* | present | they |  | us |  |  |  | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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