---
title: So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonder… — Alice's Adventures in Wonderland · tree and pragmatics
description: So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality—the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds—the rattling teacups would change to tinkling 
---

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# Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter XII. Alice’s Evidence, sentence 96

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So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality—the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds—the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep-bells, and the Queen’s shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy—and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all the other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farm-yard—while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle’s heavy sobs.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Alice, half, all, grass, rattling teacups, lowing · **What happens:** sit on, close, believe, know, have, open · **To what, where:** Alice, Wonderland, plates, dull reality, wind, shrill cries · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Alice's Adventures in Wonderland» by Lewis Carroll, Chapter XII. Alice’s Evidence. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Alice, half, all, grass), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

<!-- .note-en -->
**Parsed by Mova, not checked by a teacher.** This tree is Mova's own parse (the `en` model, on the CPU, when the site is built); it may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg11:13:96
# text = So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality—the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds—the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep-bells, and the Queen’s shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy—and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all the other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farm-yard—while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle’s heavy sobs.
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	12	nsubj	_	_
12	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
13	herself	herself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	12	obj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	Wonderland	Wonderland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
20	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	ccomp	_	_
22	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	open	open	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	conj	_	_
25	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	obj	_	_
26	again	again	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
29	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	31	nsubj	_	_
30	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	31	aux	_	_
31	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
32	to	to	PART	TO	_	34	mark	_	_
33	dull	dull	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	34	amod	_	_
34	reality	reality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	41	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	37	det	_	_
37	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	nsubj	_	_
38	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	41	aux	_	_
39	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	41	cop	_	_
40	only	only	ADV	RB	_	41	advmod	_	_
41	rustling	rustle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	34	acl:relcl	_	_
42	in	in	ADP	IN	_	44	case	_	_
43	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	44	det	_	_
44	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	49	punct	_	_
46	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	49	cc	_	_
47	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	49	det	_	_
48	pool	pool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	49	compound	_	_
49	rippling	rippling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	parataxis	_	_
50	to	to	ADP	IN	_	52	case	_	_
51	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	52	det	_	_
52	waving	waving	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	49	nmod	_	_
53	of	of	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
54	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	55	det	_	_
55	reeds	reed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	52	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	61	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
57	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	59	det	_	_
58	rattling	rattling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	59	compound	_	_
59	teacups	teacup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	61	nsubj	_	_
60	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	61	aux	_	_
61	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	49	parataxis	_	_
62	to	to	SCONJ	IN	_	63	mark	_	_
63	tinkling	tinkle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	61	advcl	_	_
64	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
65	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	64	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	bells	bell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	63	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	73	punct	_	_
68	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	73	cc	_	_
69	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	70	det	_	_
70	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	73	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
71	’s	's	PART	POS	_	70	case	_	_
72	shrill	shrill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	amod	_	_
73	cries	cry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	61	obl	_	_
74	to	to	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
75	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	76	det	_	_
76	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	nmod	_	_
77	of	of	ADP	IN	_	80	case	_	_
78	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	80	det	_	_
79	shepherd	shepherd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	80	compound	_	_
80	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	76	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	84	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	84	cc	_	_
83	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	84	det	_	_
84	sneeze	sneeze	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	conj	_	_
85	of	of	ADP	IN	_	87	case	_	_
86	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
87	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	90	punct	_	_
89	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	90	det	_	_
90	shriek	shriek	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	conj	_	_
91	of	of	ADP	IN	_	93	case	_	_
92	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	93	det	_	_
93	Gryphon	Gryphon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	90	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
94	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	100	punct	_	_
95	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	100	cc	_	_
96	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	100	det:predet	_	_
97	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	100	det	_	_
98	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	100	amod	_	_
99	queer	queer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	100	compound	_	_
100	noises	noise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	84	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
101	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	103	punct	_	_
102	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	103	aux	_	_
103	change	change	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	84	parataxis	_	_
104	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	106	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
105	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	106	nsubj	_	_
106	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	103	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
107	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	106	punct	_	_
108	to	to	ADP	IN	_	111	case	_	_
109	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	111	det	_	_
110	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	111	amod	_	_
111	clamour	clamour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	106	obl	_	_
112	of	of	ADP	IN	_	117	case	_	_
113	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	117	det	_	_
114	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	117	amod	_	_
115	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	117	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
116	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	115	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
117	yard	yard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	111	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
118	—	-	PUNCT	,	_	121	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
119	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	121	mark	_	_
120	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	121	det	_	_
121	lowing	lowing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	129	nsubj	_	_
122	of	of	ADP	IN	_	124	case	_	_
123	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	124	det	_	_
124	cattle	cattle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	121	nmod	_	_
125	in	in	ADP	IN	_	127	case	_	_
126	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	127	det	_	_
127	distance	distance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	124	nmod	_	_
128	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	129	aux	_	_
129	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	61	parataxis	_	_
130	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	131	det	_	_
131	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	129	obj	_	_
132	of	of	ADP	IN	_	138	case	_	_
133	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	135	det	_	_
134	Mock	Mock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	135	compound	_	_
135	Turtle	Turtle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	138	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
136	’s	's	PART	POS	_	135	case	_	_
137	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	138	amod	_	_
138	sobs	sob	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	131	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
139	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit on** | past | Alice |  |  |  |  | with closed eyes | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **close** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **believe** | past | half | Alice |  | Wonderland |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer herself=Stimulus |
| 4 | **know** | past | Alice |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 5 | **have** | past | Alice |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **open** | to-infinitive | Alice *not said here* | plates *= plate* |  |  | again |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location they=Theme |
| 7 | **change** | would | all | dull reality |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reality=Patient |
| 8 | **is** | would | the grass | dull reality *not said here* |  | the wind |  | rustle *property* | tree rules |
| 9 | **change** | would | the rattling teacups | the Queen's shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy and the sneeze of the baby and the shriek of the Gryphon and all other queer noises |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 10 | **tinkle** | gerund | the rattling teacups *not said here* | sheep bells |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location bell=Theme |
| 11 | **change** | would |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 12 | **know** | past | Alice |  |  |  |  | to the confused clamour of the busy farm yard | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 13 | **take** | would | the lowing of the cattle in the distance | the place of the Mock Turtle's heavy sobs |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent place=Theme |
| 14 | **wave** |  |  | the reeds |  |  |  |  | nom waving «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 15 | **cry** |  | the Queen |  |  |  |  | to the voice of the shepherd boy | nom cry «communication intransitive»: poss=agent to=obl |
| 16 | **sneeze** |  | the baby |  |  |  |  |  | nom sneeze «state intransitive»: of=agent |
| 17 | **shriek** |  |  | the Gryphon |  |  |  |  | nom shriek «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 18 | **clamour** |  | the busy farm yard |  |  |  |  |  | nom clamour «communication intransitive»: of=agent |
| 19 | **sob** |  | the Mock Turtle |  |  |  |  |  | nom sob «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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.

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**Text:** «Alice's Adventures in Wonderland» by Lewis Carroll, Project Gutenberg book 11 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

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