---
title: “I don’t think they play at all fairly,” Alice began, in rather a co… — Alice's Adventures in Wonderland · tree and pragmatics
description: “I don’t think they play at all fairly,” Alice began, in rather a complaining tone, “and they all quarrel so dreadfully one can’t hear oneself speak—and they don’t seem to have any rules in particular; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them—and you’ve no idea how confusing it is all the thin
---

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# Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter VIII. The Queen’s Croquet-Ground, sentence 83

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“I don’t think they play at all fairly,” Alice began, in rather a complaining tone, “and they all quarrel so dreadfully one can’t hear oneself speak—and they don’t seem to have any rules in particular; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them—and you’ve no idea how confusing it is all the things being alive; for instance, there’s the arch I’ve got to go through next walking about at the other end of the ground—and I should have croqueted the Queen’s hedgehog just now, only it ran away when it saw mine coming!”

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, heads, Alice, one, oneself, nobody · **What happens:** not think, play, begin, quarrel, not hear, speak · **To what, where:** all, complaining tone, least, rules, particular, heads · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Alice's Adventures in Wonderland» by Lewis Carroll, Chapter VIII. The Queen’s Croquet-Ground. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (I, heads, Alice, one), 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:pg11:9:83
# text = “I don’t think they play at all fairly,” Alice began, in rather a complaining tone, “and they all quarrel so dreadfully one can’t hear oneself speak—and they don’t seem to have any rules in particular; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them—and you’ve no idea how confusing it is all the things being alive; for instance, there’s the arch I’ve got to go through next walking about at the other end of the ground—and I should have croqueted the Queen’s hedgehog just now, only it ran away when it saw mine coming!”
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	ccomp	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	obl	_	_
10	fairly	fairly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
13	Alice	Alice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
17	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	complaining	complaining	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	tone	tone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
22	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
24	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	nsubj	_	_
25	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	26	advmod	_	_
26	quarrel	quarrel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	parataxis	_	_
27	so	so	ADV	RB	_	32	advmod	_	_
28	dreadfully	dreadfully	ADV	RB	_	29	advmod	_	_
29	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	32	nsubj	_	_
30	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	32	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	32	advmod	_	_
32	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	advcl	_	_
33	oneself	oneself	PRON	PRP	PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	34	nsubj	_	_
34	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	32	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	40	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	40	cc	_	_
37	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	40	nsubj	_	_
38	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	40	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	40	advmod	_	_
40	seem	seem	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	32	conj	_	_
41	to	to	PART	TO	_	42	mark	_	_
42	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	40	xcomp	_	_
43	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	44	det	_	_
44	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	42	obj	_	_
45	in	in	ADP	IN	_	46	case	_	_
46	particular	particular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	44	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	49	punct	_	_
48	at	at	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
49	least	least	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	40	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	53	punct	_	_
51	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	53	mark	_	_
52	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	53	expl	_	_
53	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	40	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
54	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	56	punct	_	_
55	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	56	nsubj	_	_
56	attends	attend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	40	parataxis	_	_
57	to	to	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
58	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	56	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
59	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	62	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
60	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	62	cc	_	_
61	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	62	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
62	’ve	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	56	conj	_	_
63	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	64	det	_	_
64	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	62	obj	_	_
65	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	66	advmod	_	_
66	confusing	confusing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	amod	_	_
67	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	73	nsubj	_	_
68	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	73	cop	_	_
69	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	71	det:predet	_	_
70	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	71	det	_	_
71	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	73	nsubj	_	_
72	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	73	cop	_	_
73	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	62	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
74	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	79	punct	_	_
75	for	for	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
76	instance	instance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	79	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	76	punct	_	_
78	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	79	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
79	’s	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
80	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	81	det	_	_
81	arch	arch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	79	obj	_	_
82	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	84	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
83	’ve	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	84	aux	_	_
84	got	get	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	81	acl:relcl	_	_
85	to	to	PART	TO	_	86	mark	_	_
86	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	84	xcomp	_	_
87	through	through	ADP	IN	_	89	case	_	_
88	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	89	amod	_	_
89	walking	walking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	obl	_	_
90	about	about	ADV	RB	_	94	advmod	_	_
91	at	at	ADP	IN	_	94	case	_	_
92	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	94	det	_	_
93	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	94	amod	_	_
94	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	obl	_	_
95	of	of	ADP	IN	_	97	case	_	_
96	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	97	det	_	_
97	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	94	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
98	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	103	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
99	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	103	cc	_	_
100	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	103	nsubj	_	_
101	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	103	aux	_	_
102	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	103	aux	_	_
103	croqueted	croquet	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	79	advcl	_	_
104	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	105	det	_	_
105	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	107	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	’s	's	PART	POS	_	105	case	_	_
107	hedgehog	hedgehog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	103	obj	_	_
108	just	just	ADV	RB	_	109	advmod	_	_
109	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	103	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
110	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	113	punct	_	_
111	only	only	ADV	RB	_	113	advmod	_	_
112	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	113	nsubj	_	_
113	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	103	parataxis	_	_
114	away	away	ADV	RB	_	113	advmod	_	_
115	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	117	advmod	_	_
116	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	117	nsubj	_	_
117	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	113	advcl	_	_
118	mine	my	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	117	obj	_	_
119	coming	come	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	117	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
120	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	119	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
121	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	103	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **think** *speech: other* *in a quote* | present · do-support | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **play** *in a quote* | present | heads *= head* |  |  | all |  | fairly *property* | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **begin** | past | Alice |  |  | a complaining tone |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **quarrel** *in a quote* | present | heads *= head* |  |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **not** **hear** *in a quote* | can | one |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 6 | **speak** *speech: other* *in a quote* | infinitive | oneself |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **not** **seem** *in a quote* | present · do-support | heads *= head* |  |  | least |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 8 | **have** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | heads *= head* *not said here* | any rules |  | particular |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Patient |
| 9 | **be** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | present | heads *= head* *not said here* |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 10 | **attend** *in a quote* | present | nobody |  | heads *= head* |  |  |  | vn caring-75.2-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent to they=Theme |
| 11 | **have** *in a quote* | present | you | no idea |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent idea=Patient |
| 12 | **is** *in a quote* | present | idea |  |  |  |  | alive *property* | tree rules |
| 13 | **get** *in a quote* | present · perfect | the Cat *= cat* | the arch *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 14 | **go** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | the arch *not said here* |  |  | next walking | at the other end of the ground |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme through walking=Initial\_Location |
| 15 | **croquet** *in a quote* | should · perfect | the Cat *= cat* | the Queen's hedgehog |  |  | now |  | tree rules |
| 16 | **run away** *in a quote* | past | thing |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 17 | **see** *in a quote* | past | thing | the Cat *= cat* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 18 | **come** *in a quote* | gerund | the Cat *= cat* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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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