---
title: When she came back, she had hundreds of things to talk about; but th… — Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen · tree and pragmatics
description: When she came back, she had hundreds of things to talk about; but the most beautiful, she said, was to lie in the moonlight, on a sandbank, in the quiet sea, near the coast, and to gaze on a large town nearby, where the lights were twinkling like hundreds of stars; to listen to the sounds of the mus
---

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# Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid, part 1, sentence 39

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When she came back, she had hundreds of things to talk about; but the most beautiful, she said, was to lie in the moonlight, on a sandbank, in the quiet sea, near the coast, and to gaze on a large town nearby, where the lights were twinkling like hundreds of stars; to listen to the sounds of the music, the noise of carriages, and the voices of human beings, and then to hear the merry bells peal out from the church steeples; and because she could not go near to all those wonderful things, she longed for them more than ever.

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**Who acts:** turn, lights, merry bells, carriages · **What happens:** come back, have, talk about, say, be, gaze · **To what, where:** hundreds, moonlight, voices, church steeples, wonderful things · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen, The Little Mermaid, part 1. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (turn, lights, merry bells, carriages), 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:pg27200:75:39
# text = When she came back, she had hundreds of things to talk about; but the most beautiful, she said, was to lie in the moonlight, on a sandbank, in the quiet sea, near the coast, and to gaze on a large town nearby, where the lights were twinkling like hundreds of stars; to listen to the sounds of the music, the noise of carriages, and the voices of human beings, and then to hear the merry bells peal out from the church steeples; and because she could not go near to all those wonderful things, she longed for them more than ever.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	3	advmod	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	acl	_	_
13	about	about	ADP	IN	_	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
15	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	18	advmod	_	_
18	beautiful	beautiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
23	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
24	to	to	PART	TO	_	25	mark	_	_
25	lie	lie	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	ccomp	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	moonlight	moonlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	32	punct	_	_
30	on	on	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
32	sandbank	sandbank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	37	punct	_	_
34	in	in	ADP	IN	_	37	case	_	_
35	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	37	det	_	_
36	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	37	amod	_	_
37	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
39	near	near	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
40	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	41	det	_	_
41	coast	coast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	45	punct	_	_
43	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	45	cc	_	_
44	to	to	PART	TO	_	45	mark	_	_
45	gaze	gaze	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	conj	_	_
46	on	on	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
47	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	49	det	_	_
48	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	49	amod	_	_
49	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	45	obl	_	_
50	nearby	nearby	ADV	RB	_	45	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	56	punct	_	_
52	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	56	advmod	_	_
53	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	54	det	_	_
54	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	56	nsubj	_	_
55	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	56	aux	_	_
56	twinkling	twinkle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	45	advcl	_	_
57	like	like	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
58	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	56	obl	_	_
59	of	of	ADP	IN	_	60	case	_	_
60	stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	58	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
61	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	63	punct	_	_
62	to	to	PART	TO	_	63	mark	_	_
63	listen	listen	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
64	to	to	ADP	IN	_	66	case	_	_
65	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	66	det	_	_
66	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	63	obl	_	_
67	of	of	ADP	IN	_	69	case	_	_
68	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	69	det	_	_
69	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
70	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	72	punct	_	_
71	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	72	det	_	_
72	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	conj	_	_
73	of	of	ADP	IN	_	74	case	_	_
74	carriages	carriage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	72	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	78	punct	_	_
76	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	78	cc	_	_
77	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	78	det	_	_
78	voices	voice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	63	obl	_	_
79	of	of	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
80	human	human	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	81	amod	_	_
81	beings	being	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	78	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	86	punct	_	_
83	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	86	cc	_	_
84	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	86	advmod	_	_
85	to	to	PART	TO	_	86	mark	_	_
86	hear	hear	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	63	conj	_	_
87	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	89	det	_	_
88	merry	merry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	89	amod	_	_
89	bells	bell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	90	nsubj	_	_
90	peal	peal	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	86	ccomp	_	_
91	out	out	ADP	RP	_	90	compound:prt	_	_
92	from	from	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
93	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	95	det	_	_
94	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	95	compound	_	_
95	steeples	steeple	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	90	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
96	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	102	punct	_	_
97	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	102	cc	_	_
98	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	102	mark	_	_
99	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	102	nsubj	_	_
100	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	102	aux	_	_
101	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	102	advmod	_	_
102	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	63	conj	_	_
103	near	near	ADV	RB	_	102	advmod	_	_
104	to	to	ADP	IN	_	108	case	_	_
105	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	108	det:predet	_	_
106	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	108	det	_	_
107	wonderful	wonderful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	108	amod	_	_
108	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	102	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
109	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	111	punct	_	_
110	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	111	nsubj	_	_
111	longed	long	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
112	for	for	ADP	IN	_	113	case	_	_
113	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	111	obl	_	_
114	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	111	advmod	_	_
115	than	than	ADP	IN	_	116	case	_	_
116	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	114	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
117	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come back** | past | turn |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **have** | past | turn | hundreds of things |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hundred=Patient |
| 3 | **talk about** | to-infinitive | turn *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | turn |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **is** | past |  |  |  | the moonlight |  | on a sandbank; near the coast; lie *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **gaze** | to-infinitive | turn *not said here* |  |  |  |  | on a large town; nearby *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on town=Theme |
| 7 | **twinkle** | past · progressive | the lights |  |  |  |  | like hundreds of stars | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 8 | **listen** | to-infinitive |  | the voices of human beings |  |  |  | to the sounds of the music and the noise of carriages | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to sound=Theme |
| 9 | **hear** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  | then |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 10 | **peal out** | present | the merry bells |  |  | the church steeples |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 11 | **not** **go** | could | turn |  |  | all wonderful things |  | near *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to thing=Initial\_Location |
| 12 | **long** | past | turn |  |  |  |  | for bells *= bell* | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for they=Theme |
| 13 | **noise** |  | carriages |  |  |  |  |  | nom noise «event intransitive»: of=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:** «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen, Project Gutenberg book 27200 (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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