---
title: On a road again the learned men of Leinster, each with an idea in hi… — Irish Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: On a road again the learned men of Leinster, each with an idea in his head that would discomfit a northern ollav and make a southern one gape and fidget, would be marching solemnly, each by a horse that was piled high on the back and widely at the sides with clean-peeled willow or oaken wands, that 
---

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# Irish Fairy Tales, Chapter XI, sentence 10

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On a road again the learned men of Leinster, each with an idea in his head that would discomfit a northern ollav and make a southern one gape and fidget, would be marching solemnly, each by a horse that was piled high on the back and widely at the sides with clean-peeled willow or oaken wands, that were carved from the top to the bottom with the ogham signs; the first lines of poems (for it was an offence against wisdom to commit more than initial lines to writing), the names and dates of kings, the procession of laws of Tara and of the sub-kingdoms, the names of places and their meanings.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** that, ollav, laws, roads · **What happens:** learn, discomfit, make, march, pile, peel · **To what, where:** northern ollav, southern one gape, each, horse, back, oaken wands

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Irish Fairy Tales» by James Stephens, Chapter XI. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (that, ollav, laws, roads), 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:pg2892:24:10
# text = On a road again the learned men of Leinster, each with an idea in his head that would discomfit a northern ollav and make a southern one gape and fidget, would be marching solemnly, each by a horse that was piled high on the back and widely at the sides with clean-peeled willow or oaken wands, that were carved from the top to the bottom with the ogham signs; the first lines of poems (for it was an offence against wisdom to commit more than initial lines to writing), the names and dates of kings, the procession of laws of Tara and of the sub-kingdoms, the names of places and their meanings.
1	On	on	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	again	again	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	learned	learn	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Leinster	Leinster	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	14	det	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
18	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	nsubj	_	_
19	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	discomfit	discomfit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	parataxis	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	northern	northern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	ollav	ollav	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	conj	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
27	southern	southern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	amod	_	_
28	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	compound	_	_
29	gape	gape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	_
30	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
31	fidget	fidget	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	35	punct	_	_
33	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	35	aux	_	_
34	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	35	aux	_	_
35	marching	march	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	20	advcl	_	_
36	solemnly	solemnly	ADV	RB	_	35	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	38	punct	_	_
38	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	35	obl	_	_
39	by	by	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
40	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	41	det	_	_
41	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	35	obl	_	_
42	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	44	nsubj:pass	_	_
43	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	44	aux:pass	_	_
44	piled	pile	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	41	acl:relcl	_	_
45	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	44	xcomp	_	_
46	on	on	ADP	IN	_	48	case	_	_
47	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	48	det	_	_
48	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obl	_	_
49	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	53	cc	_	_
50	widely	widely	ADV	RB	_	53	advmod	_	_
51	at	at	ADP	IN	_	53	case	_	_
52	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	53	det	_	_
53	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	48	conj	_	_
54	with	with	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
55	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	58	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	55	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
57	peeled	peel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	58	amod	_	_
58	willow	willow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	53	nmod	_	_
59	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	61	cc	_	_
60	oaken	oaken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	61	amod	_	_
61	wands	wand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	58	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
62	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	65	punct	_	_
63	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	65	nsubj:pass	_	_
64	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	65	aux:pass	_	_
65	carved	carve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	61	acl	_	_
66	from	from	ADP	IN	_	68	case	_	_
67	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	68	det	_	_
68	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	obl	_	_
69	to	to	ADP	IN	_	71	case	_	_
70	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	71	det	_	_
71	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	obl	_	_
72	with	with	ADP	IN	_	75	case	_	_
73	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	75	det	_	_
74	ogham	ogham	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	75	compound	_	_
75	signs	sign	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	71	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	79	punct	_	_
77	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	79	det	_	_
78	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	79	amod	_	_
79	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obl	_	_
80	of	of	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
81	poems	poem	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	79	nmod	_	_
82	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	87	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
83	for	for	ADP	IN	_	87	case	_	_
84	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	87	nsubj	_	_
85	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	87	cop	_	_
86	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
87	offence	offence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	81	nmod	_	_
88	against	against	ADP	IN	_	89	case	_	_
89	wisdom	wisdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	87	nmod	_	_
90	to	to	PART	TO	_	91	mark	_	_
91	commit	commit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	87	acl	_	_
92	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	91	obj	_	_
93	than	than	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
94	initial	initial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	95	amod	_	_
95	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	92	obl	_	_
96	to	to	ADP	IN	_	97	case	_	_
97	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	95	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
98	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	87	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
99	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	101	punct	_	_
100	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	101	det	_	_
101	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	81	conj	_	_
102	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	103	cc	_	_
103	dates	date	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	81	conj	_	_
104	of	of	ADP	IN	_	105	case	_	_
105	kings	king	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	103	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	108	punct	_	_
107	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	108	det	_	_
108	procession	procession	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	79	nmod	_	_
109	of	of	ADP	IN	_	110	case	_	_
110	laws	law	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	108	nmod	_	_
111	of	of	ADP	IN	_	112	case	_	_
112	Tara	Tara	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	110	nmod	_	_
113	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	116	cc	_	_
114	of	of	ADP	IN	_	116	case	_	_
115	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	116	det	_	_
116	sub-kingdoms	sub-kingdom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	112	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
117	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	119	punct	_	_
118	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	119	det	_	_
119	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	79	conj	_	_
120	of	of	ADP	IN	_	121	case	_	_
121	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	119	nmod	_	_
122	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	124	cc	_	_
123	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	124	nmod:poss	_	_
124	meanings	meaning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	121	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
125	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **discomfit** | would | that | a northern ollav |  |  |  | the first lines of poems and the names and dates of kings  the procession of laws of Tara and the sub-kingdoms and the names of places and roads's meanings *obl* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus ollav=Experiencer |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive | that *not said here* | a southern one gape and fidget |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset gape=Product |
| 4 | **march** | would · progressive | that *not said here* | each |  |  |  | by a horse; solemnly *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by horse=Trajectory |
| 5 | **pile** | past · passive |  | a horse |  | the back and the sides with clean peeled willow or oaken wands |  | high *property* | vn spray-9.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme on back=Destination |
| 6 | **peel** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn pit-10.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **carve** | past · passive |  | oaken wands |  | the top |  | to the bottom with the ogham signs | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: subject=Product from top=Material |
| 8 | **is** | past | ollav |  |  |  |  | for a offence; against wisdom | tree rules |
| 9 | **commit** | to-infinitive | that *not said here* | more |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Theme |
| 10 | **proceed** |  | laws of Tara and the sub-kingdoms |  |  |  |  |  | nom procession «event intransitive»: of=agent |
| 11 | **name** |  |  | places and roads's meanings |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 12 | **mean** |  | roads *= road* |  |  |  |  |  | nom meaning «communication transitive»: 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:** «Irish Fairy Tales» by James Stephens, Project Gutenberg book 2892 (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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