---
title: Abang was never allowed to leave the town by his parents, as they th… — Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria · tree and pragmatics
description: Abang was never allowed to leave the town by his parents, as they thought he might be killed or get into trouble with other young men of his company, but in spite of this his fame as a singer and dancer, and stories of his manly beauty, had spread through all the neighbouring towns, and many people 
---

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# Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria, Xxv.--how Two Bendega Young Men Changed Their Skins., part 1, sentence 4

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Abang was never allowed to leave the town by his parents, as they thought he might be killed or get into trouble with other young men of his company, but in spite of this his fame as a singer and dancer, and stories of his manly beauty, had spread through all the neighbouring towns, and many people wanted to see him, but as he was a dutiful son he stayed at home and did not accept any of the numerous invitations he received from the various countries to attend their plays and dances, although he was frequently offered quite large numbers of rods and other presents to go.

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**Who acts:** Abang, many people, Oga, any · **What happens:** not allow, leave, think, kill, get, spread · **To what, where:** Abang, town, Oga, trouble, stories, neighbouring towns · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Xxv.--how Two Bendega Young Men Changed Their Skins., 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 (Abang, many people, Oga, any), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

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**Mova's own parse.** This tree may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg70959:18:4
# text = Abang was never allowed to leave the town by his parents, as they thought he might be killed or get into trouble with other young men of his company, but in spite of this his fame as a singer and dancer, and stories of his manly beauty, had spread through all the neighbouring towns, and many people wanted to see him, but as he was a dutiful son he stayed at home and did not accept any of the numerous invitations he received from the various countries to attend their plays and dances, although he was frequently offered quite large numbers of rods and other presents to go.
1	Abang	Abang	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
18	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	aux:pass	_	_
19	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	ccomp	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	conj	_	_
22	into	into	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
24	with	with	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
25	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
26	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
27	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nmod	_	_
28	of	of	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
29	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	30	nmod:poss	_	_
30	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	38	punct	_	_
32	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	38	cc	_	_
33	in	in	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
34	spite	spite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	38	compound	_	_
35	of	of	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
36	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	34	nmod	_	_
37	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	38	nmod:poss	_	_
38	fame	fame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	ccomp	_	_
39	as	as	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
40	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	41	det	_	_
41	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	38	nmod	_	_
42	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	43	cc	_	_
43	dancer	dancer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	53	punct	_	_
45	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	53	cc	_	_
46	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	53	nsubj:pass	_	_
47	of	of	ADP	IN	_	50	case	_	_
48	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	50	nmod:poss	_	_
49	manly	manly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	50	amod	_	_
50	beauty	beauty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	53	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	50	punct	_	_
52	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	53	aux	_	_
53	spread	spread	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
54	through	through	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
55	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	58	det:predet	_	_
56	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	58	det	_	_
57	neighbouring	neighbouring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	compound	_	_
58	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	53	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
59	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	63	punct	_	_
60	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	63	cc	_	_
61	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	62	amod	_	_
62	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	63	nsubj	_	_
63	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
64	to	to	PART	TO	_	65	mark	_	_
65	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	63	xcomp	_	_
66	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	65	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	74	punct	_	_
68	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	74	cc	_	_
69	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	74	mark	_	_
70	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	74	nsubj	_	_
71	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	74	cop	_	_
72	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	74	det	_	_
73	dutiful	dutiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	74	amod	_	_
74	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	63	conj	_	_
75	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	76	nsubj	_	_
76	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	74	acl:relcl	_	_
77	at	at	ADP	IN	_	78	case	_	_
78	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	76	obl	_	_
79	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	82	cc	_	_
80	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	82	aux	_	_
81	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	82	advmod	_	_
82	accept	accept	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	76	conj	_	_
83	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	89	nsubj	_	_
84	of	of	ADP	IN	_	87	case	_	_
85	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
86	numerous	numerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	87	amod	_	_
87	invitations	invitation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	83	nmod	_	_
88	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	89	nsubj	_	_
89	received	receive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	82	ccomp	_	_
90	from	from	ADP	IN	_	93	case	_	_
91	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	93	det	_	_
92	various	various	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	93	amod	_	_
93	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	89	obl	_	_
94	to	to	PART	TO	_	95	mark	_	_
95	attend	attend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	89	advcl	_	_
96	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	97	nmod:poss	_	_
97	plays	play	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	95	obj	_	_
98	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	99	cc	_	_
99	dances	dance	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	97	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
100	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	105	punct	_	_
101	although	although	SCONJ	IN	_	105	mark	_	_
102	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	105	nsubj:pass	_	_
103	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	105	aux:pass	_	_
104	frequently	frequently	ADV	RB	_	105	advmod	_	_
105	offered	offer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	95	advcl	_	_
106	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	107	advmod	_	_
107	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	108	amod	_	_
108	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	105	obj	_	_
109	of	of	ADP	IN	_	110	case	_	_
110	rods	rod	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	108	nmod	_	_
111	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	113	cc	_	_
112	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	113	amod	_	_
113	presents	present	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	108	conj	_	_
114	to	to	PART	TO	_	115	mark	_	_
115	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	113	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
116	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **allow** | past · passive |  | Abang |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP S»: subject=Beneficiary clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **leave** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Abang *not said here* | the town |  |  |  | by Oga's parents | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent town=Theme by parent=Location |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | past | Abang |  |  |  |  | Oga's spite fame as a singer and dancer *ccomp* | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **kill** | might · passive |  | Oga |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 5 | **get** | infinitive |  |  |  | trouble with other young men of Oga's company |  |  | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into trouble=Destination |
| 6 | **spread** | past · perfect · passive |  | stories |  | all neighbouring towns |  | of Oga's manly beauty | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme through town=Destination |
| 7 | **want** | past | many people |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 8 | **see** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | many people *not said here* | Oga |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer he=Stimulus |
| 9 | **is a** | past | Oga | a dutiful son |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 10 | **stay** | past | Oga | a dutiful son *not said here* |  | home |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme son=Location |
| 11 | **not** **accept** | past · do-support | Oga *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 12 | **receive** | past | any of the numerous invitations |  |  | the various countries |  | Oga *nsubj* | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent from country=Source |
| 13 | **attend** | to-infinitive | any of the numerous invitations *not said here* | Abang's plays and dances |  |  |  |  | vn attend-107.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme play=Goal |
| 14 | **offer** | past · passive |  | Oga |  |  |  | large numbers of rods and other presents *obj*; frequently *property* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.goal NP»: subject=Goal number=Theme |
| 15 | **go** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 16 | **spite** |  |  | this |  |  |  |  | nom spite «feeling transitive»: of=patient |
| 17 | **play** |  | Abang |  |  |  |  |  | nom play «communication 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:** «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Project Gutenberg book 70959 (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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