---
title: Although she neglected nothing that could possibly have been done fo… — The Green Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics
description: Although she neglected nothing that could possibly have been done for them, their characters, as they grew up, plainly proved that education only softens down natural defects, but cannot entirely do away with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely, and with a capacity and intelligence which ena
---

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# The Green Fairy Book, Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida, part 1, sentence 8

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Although she neglected nothing that could possibly have been done for them, their characters, as they grew up, plainly proved that education only softens down natural defects, but cannot entirely do away with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely, and with a capacity and intelligence which enabled her to learn and understand anything that presented itself, was at the same time as lazy and indifferent as it is possible for anyone to be, while Vivien on the contrary was only too lively, and was for ever taking up some new thing and as promptly tiring of it, and flying off to something else which held his fickle fancy an equally short time.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Queen, King, education, Placida, capacity, same time · **What happens:** neglect, do, grow up, prove, soften down, not do away · **To what, where:** nothing, natural defects, Queen, anything, education, Vivien

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida, 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 (Queen, King, education, Placida), 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:pg7277:36:8
# text = Although she neglected nothing that could possibly have been done for them, their characters, as they grew up, plainly proved that education only softens down natural defects, but cannot entirely do away with them; for Placida, who was perfectly lovely, and with a capacity and intelligence which enabled her to learn and understand anything that presented itself, was at the same time as lazy and indifferent as it is possible for anyone to be, while Vivien on the contrary was only too lively, and was for ever taking up some new thing and as promptly tiring of it, and flying off to something else which held his fickle fancy an equally short time.
1	Although	although	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	neglected	neglect	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	advcl	_	_
4	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	obj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	obj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
7	possibly	possibly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	characters	character	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
20	up	up	ADP	RP	_	19	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
22	plainly	plainly	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	conj	_	_
24	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	27	mark	_	_
25	education	education	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	nsubj	_	_
26	only	only	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
27	softens	soften	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	ccomp	_	_
28	down	down	ADP	RP	_	27	compound:prt	_	_
29	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	30	amod	_	_
30	defects	defect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	27	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
32	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	36	cc	_	_
33	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	36	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	36	advmod	_	_
35	entirely	entirely	ADV	RB	_	36	advmod	_	_
36	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	advcl	_	_
37	away	away	ADV	RB	_	36	advmod	_	_
38	with	with	ADP	IN	_	39	case	_	_
39	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	36	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	42	punct	_	_
41	for	for	ADP	IN	_	42	case	_	_
42	Placida	Placida	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	47	punct	_	_
44	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	47	nsubj	_	_
45	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	47	cop	_	_
46	perfectly	perfectly	ADV	RB	_	47	advmod	_	_
47	lovely	lovely	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	42	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
48	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	71	punct	_	_
49	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	71	cc	_	_
50	with	with	ADP	IN	_	52	case	_	_
51	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	52	det	_	_
52	capacity	capacity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	71	obl	_	_
53	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	54	cc	_	_
54	intelligence	intelligence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	52	conj	_	_
55	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	56	nsubj	_	_
56	enabled	enable	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	52	acl:relcl	_	_
57	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	56	obj	_	_
58	to	to	PART	TO	_	59	mark	_	_
59	learn	learn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	56	advcl	_	_
60	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	61	cc	_	_
61	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	59	conj	_	_
62	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	61	obj	_	_
63	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	64	nsubj	_	_
64	presented	present	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	62	acl:relcl	_	_
65	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	64	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	52	punct	_	_
67	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	71	cop	_	_
68	at	at	ADP	IN	_	71	case	_	_
69	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	71	det	_	_
70	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	71	amod	_	_
71	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	47	obl	_	_
72	as	as	ADP	IN	_	73	case	_	_
73	lazy	lazy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	71	nmod	_	_
74	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	75	cc	_	_
75	indifferent	indifferent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	conj	_	_
76	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	79	mark	_	_
77	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	79	nsubj	_	_
78	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	79	cop	_	_
79	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	75	advcl	_	_
80	for	for	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
81	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	93	obl	_	_
82	to	to	PART	TO	_	86	mark	_	_
83	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	86	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
84	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	86	punct	_	_
85	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	86	mark	_	_
86	Vivien	Vivien	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	81	nmod	_	_
87	on	on	ADP	IN	_	89	case	_	_
88	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	89	det	_	_
89	contrary	contrary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	nmod	_	_
90	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	93	cop	_	_
91	only	only	ADV	RB	_	93	advmod	_	_
92	too	too	ADV	RB	_	93	advmod	_	_
93	lively	lively	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	71	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
94	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	99	punct	_	_
95	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	99	cc	_	_
96	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	99	cop	_	_
97	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	99	mark	_	_
98	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	99	advmod	_	_
99	taking	take	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	93	parataxis	_	_
100	up	up	ADP	RP	_	99	compound:prt	_	_
101	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	103	det	_	_
102	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	103	amod	_	_
103	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	99	obj	_	_
104	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	107	cc	_	_
105	as	as	ADV	RB	_	107	advmod	_	_
106	promptly	promptly	ADV	RB	_	107	advmod	_	_
107	tiring	tire	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	99	conj	_	_
108	of	of	ADP	IN	_	109	case	_	_
109	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	107	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
110	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	112	punct	_	_
111	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	112	cc	_	_
112	flying	fly	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	99	conj	_	_
113	off	off	ADP	RP	_	112	compound:prt	_	_
114	to	to	ADP	IN	_	115	case	_	_
115	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	112	obl	_	_
116	else	else	ADV	RB	_	115	advmod	_	_
117	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	118	nsubj	_	_
118	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	115	acl:relcl	_	_
119	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	121	nmod:poss	_	_
120	fickle	fickle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	121	amod	_	_
121	fancy	fancy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	118	obj	_	_
122	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	125	det	_	_
123	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	124	advmod	_	_
124	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	125	amod	_	_
125	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	118	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
126	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	42	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **neglect** | past | Queen | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Theme |
| 2 | **do** | could · perfect · passive |  |  |  |  |  | for King; possibly *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: that=Eventuality |
| 3 | **grow up** | past | King |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **prove** | past | King *not said here* |  |  |  |  | plainly *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 5 | **soften down** | present | education | natural defects |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent defect=Patient |
| 6 | **not** **do away** | can | King *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with King; away, entirely *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **is** | past | Placida |  |  |  |  | lovely, perfectly *property* | tree rules |
| 8 | **enable** | past | a capacity and intelligence | Queen |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 9 | **learn** | to-infinitive | a capacity and intelligence *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 10 | **understand** | infinitive | a capacity and intelligence *not said here* | anything |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer anything=Stimulus |
| 11 | **present** | past |  | education |  |  |  |  | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent itself=Theme |
| 12 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  | at the same time | with a capacity and intelligence; as lazy | tree rules |
| 13 | **is** | present | education |  |  |  |  | possible *property* | tree rules |
| 14 | **is a** | to-infinitive |  | Vivien |  | the contrary |  |  | tree rules |
| 15 | **is** | past | the same time *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for anyone; lively *property* | tree rules |
| 16 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  | ever | take *property* | tree rules |
| 17 | **tire** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | of education; promptly *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 18 | **fly off** | gerund |  |  |  | something |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme to something=Destination |
| 19 | **hold** | past |  | Vivien's fickle fancy |  |  | time |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fancy=Theme |
| 20 | **fancy** |  | Vivien |  |  |  |  |  | nom fancy «cognition 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:** «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 7277 (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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