---
title: The communal house, of characteristic Native build, with its carved… — Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury,… · tree and pragmatics
description: The communal house, of characteristic Native build, with its carved frontal barge-boards and its gargoyle-like _tekoteko_ perched above the entrance, familiar to travellers in the Native districts of the North, is wanting here; but a survey of the village scheme, with its tree-shaded cottages groupe
---

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# Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand, Rapaki: a Village By the Sea., sentence 4

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The communal house, of characteristic Native build, with its carved frontal barge-boards and its gargoyle-like \_tekoteko\_ perched above the entrance, familiar to travellers in the Native districts of the North, is wanting here; but a survey of the village scheme, with its tree-shaded cottages grouped sociably about the central green space, and the hall and school-house and church, soon makes it plain that here stood an old-time Maori \_kainga\_, of totara slabs and raupo thatch, with maybe a tall stockade guarding its landward side and stretching from cliff to cliff of the little boulder-beached bay.

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**Who acts:** communal house, survey, tall stockade · **What happens:** carve, perch, want, shade, group, make · **To what, where:** like tekoteko, entrance, survey, kainga, landward side, cliff

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This is a sentence of «Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand» by James Cowan, Rapaki: a Village By the Sea.. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (communal house, survey, tall stockade), 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:pg73766:12:4
# text = The communal house, of characteristic Native build, with its carved frontal barge-boards and its gargoyle-like _tekoteko_ perched above the entrance, familiar to travellers in the Native districts of the North, is wanting here; but a survey of the village scheme, with its tree-shaded cottages grouped sociably about the central green space, and the hall and school-house and church, soon makes it plain that here stood an old-time Maori _kainga_, of totara slabs and raupo thatch, with maybe a tall stockade guarding its landward side and stretching from cliff to cliff of the little boulder-beached bay.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	communal	communal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	42	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	characteristic	characteristic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
7	Native	native	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	build	build	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
12	carved	carve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	amod	_	_
13	frontal	frontal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
14	barge	barge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	boards	board	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
18	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	23	nmod:poss	_	_
19	gargoyle	gargoyle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
22	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	tekoteko	tekoteko	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	25	punct	_	_
25	perched	perch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	acl	_	_
26	above	above	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	entrance	entrance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
30	familiar	familiar	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	amod	_	_
31	to	to	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	travellers	traveller	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	obl	_	_
33	in	in	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
34	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
35	Native	native	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	36	amod	_	_
36	districts	district	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	obl	_	_
37	of	of	ADP	IN	_	39	case	_	_
38	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	39	det	_	_
39	North	North	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	36	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
41	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	42	aux	_	_
42	wanting	want	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
43	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	42	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	59	punct	_	_
45	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	59	cc	_	_
46	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	47	det	_	_
47	survey	survey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	59	nsubj	_	_
48	of	of	ADP	IN	_	51	case	_	_
49	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	51	det	_	_
50	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	51	compound	_	_
51	scheme	scheme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	47	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	59	punct	_	_
53	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	59	mark	_	_
54	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	58	nmod:poss	_	_
55	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	57	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	55	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
57	shaded	shade	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	58	amod	_	_
58	cottages	cottage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	59	nsubj	_	_
59	grouped	group	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	42	parataxis	_	_
60	sociably	sociably	ADV	RB	_	59	advmod	_	_
61	about	about	ADP	IN	_	65	case	_	_
62	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	65	det	_	_
63	central	central	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	65	amod	_	_
64	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	65	amod	_	_
65	space	space	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	59	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	69	punct	_	_
67	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	69	cc	_	_
68	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	69	det	_	_
69	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	appos	_	_
70	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	73	cc	_	_
71	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	71	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
73	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	conj	_	_
74	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	75	cc	_	_
75	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	78	punct	_	_
77	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	78	advmod	_	_
78	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	59	conj	_	_
79	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	78	obj	_	_
80	plain	plain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	78	xcomp	_	_
81	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	83	mark	_	_
82	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	83	advmod	_	_
83	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	80	advcl	_	_
84	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
85	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	87	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
86	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	85	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
87	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	83	obj	_	_
88	Maori	Maori	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	87	appos	_	_
89	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	90	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
90	kainga	kainga	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	83	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
91	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	83	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
92	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	95	punct	_	_
93	of	of	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
94	totara	totara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	95	compound	_	_
95	slabs	slab	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	83	parataxis	_	_
96	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	98	cc	_	_
97	raupo	raupo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	98	compound	_	_
98	thatch	thatch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	95	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
99	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	104	punct	_	_
100	with	with	ADP	IN	_	104	case	_	_
101	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	104	advmod	_	_
102	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	104	det	_	_
103	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	104	amod	_	_
104	stockade	stockade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	95	conj	_	_
105	guarding	guard	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	104	acl	_	_
106	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	108	nmod:poss	_	_
107	landward	landward	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	108	amod	_	_
108	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	105	obj	_	_
109	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	110	cc	_	_
110	stretching	stretch	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	105	conj	_	_
111	from	from	ADP	IN	_	112	case	_	_
112	cliff	cliff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	110	obl	_	_
113	to	to	ADP	IN	_	114	case	_	_
114	cliff	cliff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	110	obl	_	_
115	of	of	ADP	IN	_	121	case	_	_
116	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	121	det	_	_
117	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	121	amod	_	_
118	boulder	boulder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	120	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
119	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	118	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
120	beached	beach	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	121	amod	_	_
121	bay	bay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	114	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
122	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	42	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carve** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **perch** | participle |  | build's like tekoteko *not said here* |  | the entrance |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent above entrance=Location |
| 3 | **want** | present · progressive | the communal house with build's carved frontal barge boards and build's like tekoteko and characteristic Native build |  |  | here |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 4 | **shade** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | tree *compound* | vn defend-72.3 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **group** | past | a survey of the village scheme |  |  |  |  | about the central green space; survey's shaded cottages *nsubj*; sociably *property* | vn herd-47.5.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **make** | present | a survey of the village scheme *not said here* | survey |  |  |  | plain, soon *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |
| 7 | **stand** | past | a survey of the village scheme *not said here* | kainga |  | here | time | totara slabs and raupo thatch and a tall stockade *parataxis* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **guard** | gerund | a tall stockade *not said here* | survey's landward side |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Beneficiary |
| 9 | **stretch** | gerund | a tall stockade *not said here* |  |  | cliff |  | to cliff of the little beached bay | vn meander-47.7 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme from cliff=Location |
| 10 | **beach** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | boulder *compound* | vn pocket-9.10 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 11 | **survey** |  |  | the village scheme |  |  |  |  | nom survey «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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:** «Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand» by James Cowan, Project Gutenberg book 73766 (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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