---
title: As I have read over the tales I could well imagine the scene in her… — Gleanings from Chinese folklore · tree and pragmatics
description: As I have read over the tales I could well imagine the scene in her little temporary home; the small room with its brick kang—the brick platform—on which her folded bedding was piled; her books on the table, and her guest or guests in the seats of comfort, if such there were, certainly in the seats 
---

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# Gleanings from Chinese folklore, Nellie N. Russell, sentence 104

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As I have read over the tales I could well imagine the scene in her little temporary home; the small room with its brick kang—the brick platform—on which her folded bedding was piled; her books on the table, and her guest or guests in the seats of comfort, if such there were, certainly in the seats of honour, for in all such matters of Chinese etiquette she was punctilious; she, sitting with eager attention, listening to the one who told the story as it had been handed down in the home or the village for generations.

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**Who acts:** I, seats, Russell, one, Chinese etiquette · **What happens:** read, imagine, fold, pile, be, sit · **To what, where:** tales, scene, little temporary home, folded bedding, brick platform, Chinese etiquette · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is a sentence of «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell, Nellie N. Russell. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (I, seats, Russell, one), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

<!-- .note-en -->
**Mova's own parse.** This tree may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg75089:3:104
# text = As I have read over the tales I could well imagine the scene in her little temporary home; the small room with its brick kang—the brick platform—on which her folded bedding was piled; her books on the table, and her guest or guests in the seats of comfort, if such there were, certainly in the seats of honour, for in all such matters of Chinese etiquette she was punctilious; she, sitting with eager attention, listening to the one who told the story as it had been handed down in the home or the village for generations.
1	As	as	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	read	read	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
5	over	over	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	_
11	imagine	imagine	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	scene	scene	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
16	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	temporary	temporary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
23	with	with	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
24	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
25	brick	brick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	compound	_	_
26	kang	kang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
29	brick	brick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	compound	_	_
30	platform	platform	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	38	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	on	on	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
33	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	38	obl	_	_
34	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	36	nmod:poss	_	_
35	folded	fold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	36	amod	_	_
36	bedding	bedding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	38	nsubj:pass	_	_
37	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	38	aux:pass	_	_
38	piled	pile	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	30	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	41	punct	_	_
40	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	41	nmod:poss	_	_
41	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	conj	_	_
42	on	on	ADP	IN	_	44	case	_	_
43	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	44	det	_	_
44	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	_
46	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	48	cc	_	_
47	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	48	nmod:poss	_	_
48	guest	guest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	conj	_	_
49	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	50	cc	_	_
50	guests	guest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	48	conj	_	_
51	in	in	ADP	IN	_	53	case	_	_
52	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	53	det	_	_
53	seats	seat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	50	nmod	_	_
54	of	of	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
55	comfort	comfort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	53	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	60	punct	_	_
57	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	58	mark	_	_
58	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	60	advcl	_	_
59	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	60	expl	_	_
60	were	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	41	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
61	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	65	punct	_	_
62	certainly	certainly	ADV	RB	_	65	advmod	_	_
63	in	in	ADP	IN	_	65	case	_	_
64	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	65	det	_	_
65	seats	seat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	60	nsubj	_	_
66	of	of	ADP	IN	_	67	case	_	_
67	honour	honour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
68	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	73	punct	_	_
69	for	for	ADP	IN	_	73	case	_	_
70	in	in	ADP	IN	_	73	case	_	_
71	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	73	det	_	_
72	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	amod	_	_
73	matters	matter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	67	conj	_	_
74	of	of	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
75	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	76	amod	_	_
76	etiquette	etiquette	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	nmod	_	_
77	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	79	nsubj	_	_
78	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	79	cop	_	_
79	punctilious	punctilious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	76	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	83	punct	_	_
81	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	83	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	83	punct	_	_
83	sitting	sit	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	30	appos	_	_
84	with	with	ADP	IN	_	86	case	_	_
85	eager	eager	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	86	amod	_	_
86	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	83	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
87	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
88	listening	listen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	83	conj	_	_
89	to	to	ADP	IN	_	91	case	_	_
90	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	91	det	_	_
91	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	88	obl	_	_
92	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	93	nsubj	_	_
93	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	91	acl:relcl	_	_
94	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	95	det	_	_
95	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	93	obj	_	_
96	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	100	mark	_	_
97	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	100	nsubj:pass	_	_
98	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	100	aux	_	_
99	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	100	aux:pass	_	_
100	handed	hand	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	93	ccomp	_	_
101	down	down	ADP	RP	_	100	compound:prt	_	_
102	in	in	ADP	IN	_	104	case	_	_
103	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	104	det	_	_
104	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	100	obl	_	_
105	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	107	cc	_	_
106	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	107	det	_	_
107	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	104	conj	_	_
108	for	for	ADP	IN	_	109	case	_	_
109	generations	generation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	107	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
110	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | present · perfect | I |  |  | the tales |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **imagine** | could | I | the scene |  | Russell's little temporary home |  | the small room with Home's brick kang and the brick platform and Russell's books on the table and Russell's guest or guests in the seats of comfort *obl*; well *property* | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot scene=Theme |
| 3 | **fold** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **pile** | past · passive |  | Russell's folded bedding |  | the brick platform and Russell's books on the table and Russell's guest or guests in the seats of comfort |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme on which=Destination |
| 5 | **be** | past | the seats of honour and all such matters of Chinese etiquette |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **is** | past | Russell | Chinese etiquette *not said here* |  |  |  | punctilious *property* | tree rules |
| 7 | **sit** | gerund | Russell |  |  |  |  | with eager attention | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **listen** | gerund | Russell *not said here* |  | the one |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to one=Theme |
| 9 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the one | the story |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent story=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 10 | **hand down** | past · perfect · passive |  | bedding |  | the home or the village for generations |  |  | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 11 | **matter** |  | Chinese etiquette |  |  |  |  |  | nom matter «cognition 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:** «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell, Project Gutenberg book 75089 (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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