---
title: It must be admitted that an original Arthurian romance of the twelft… — Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English… · tree and pragmatics
description: It must be admitted that an original Arthurian romance of the twelfth or thirteenth century, when at latest such a poem would be written, in a language other than French, is so far unknown to us; and although as a matter of fact the central _motif_ of the poem, the representation of a Moor as near a
---

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# Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch, Opening, part 1, sentence 40

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It must be admitted that an original Arthurian romance of the twelfth or thirteenth century, when at latest such a poem would be written, in a language other than French, is so far unknown to us; and although as a matter of fact the central \_motif\_ of the poem, the representation of a Moor as near akin to the Grail Winner, Sir Perceval, has not been preserved in any known French text, while it does exist in a famous German version, I for one find no difficulty in believing that the tradition existed in French, and that the original version of our poem was a metrical romance in that tongue.

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**Who acts:** Romance, I, tradition, original version, twelfth century, fact · **What happens:** admit, write, be, not preserve, know, exist · **To what, where:** Romance, poem, language, us, known French text, famous German version · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is a sentence of «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston, Opening, 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 (Romance, I, tradition, original version), 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:pg8447:1:40
# text = It must be admitted that an original Arthurian romance of the twelfth or thirteenth century, when at latest such a poem would be written, in a language other than French, is so far unknown to us; and although as a matter of fact the central _motif_ of the poem, the representation of a Moor as near akin to the Grail Winner, Sir Perceval, has not been preserved in any known French text, while it does exist in a famous German version, I for one find no difficulty in believing that the tradition existed in French, and that the original version of our poem was a metrical romance in that tongue.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	admitted	admit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	original	original	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	Arthurian	arthurian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	romance	romance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	ccomp	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
12	twelfth	twelfth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	thirteenth	thirteenth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	_
15	century	century	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
17	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	25	advmod	_	_
18	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	latest	late	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	22	nmod	_	_
20	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	22	det:predet	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj:pass	_	_
23	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	25	aux	_	_
24	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	aux:pass	_	_
25	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
27	in	in	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
28	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	_
30	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	amod	_	_
31	than	than	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
34	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	37	cop	_	_
35	so	so	ADV	RB	_	37	advmod	_	_
36	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	37	advmod	_	_
37	unknown	unknown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
38	to	to	ADP	IN	_	39	case	_	_
39	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	37	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	76	punct	_	_
41	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	76	cc	_	_
42	although	although	SCONJ	IN	_	76	mark	_	_
43	as	as	ADP	IN	_	45	case	_	_
44	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	45	det	_	_
45	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	76	obl	_	_
46	of	of	ADP	IN	_	47	case	_	_
47	fact	fact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	45	nmod	_	_
48	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	51	det	_	_
49	central	central	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	51	amod	_	_
50	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	49	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	motif	motif	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	47	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	_	_	PUNCT	NFP	_	55	punct	_	_
53	of	of	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
54	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	55	det	_	_
55	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	51	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	58	punct	_	_
57	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	58	det	_	_
58	representation	representation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	55	appos	_	_
59	of	of	ADP	IN	_	61	case	_	_
60	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	61	det	_	_
61	Moor	moor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	nmod	_	_
62	as	as	ADV	RB	_	63	advmod	_	_
63	near	near	ADP	IN	_	64	case	_	_
64	akin	akin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	nmod	_	_
65	to	to	ADP	IN	_	68	case	_	_
66	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	68	det	_	_
67	Grail	Grail	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	68	compound	_	_
68	Winner	Winner	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	64	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
69	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	70	punct	_	_
70	Sir	Sir	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	68	conj	_	_
71	Perceval	Perceval	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	70	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	45	punct	_	_
73	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	76	aux	_	_
74	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	76	advmod	_	_
75	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	76	aux:pass	_	_
76	preserved	preserve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
77	in	in	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
78	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	81	det	_	_
79	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	81	amod	_	_
80	French	French	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	81	amod	_	_
81	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	76	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	86	punct	_	_
83	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	86	mark	_	_
84	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	86	nsubj	_	_
85	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	86	aux	_	_
86	exist	exist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
87	in	in	ADP	IN	_	91	case	_	_
88	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	91	det	_	_
89	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	91	amod	_	_
90	German	German	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	91	amod	_	_
91	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
92	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	96	punct	_	_
93	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	96	nsubj	_	_
94	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	96	mark	_	_
95	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	96	nsubj	_	_
96	find	find	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	86	conj	_	_
97	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	98	det	_	_
98	difficulty	difficulty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	96	obj	_	_
99	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	100	mark	_	_
100	believing	believe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	96	advcl	_	_
101	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	104	mark	_	_
102	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	103	det	_	_
103	tradition	tradition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	104	nsubj	_	_
104	existed	exist	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	100	ccomp	_	_
105	in	in	ADP	IN	_	106	case	_	_
106	French	French	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	104	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
107	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	119	punct	_	_
108	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	119	cc	_	_
109	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	119	mark	_	_
110	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	112	det	_	_
111	original	original	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	112	amod	_	_
112	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	119	nsubj	_	_
113	of	of	ADP	IN	_	115	case	_	_
114	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	115	nmod:poss	_	_
115	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	112	nmod	_	_
116	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	119	cop	_	_
117	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	119	det	_	_
118	metrical	metrical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	119	amod	_	_
119	romance	romance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	obl	_	_
120	in	in	ADP	IN	_	122	case	_	_
121	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	122	det	_	_
122	tongue	tongue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	119	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
123	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admit** *speech: other* | must · passive |  | Romance |  |  |  | a original Arthurian romance of the twelfth century *ccomp* | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **write** | would · passive |  | such poem at latest |  | a language |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in language=Destination |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  | us |  |  | far, unknown *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **not** **preserve** | present · perfect · passive |  |  |  | any known French text |  | as a matter of fact  the central motif | vn defend-72.3 «NP V S\_ING» |
| 5 | **know** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 6 | **exist** | present · do-support | Romance |  |  | a famous German version |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in version=Location |
| 7 | **find** | present | I | no difficulty |  |  |  | one *nsubj* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent difficulty=Topic |
| 8 | **believe** | gerund | I *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 9 | **exist** | past | the tradition |  |  | French |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in french=Location |
| 10 | **is a** | past | the original version of our poem | a metrical romance |  | that tongue |  |  | tree rules |
| 11 | **romance** |  | the twelfth century |  |  |  |  |  | nom romance «state intransitive»: of=agent |
| 12 | **matter** |  | fact  the central motif |  |  |  |  |  | nom matter «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |
| 13 | **represent** |  |  | a Moor |  | akin to the Grail Winner and Sir |  |  | nom representation «cognition transitive»: of=patient near=place |

<!-- .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:** «Morien: A Metrical Romance Rendered into English Prose from the Mediæval Dutch» by Jessie L. Weston, Project Gutenberg book 8447 (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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