Aims of the study
This research is directed to accomplish three goals:
- To investigate the syntactic structures used in describing trends in English and in Vietnamese from the perspective of traditional grammar
- To make a contrastive analysis between English and Vietnamese syntactic structures used in describing trends in business articles to deduce their differences and similarities
- To propose some pedagogical implications for better teaching and learning of describing charts or graphs and some recommendations for more effective translation works
Scope of the study
Due to the constraint of time and effort, the study only investigates the English and Vietnamese syntactic structures on the levels of clauses and phrases
The research focuses on the syntactic structures employed in describing trends within business news, as indicated by the thesis title These trends may relate to specific statistics and figures or encompass broader observations about changes and tendencies in the business landscape.
The resources of the analysis are English and Vietnamese business articles from business and economic newspapers.
Methodology of the study
This study focuses on comparing and contrasting the syntactic structures used in trend descriptions within English and Vietnamese business articles To achieve this, it employs three key methods: descriptive, comparative, and contrastive analysis.
This article employs a descriptive method to systematically outline the structures utilized in business articles for trend depiction, highlighting their syntactic characteristics Additionally, through comparative and contrastive approaches, the author identifies both the similarities and differences in the structures employed for trend description across two distinct journalistic languages.
The research process involves selecting four English and four Vietnamese business and economics newspapers, with two copies of each, resulting in a total of forty-eight articles Each article is analyzed to identify prominent syntactic structures used in trend descriptions in both languages, with data presented in charts and tables for clarity A comparative analysis of English and Vietnamese syntactic structures is conducted to uncover similarities and differences Ultimately, the findings aim to enhance English-Vietnamese translation practices and improve students' skills in effectively describing charts and graphs.
Design of the study
The thesis is divided into three main parts namely Introduction, Development and
In the initial section of the study, the author outlines the rationale behind selecting the topic, defines the research objectives, delineates the scope of the study, and describes the methodologies employed in the research.
The Development section of the thesis, which is the primary focus, encompasses three chapters The first chapter, Literature Review, provides essential theoretical insights into contrastive analysis, syntax, syntactic structures, journalistic register, and trend description in both books and newspapers, laying the groundwork for the subsequent exploration The second chapter conducts a contrastive analysis of the syntactic structures, such as clauses and phrases, utilized in describing trends within English and Vietnamese business articles, highlighting their similarities and differences through data presented in charts and tables.
The implications and recommendations derived from the contrastive analysis aim to enhance English-Vietnamese translation of trend descriptions This approach will not only improve the quality of translations but also assist students in developing their skills in describing charts and graphs in English effectively.
Lastly, the Conclusion part includes a review of the study, some concluding remarks and suggestions for further research.
DEVELOPMENT
Literature Review 1.1 Contrastive Analysis and Transfer Theory
This chapter reviews essential theoretical concepts related to contrastive analysis, syntactic structures, news language, and trend description, establishing a foundational framework for the subsequent chapter It begins by revisiting the history of contrastive analysis and the theory of language transfer Following this, a comparative overview of English and Vietnamese syntax and syntactic structures is presented Additionally, the chapter briefly discusses the journalistic register, highlighting its unique characteristics and types Finally, it describes the language of trends and the portrayal of trends in literature and mass media communication.
1.1 Contrastive analysis and transfer theory
Contrastive analysis (CA), according to Richards (1992:83), is simply ‚the comparison of the linguistic systems of two languages, for example the sound system or the grammatical system.‛
James defines Contrastive Analysis (CA) as a linguistic approach focused on creating inverted two-valued typologies, emphasizing the comparison between pairs of languages This definition underscores the belief that languages are comparable, positioning CA as a specific and targeted study within linguistics.
Ellis emphasizes that Contrastive Analysis (CA) originated from the need to effectively teach a second language (L2), highlighting its pedagogical roots (1985:23) By comparing students' native language with the foreign language they are learning, educators can pinpoint specific challenges and devise appropriate strategies to enhance the teaching process, as noted by Lado (1957) in Ellis's work (1985:23).
As far as the history of CA is concerned, an early example of CA was found by Di Pietro
1892 (James, 1980:8) James also cites another milestone document paving the way to modern
CA, which is Lado’s Linguistics across Cultures (1957)
According to Richards, the development of this branch of linguistics in the 1950s and 1960s is founded on key assumptions: first, that the primary challenges in acquiring a new language stem from interference with the learner's first language; second, that these challenges can be anticipated through contrastive analysis; and third, that educational resources can utilize contrastive analysis to mitigate the impact of such interference.
Characteristically, James (1980) believes that ‚CA belongs to interlanguage study, and, since
The concept of 'emergence' in evolution suggests that Contrastive Analysis (CA) should be understood from a diachronic perspective rather than a synchronic one This approach highlights the influence of a person's native language on their process of learning a foreign language, emphasizing the significant role that linguistic background plays in language acquisition.
1.1.2 Language transfer and its influence on foreign language teaching and learning
The concept of language transfer emerged in the post-war years and influenced language learning into the 1960s, as defined by Ellis (1965) as the hypothesis that learning one task (A) impacts the subsequent learning of another (B) During this time, it was widely believed that many challenges faced by second language (L2) learners stemmed from their first language (L1) (Ellis, 1985) Specifically, differences between L1 and L2 could lead to interference, while similarities could facilitate learning By recognizing these similarities and differences, educators could leverage positive transfer and mitigate negative transfer in the learning process Odlin (2000) supports this perspective, suggesting that teaching can improve by considering linguistic and cultural differences Furthermore, he notes that research on language transfer can offer insights beyond pedagogy, such as understanding the relationship between language contact and language change for historical linguists.
Language transfer theory has faced scrutiny, with researchers like Dulay and Burt (1973; 1974a) challenging the significance of negative transfer in second language acquisition, as many grammatical errors cannot solely be attributed to first language interference (Ellis, 1985:7) Despite this, language transfer remains an intrinsic part of various linguistic aspects, including discourse, semantics, phonetics, phonology, and syntax Ongoing studies in language transfer are essential for enhancing second language teaching and learning This thesis specifically emphasizes syntactic transfer, focusing on elements such as word order, relative clauses, and negation (Odlin, 2000:85).
Within the scope of the paper, the investigation will deem to cover the similarities and differences between syntactic features of English and Vietnamese phrases and clauses in business newspapers
The study of syntax and syntactic structures is a crucial aspect of linguistics, forming an integral part of grammar alongside lexicon, morphology, semantics, phonetics, and phonology (Fromkin et al., 2000) Linguists have dedicated significant efforts to this field, particularly since the early 1950s when syntax began to be formalized as phrase structure grammar (Borsley, 1999) Modern syntax has its roots in Noam Chomsky's Transformation Grammar, introduced in his seminal work "Syntactic Structures" (1957) Chomsky's influence continued through his subsequent theories presented in works such as "Aspects of the Theory of Syntax" (1965) and "Lectures on Government and Binding" (1981) Additionally, Pollard and Sag contributed to the field with their Phrase Structure Grammar, enriching the understanding of syntax.
Information-based Syntax and Semantics Volume I: Fundamentals (1987) and Head-driven phrase structure grammar (1994)
Syntax has a rich history of independent evolution, serving as a continuous source of inspiration for grammarians and linguists This leads to the fundamental question: what exactly is syntax?
Syntax, derived from the roots meaning 'arranging together,' refers to the way words are combined into phrases and sentences (Delahunty & Garvey, 1994) It encompasses the structure of phrases, clauses, and ultimately, sentences, highlighting the importance of word arrangement in effective communication (Miller, 2002) Without proper syntax, conveying complex messages about intricate situations, proposals, or ideas would be impossible, underscoring its essential role in language (Miller, 2002).
In his book "English Syntax," Jacob (1995) describes syntax as the set of grammatical principles, units, and relationships that shape sentence structure These rules dictate how individuals construct sentences correctly in their language, whether they are consciously aware of these principles or not.
According to Fromkin et al (2000), syntax is a crucial component of linguistic knowledge that determines the formation of well-structured strings of words, guiding how to combine words into phrases and sentences This distinction between grammatical and ungrammatical constructions can be illustrated through specific examples.
Obviously, native speakers or learners of English will notice at once that the second is ill- formed and thus ungrammatical
The Universal Grammar theory posits that humans possess an innate set of grammatical and linguistic knowledge; however, syntax can differ significantly across languages What is deemed acceptable in one language may be considered incorrect in another, as illustrated by examples from English and Vietnamese.
The oil price has increased
Giá dầu đã tăng lên
The two statements convey the same message but differ in structure In English, the arrangement of compound nouns contrasts with that of Vietnamese, as seen in the first sentence where "oil" precedes "price," while in the second sentence, the order is reversed.
In summary, syntax refers to the arrangement of phrases, clauses, and sentences to create grammatically correct utterances and texts according to specific language rules While all languages share components of universal grammar, they also display unique syntactic features This highlights the importance of contrastive analysis in understanding these differences.
A contrastive analysis of syntactic structures used in describing trends in
IN DESCRIBING TRENDS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE BUSINESS ARTICLES
This chapter examines the similarities and differences in syntactic structures used to describe trends in eight business newspapers, comprising four English and four Vietnamese publications It begins with a brief introduction to these newspapers for context, followed by a contrastive analysis of the clause and phrase patterns identified in both English and Vietnamese articles.
2.1 An overview on the business newspapers used in contrastive analysis
A selection of eight business newspapers and magazines was made from a diverse range of English and Vietnamese publications The English selections comprised two British publications, The Economist and The Financial Times Asia, alongside two American titles, Business Week and Wall Street Journal.
Street Journal Asia respectively Vietnamese publications involved two Northern Vietnamese ones and two Southern Vietnamese ones i.e The Vietnam Economic Times, Investment, The Saigon Times, and Saigon Financial Investment respectively
The selection of resources was based on three key reasons: First, the chosen newspapers are prominent in both English and Vietnamese, ensuring that the business news language reflects the broader audience Second, this approach allows for an exploration of the similarities and differences influenced by regional and cultural factors, such as those between American and British English, as well as Northern and Southern Vietnamese Lastly, the diversity among the newspapers provides a valuable basis for comparison, highlighting the variations in news language across different publications.
The analysis procedure involved a careful selection of three business articles from each newspaper, focusing on clause structures to highlight specific patterns To maintain a detailed analysis, only two articles exhibiting prominent trends were chosen for phrase patterns, resulting in a total of 16 articles examined for similarities and differences across five phrase categories The findings were quantified in percentages and presented in tables or figures to clearly illustrate the notable similarities and differences The final analysis was based on the compiled statistics.
Before the analysis is further implemented, some background information about the eight newspapers and magazines will be given below
The Economist is a weekly English-language publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd., based in London, that primarily covers world news, politics, and business In recent years, it has diversified its content by including sections on Europe, Asia, Latin America, international issues, as well as science, technology, books, and arts.
The Economist sells over 1 million copies weekly, with more than 80% of its circulation occurring outside of Britain, highlighting its focus on international topics and global readership despite being a British publication.
The Financial Times is a prestigious global business news organization known for its authority, integrity, and accuracy With a primary focus on British and international business and economic news, it offers comprehensive news coverage, insightful commentary, and in-depth analysis The newspaper is printed at 23 locations worldwide and boasts a daily circulation of 411,988.
(ABC figures, June, 2009) and a readership of 1.3 million people worldwide in print and online
Business Week is a business magazine published by McGraw-Hill at the headquarters in New
Since 2005, Business Week has transitioned to a global edition, offering essential business insights that empower leaders to transform ideas into action With a readership exceeding 4.8 million across 140 countries, it stands as a market leader in delivering valuable information to business professionals worldwide.
* The Wall Street Journal (Asia)
The Wall Street Journal is an English-language international daily newspaper published by
Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, in New York City, with Asian and European editions
The Journal newspaper focuses on U.S and global business and financial news, deriving its name from Wall Street, the center of New York's financial district As of 2007, it boasts a daily circulation exceeding 2 million worldwide, with around 931,000 of those being paid online subscribers.
The Wall Street Journal Asia, established in 1976, serves as a regional edition that delivers the latest news and in-depth analysis of both regional and global business developments, catering specifically to Asian corporate and government decision-makers.
* Thời báo Kinh tế Việt Nam (The Vietnam Economic Times)
The paper is a major economic publication focusing on many aspects of economic life in Vietnam and other countries
Every weekday and Saturday, 38,900 copies are published, covering a wide array of topics including domestic and international business news, stock market updates, monetary and banking information, real estate insights, socioeconomic issues, information technology, and healthcare services.
On June 6, the Ministry of Planning and Investment launched §Çu t- (Investment) §Çu T-, a platform aimed at promoting investment opportunities in Vietnam This initiative provides updates on national and global news relevant to investors, highlights achievements in cooperation and investment, and recognizes outstanding individuals and enterprises in the field.
The newspaper caters to a diverse audience, including economic organizations, domestic and international investors, government agencies, and individuals interested in business, trade, import-export, banking, finance, and the stock market both in Vietnam and globally.
* Thời báo Kinh Tế Sài Gòn (The Saigon Times)
Thời báo Kinh Tế Sài Gòn is a prominent Southern Vietnamese economic newspaper that covers a diverse range of topics, including economic forums, editorial opinions, business laws, book introductions, health, and culture It offers in-depth analysis and insights into economic and business issues, making it a valuable resource for readers interested in these areas.
Its readers are mainly businessmen, managers, economics experts, students and people who are interested in economics and business
* Sài Gòn Đầu t- Tài chính (Saigon Financial Investment)
Sài Gòn Đầu t- Tài chính, a Southern Vietnamese newspaper, is an edition of Saigon Giai
Phong Newspaper covers a range of topics that engage citizens, businesses, and investors, including the financial capital market, monetary policies, stock exchanges, real estate, trade and consumption, and insurance Additionally, it features sections on editorial opinions, entertainment, business life, and international perspectives.
The paper’s goals are to catch up with market trends and demand in the context of integration and to connect enterprises, industries and investors and consumers
2.2 A contrastive analysis of syntactic structures used in describing trends in English and Vietnamese business articles
2.2.1.1 Clause structures in general trend description
Implications and recommendations 3.1 For translation: difficulties in translating syntactic structures used in describing trends from English into Vietnamese and vice versa and some recommendations 40 3.2 For teaching students to describe charts and graphs in English
The final chapter addresses common challenges encountered in English-Vietnamese translations found in Vietnamese business newspapers, particularly when writing about charts and graphs It provides clear suggestions and recommendations for each identified issue to facilitate understanding Additionally, the chapter includes suggested exercises focused on syntactic structures for describing trends in business articles, aimed at helping students improve their writing skills related to chart analysis.
3.1 For translation: difficulties in translating syntactic structures used in describing trends from English into Vietnamese and vice versa and some recommendations
The research incorporates Vietnamese translations of business articles from foreign newspapers, primarily from the International Economy and International Stock News sections It identifies two significant challenges arising from the structural differences between English and Vietnamese.
The article highlights issues with unnatural translations from English to Vietnamese, particularly due to the direct application of English sentence structures A common example is the SVC structure, where "to be" serves as the verb, followed by an adjective or past participle as the complement Examples include phrases like "Growth motive has not been stable" and "Recovery methods are unbalanced," which illustrate the challenges in achieving natural and coherent translations.
Sự hồi phục là đã đ-ợc khẳng định (Recovery has been affirmed)
(Trung Quốc tăng tr-ởng trong khó khăn, TBKTVN, p.15, July 18, 2009)
The excessive use of 'là' in Vietnamese translations can render clauses informal and awkward To improve these sentences, it is recommended to eliminate 'là' to convert SVC structures into SC, or to adopt an SVO format by transforming adjective phrases into noun phrases with suitable verbs.
Vietnamese authors face challenges in fully capturing the nuances of English synonyms related to trends, particularly in stock news articles My observations indicate that these articles often rely heavily on a limited range of verbs and nouns to describe upward and downward movements, resulting in a lack of varied expression.
In Vietnamese, the terms for 'increase' (tăng, mức tăng, sự gia tăng) and 'decrease' (giảm, mức giảm, sự sụt giảm) create a less dynamic and vibrant portrayal of fluctuations, resulting in a more subdued representation of ups and downs.
To enhance the quality of translations in Vietnamese, incorporating appropriate adverbs and adjectives such as ‘quickly, slowly, strongly, lightly, significantly,’ or ‘dramatically’ can effectively modify movements Vietnamese translators should aim to maintain fidelity to the original text, even if the phrasing may appear unusual in Vietnamese For instance, translations like ‘jump – nhảy vọt,’ ‘fall – rơi xuống (mức),’ ‘plunge – tụt xuống (mức),’ ‘soar – tăng vọt lên,’ and ‘rocket – tăng chóng mặt’ exemplify this approach.
3.2 For teaching students to describe charts and graphs in English
Describing charts and graphs in English is essential for Economics students, as they encounter this skill regularly in textbooks, reference materials, tests, and presentations Developing the ability to identify key trends and articulate observations is crucial Furthermore, for students preparing for the IELTS exam, mastering chart and diagram description is a mandatory component of the assessment.
In my Business English teaching at the College of Economics, I have identified various challenges my students encounter when describing charts and graphs This article will outline the underlying issues and provide recommendations for improvement Additionally, I will introduce exercises based on newspaper articles that effectively utilize syntactic structures for describing trends, demonstrating how newspapers can serve as valuable resources for learning.
3.2.1 Students’ difficulties in describing trends, the causes and recommendations to improve the situations
My students often struggle to diversify their writing structures when describing charts, primarily relying on the SVA format When I encourage them to use SVO or SVC structures, they frequently feel confused and seek my assistance This tendency to use SVA allows them to highlight details more easily, as illustrated in the example below.
From June to August, the sales increased by 10%
S V A The information is presented in a friendly order and students find it fairly easy to follow However, the two alternative ways below require them to practise a little more
The next three months saw a 10% increase in sales
There is a 10% increase in sales over the next three months
The solution for this situation is, in my opinion, asking learners to practice rewriting sentences without changing their original meaning (clues may be given beforehand)
Many learners struggle with collocations, particularly the combinations of nouns with adjectives and verbs with adverbs Understanding which words pair well can be more complex than it seems As a result, some opt for a limited set of common collocations like "increase slightly," "rise quickly," "decrease significantly," and "fall sharply." While this approach provides a sense of security, it often results in repetitive language and a lack of engagement in their writing.
To effectively address this issue, educators can assign practice exercises that involve matching nouns with appropriate adjectives, pairing verbs with suitable adverbs, and utilizing collocations to demonstrate various trends in a graph.
Many students struggle with limited English proficiency, leading them to rely on simple sentences and clauses, resulting in predictable and monotonous writing To enhance their descriptive abilities, it is essential to encourage the use of varied grammatical structures For instance, incorporating alternative tools such as alternative clauses can provide richer context, as seen in phrases like "the profits in the third quarter rose remarkably, with the return in August reaching $2m." Additionally, non-finite clauses, like "China’s GDP grew by 7.9% in the second quarter of this year, having grown by 6.1% in the previous three-month period," can add depth Relative clauses, such as "the loss which mounted to $1m last year," and modifiers like "that growth gap of 8.5 percentage points" also enhance clarity Furthermore, using punctuation effectively, such as commas and brackets, allows for supplementary data, as demonstrated in "Its exports also surged, by an annualised 53%, partly thanks to strong Chinese demand."
The next problem is their confusion in using time and direction prepositions like in, of, at, by
To clarify any confusion regarding prepositions, it is essential to first provide clear explanations of their functions Following this, a series of practice exercises, including gap-filling and multiple-choice questions, will be offered to reinforce understanding.
Students frequently struggle to quickly and accurately interpret general trends and key details in graphs To address this challenge, teachers should present a variety of charts and graphs featuring diverse movements Additionally, assigning students to find sample graphs in books and newspapers can enhance their ability to analyze and interpret data collaboratively with their peers.
3.2.2 Suggested exercises for practising to describe charts and graphs