(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms

(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms(Luận văn thạc sĩ) A study on structural and semantic components of typical English and Vietnamese idioms

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES οOο ĐẶNG NGUYÊN GIANG A STUDY ON STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC COMPONENTS OF TYPICAL ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS (Nghiên cứu thành tố cấu trúc ngữ nghĩa số thành ngữ cố định (đặc ngữ) điển hình tiếng Anh tiếng Việt) Major: English Linguistics Code: 62 22 15 01 A Thesis Submitted in Total Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy HANOI – 2013 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES οOο ĐẶNG NGUYÊN GIANG A STUDY ON STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC COMPONENTS OF TYPICAL ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS (Nghiên cứu thành tố cấu trúc ngữ nghĩa số thành ngữ cố định (đặc ngữ) điển hình tiếng Anh tiếng Việt) Major: English Linguistics Code: 62 22 15 01 A Thesis Submitted in Total Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Supervisors: Assoc Prof Dr Võ Đại Quang Assoc Prof Dr Lê Hùng Tiến HANOI – 2013 DECLARATION BY AUTHOR Except where reference has been made in the text, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person I, Đặng Nguyên Giang, hereby state that this thesis is the result of my own research and the substance of the thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for any degrees to any other universities or institutions i PUBLISHED WORKS BY THE AUTHOR RELEVANT TO THE THESIS Giang, Đ N (2009) Idiomatic Variants and Synonymous Idioms in English VNU Journal of Science, Foreign Languages, 25 (2), 81-85 Giang, Đ N (2011) Idiom Variants and Synonymous Idioms in English and Vietnamese: The Similarities and Differences VNU Journal of Science, Foreign Languages, 27 (4), 273-280 Giang, Đ N (2011) Bàn thêm đặc tính ngữ nghĩa thành ngữ tiếng Anh [On the semantic properties of English idioms] Bản tin thông tin khoa học công nghệ Trường Đại học Tây Bắc, 1-6, 27-33 Giang, Đ N (2012) Bàn thêm đặc tính ngữ nghĩa thành ngữ tiếng Việt [On the semantic properties of Vietnamese idioms] Từ điển học Bách khoa thư, 15 (1), 38-43 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation is credited to many people’s contributions and support I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all most sincerely, knowing that my thanks are never adequate I am greatly indebted to my supervisors Assoc Prof Dr Võ Đại Quang and Assoc Prof Dr Lê Hùng Tiến for their encouragement, insightful comments and interest in my study I would like to thank the staff of Post Graduate Department for their assistance that has made the finalization of the dissertation possible in a very short time My sincere thanks also extend to Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Văn Độ, Dr Nguyễn Đức Hoạt, and Dr Nguyễn Văn Trào for their invaluable suggestions, highly constructive comments on several issues related to the dissertation Their willingness to support me, answer my questions, and comment on my dissertation content and organization has made me more confident to pursue the research in this challenging area I give my sincere thanks to all my students, colleagues and friends who patiently listened to my frustrations, and provided me with encouragement, understanding and collegiality As custom dictates, I have saved the most important people for last My gratitude goes to my mother and father Their constant love and unconditional support are simply beyond words A big thank goes to my wife, Thanh Hà, and my gorgeous son, Bảo Nam, for their patience, endless love, and devotion Whatever choices I have made, they have always stood by me and believed in me I am immensely thankful for all the assistance they have given me iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration by Author…………………………………………… …………… i Published Works by the Author Relevant to the Thesis…………… ….…… ii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………… ……… iii Abstract…………………………………………………………….…… …… viii List of Figures……………………………………………………… ………… x List of Tables…………………………………………………………… ……… xiv List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in the Thesis……………… …… xv List of Vietnamese – English Terms………………………………… ….…… xvi PART A: INTRODUCTION………………………………………… ……… 1 Rationale………………………………………………………… …… …… Aims and Objectives of the Study……………………………… … ……… 3 Research Questions……………………………………………… ………… Scope of the Study……………………………………… ………….……… Contributions of the Study……………………………… ……….………… Methodology……………………………………………… …… … ……… 6.1 Theoretical Framework………………………………… ….…………… 6.2 Analytical Framework……………………………… …….…………… 6.3 Data Collection………………………………………… ….…………… 6.4 Data Analysis…………………………………………… ….………… 10 6.5 Procedure……………………………………………… …….………… 12 Structure of the Study……………………………………… …….………… 13 PART B: DEVELOPMENT………………………………………… ……… 14 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………… ….………… 14 1.1 Theoretical Background……………………………………… …….…… 14 1.1.1 Idioms Defined………………………………………… …….……… 14 1.1.2 Idioms from Traditional View………………………… …….……… 16 1.1.3 Idioms from Cognitive View…………………………… …….……… 18 1.1.4 Idioms from Taxonomic View………………………… …….……… 19 1.1.5 Idioms from Cultural View…………………………… …….……… 28 1.1.6 Idioms in the Relationship to Other Linguistic Units……… …… … 29 1.2 Previous Research……………………………………………… …….… 33 1.2.1 Previous Research Works on Idioms in English………… ….…….… 33 iv 1.2.2 Previous Research Works on Idioms in Vietnamese……… ……….… 35 1.2.3 Previous Research Works on Idioms in English and Vietnamese under Comparison and Contrastive Analysis……………………………… ….… 38 1.3 Summary……………………………………………………….…….….… 39 CHAPTER 2: STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS………………………………………… …………… 41 2.1 Canonical Structural Components…………………………… ………… 41 2.1.1 Symmetrical Idioms…………………………………… …………… 41 2.1.1.1 Realization…………………………………… … …………… 41 2.1.1.2 Structural Patterns……………………………… ….………… 42 2.1.1.3 Structural Components………………………… …………… 43 2.1.2 Similized Idioms…………………………………… …… ………… 51 2.1.2.1 Realization…………………………………… … …………… 51 2.1.2.2 Structural Patterns…………………………… … …………… 52 2.1.2.3 Structural Components……………………… ….…….……… 53 2.1.3 Non-symmetrical idioms………………………………… ………… 59 2.1.3.1 Realization…………………………………… … …………… 59 2.1.3.2 Structural Patterns…………………………… …….………… 60 2.1.3.3 Structural Components………………………… …………… 62 2.2 Non-canonical Structural Components……………… … ……………… 69 2.2.1 Idiom Variants………………………………………… …………… 70 2.2.1.1 Realization…………………………………… … …………… 70 2.2.1.2 Structural Components……………………… … …………… 72 2.2.2 Synonymous Idioms……………………………… … ……………… 78 2.2.2.1 Realization…………………………………… … …………… 78 2.2.2.2 Structural Components………………………… …………… 2.3 Structural Components of English and Vietnamese Idioms Compared 80 85 2.3.1 Similarities…………………………………………… … …………… 85 2.3.1.1 Canonical Structural Components Found in both Languages… 85 2.3.1.2 Non-canonical Structural Components Found in both Languages 85 2.3.2 Differences…………………………………….………… …………… 86 2.3.2.1 Canonical Structural Components Unique to English……… … 88 2.3.2.2 Non-canonical Structural Components Unique to English… v 89 2.3.2.3 Canonical Structural Components Unique to Vietnamese …… 90 2.3.2.4 Non-canonical Structural Components Unique to Vietnamese… 91 2.4 Summary……………………………………………………… ……… … CHAPTER 3: SEMANTIC COMPONENTS OF ENGLISH 92 AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS……………………………………… …… … …… 93 3.1 Canonical Semantic Components……………………………… … … … 93 3.1.1 Semantic Components of Symmetrical Idioms……………… ……… 93 3.1.1.1 Motivation Degree of Semantic Components……… … …… 93 3.1.1.2 Composition of Semantic Components………………….…… 100 3.1.2 Semantic Components of Similized Idioms…………………… …… 102 3.1.2.1 Motivation Degree of Semantic Components……… … …… 102 3.1.2.2 Composition of Semantic Components…………… …… … 105 3.1.3 Semantic Components of Non-symmetrical Idioms…………… …… 107 3.1.3.1 Motivation Degree of Semantic Components………… …… 107 3.1.3.2 Composition of Semantic Components………………….…… 112 3.2 Non-canonical Semantic Components…………………………… ……… 114 3.2.1 Semantic Components of Idiom Variants……………………………… 115 3.2.1.1 Realization…………………………………………… ……… 115 3.2.1.2 Semantic Nuance…………………………………… … …… 116 3.2.2 Semantic Components of Synonymous Idioms…………… …… …… 118 3.2.2.1 Realization…………………………………………… … …… 118 3.2.2.2 Semantic Nuance……………………………………… …… 118 3.3 Formation of Semantic Components of Idioms…………………… …… 119 3.3.1 Formation Mechanism……………………………………….… …… 119 3.3.2 Main Factors Affecting the Formation of Semantic Components…… 124 3.3.2.1 Living Circumstance…………………………… …….……… 124 3.3.2.2 Historical Allusion………………………………… ……… 126 3.3.2.3 Religions and Beliefs……………………………… ………… 128 3.3.2.4 Traditions and Customs…………………………… … ……… 128 3.4 Semantic Components of English and Vietnamese Idioms Compared… 130 3.4.1 Similarities…………………………………………… ……………… 131 3.4.1.1 Canonical Semantic Components Found in both Languages… 131 3.4.1.2 Non-canonical Semantic Components Found in both Languages vi 132 3.4.1.3 Formation of semantic components found in both Languages 133 3.4.2 Differences…………………………………………………….….… … 134 3.4.2.1 Canonical Semantic Components Unique to English……….… 135 3.4.2.2 Canonical Semantic Components Unique to Vietnamese… 136 3.4.2.3 Differences between English and Vietnamese in Terms of Main Factors that Affect the Formation of Semantic Components… 136 3.5 Summary………………………………………………………………… … 141 PART C: CONCLUSION…………………………………………….………… 142 Recapitulation…………………………………………………… ….……… 142 Conclusions……………………………………………………… … ……… 146 Implications for Idiom Teaching and Translation…………… ……….… 149 Suggestions for Further Studies…………………………………… ……… 151 REFERENCES………………………………………………………… …… 153 APPENDIX 1………………………………………………………… ….…… I APPENDIX 2………………………………………………………… ….…… VII APPENDIX 3…………………………………………………….… ………… XII APPENDIX 4……………………………………………………… ………… XVI vii ABSTRACT An investigation of idioms in English and Vietnamese in terms of structural and semantic components is carried out in the present study Componential analysis, describing, comparing and contrasting are regarded as the main methods used in the present thesis The findings of the study are concerned with the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese idioms in terms of (1) structural components, and (2) semantic components and their formation In order to collect the data, a hand search approach of the dictionaries in both languages has been conducted, which helps to establish a corpus of 4,134 idioms in English and 4,053 idioms in Vietnamese In the present study, a common theoretical framework on idioms is applied to both English and Vietnamese The canonical structural and semantic components involve three types of idioms existing in our data: symmetrical, similized, and non-symmetrical (Đức 1995; Hành 2008) The canonical structural components of each idiom type are realized, described and analyzed according to grammatical rules suggested by Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, & Svartvik (1985) The non-canonical structural components involve two types of idioms: idiom variants and synonymous idioms The semantic components of each idiom type involve the motivation degrees (transparent, semi-transparent, semi-opaque, and opaque) (Fernando & Flavell 1981; Fernando 1996), the association between the literal readings and the idiomatic meanings (Langlotz 2006), and the semantic composition of component parts (Hành 2008) The findings of the current study also reveal that most of the idioms in both English and Vietnamese are analyzable and have meanings that are at least partly motivated (Geeraets 1995; Gibbs 1990, 1995; Kövecses & Szabo 1996; Nunberg et al 1994; Fernando 1996; Langlotz 2006; etc) The formation mechanism of the semantic components of idioms is motivated by external semantic cognition including metaphors, metonymies and conventional knowledge (Gibbs 1990, 1995) It is a natural process implicitly affected by several different factors such as living circumstance (geographical environment, climate), historical allusion (historical events, fables and mythologies, literary works), religions and beliefs, and traditions and customs (food and cooking, animals) This leads to a fact that the component parts forming idioms in the two viii ...VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES οOο ĐẶNG NGUYÊN GIANG A STUDY ON STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC COMPONENTS OF TYPICAL. .. investigation of idioms in English and Vietnamese in terms of structural and semantic components is carried out in the present study Componential analysis, describing, comparing and contrasting are regarded... formation mechanism of semantic components of idioms in English and Vietnamese? ??……………………… ……………… 123 Figure 3.28: Main factors that affect the formation of semantic components of idioms in English and