A contrastive analysis of the verb love in english and the verb yêu in vietnamese

DECLARATION I hereby declare that no part of the enclosed Master Thesis has been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgment and that the thesis is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor Hanoi, 24th December 2013 Candidate Bui Thi Cuc Approved by Assoc Prof Dr Tran Xuan Diep i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Tran Xuan Diep for his valuable suggestions, advice and corrections during the course of my writing I also wish to express my sincere thanks to all my lecturers at the Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies, Hanoi Open University, for their useful lectures, supports, encouragements and for inspiring in me the love for English-foreign language teaching and doing research I also would like to take this opportunity to send my thanks to all my colleagues in The Fisheries College in Bacninh province for their supports and encouragements during the thesis preparation Finally, I would like to show my deep gratitude to the members of my family, especially my husband, for their great supports, encouragements, love and unshakeable trust without which my thesis would not have been accomplished Hanoi, 24th December 2013 ii ABSTRACT In learning English as a foreign language, beginners tend to find oneto-one equivalence between their mother tongue, the source language, and English, the target language Experience in English learning and teaching has shown that one-to-one equivalence is possible but it is not always the case At word level, for example, in meaning, one word in English can never be exactly the same as another word in Vietnamese This M.A thesis, which is entitled “A Contrastive Analysis of the Verb “Love” in English and the Verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese”, is an attempt to find out the similarities and differences between the two verbs in terms of microlinguistics The results of the study may help draw a general picture of the two words, idioms involving them, and their similarities and differences Learners, teachers and translators may benefit from these findings in widening vocabulary and finding equivalents for the source word As a result, not only are recommendations put forward for foreign language teaching and learning, but also for the translation from English into Vietnamese and vice versa iii ABBREVIATIONS CA: Contrastive Analysis MiCA: Microlinguistic Contrastive Analysis MaCA: Macrolinguistic Contrastive Analysis EFL: English as a Foreign Language iv LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Seven types of meaning (Leech 1981) 15 Table 2: Idioms/ Proverbs with the verb “ love” 34 Table 3: Idioms/Proverbs with the verb “Yêu” 43 Table 4: Idioms/ proverbs with “Love” without Yêu” in 55 Vietnamese equivalences Table 5: Idioms/ Proverbs with “Yêu” without “Love” in English equivalences v 56 TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT .iii ABBREVIATIONS iv LIST OF TABLES v TABLE OF CONTENT vi PART I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale of the Study 1.2 Objectives of the Study 1.3 Research Questions 1.4 Scope of the Study 1.5 Methods of the Study 1.6 Design of the Study PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 An overview of Contrastive Analysis 1.1.1 Definition 1.1.2 Guiding Principles for Contrastive Studies 1.2 Microlinguistic Contrastive Analysis (MiCA) 1.3 Macrolinguistic Contrastive Analysis 1.4 A Brief Description of Verbs vi 1.4.1 Verbs in English 1.4.2 Verbs in Vietnamese 11 1.5 Types of Meaning 14 1.6 Idioms and Proverbs 16 1.6.1 Definition Idioms 16 1.6.2 Functions of Idioms 19 1.7 Concluding Remarks 21 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 22 2.1 Subjects of the Studies 22 2.2 Materials 22 2.3 Procedures 22 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 24 3.1 A Contrastive Analysis of the Verb “Love” in English and the Verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese in terms of Microlinguistics 24 3.1.1 An investigation into the verb “Love” in English 24 3.1.1.1 Grammatical Features 24 3.1.1.1.1 Syntactic Features 24 3.1.1.1.2 Morphological Features 27 3.1.1.2 Semantic Features 29 3.1.1.2.1 General Meanings 29 3.1.1.2.2 Meanings of the word “Love” in some Idioms and Proverbs 33 vii 3.1.2 An Investigation into the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese 36 3.1.2.1 Grammatical Features 36 3.1.2.1.1 Syntactic Features 36 3.1.2.1.2 Morphological Features 40 3.1.2.2 Semantic Features 41 3.1.2.2.1 General Meanings 41 3.1.2.2.2 Meanings in Some Idioms and Proverbs 42 3.1.3 Findings 47 3.1.3.1 In Terms of Grammatical Features 47 3.1.3.1.1 Similarities 47 3.1.3.1.2 Differences 49 3.1.3.2 In terms of Semantics Features 51 3.1.3.2.1 Similarities 51 3.1.3.2.2 Differences 54 3.1.4 Concluding Remarks 57 PART III: CONCLUSIONS 58 Recapitulation of Main Ideas 58 Limitations of the Study 59 Recommendations for Further Research 59 REFERENCES 61 APPENDICES 72 viii PART I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale of the Study In learning English as a foreign language, beginners tend to find one- to-one equivalence between their mother tongue, the source language, and English, the target language Experience in English learning and teaching has shown that one-to-one equivalence is possible but it is not always the case The verb “love” in English and the verb “yêu” in Vietnamese are one of examples for the case In some circumstances, the verb “love” cannot be translated into “yêu” in Vietnamese and vice versa For example, how English people find equivalents for such proverbs/ idioms like “Yêu củ ấu tròn/ Ghét bò làm méo”, ‘Yêu núi trèo’, etc in their language, and how Vietnamese people translate such proverbs/ idioms like ‘Love me little, love me long”, “Whom the gods love die young”, “Each bird loves to hear himself sing”, etc.? The study entitled “A Contrastive Analysis of the Verb “Love” in English and the Verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese” is intended to look at the similarities and differences between the verb “Love” in English and the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese 1.2 Objectives of the Study The study is designed to:
Describe the grammatical and semantic features of the verb “Love” in English
Describe the grammatical and semantic features of the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese
Find the similarities and differences between the verb “Love” in English and the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese in terms of Microlinguistic Contrastive Analysis (MiCA) 1.3 Research Questions To achieve these objectives, the study is intended to answer the following questions: What are the grammatical features of the verb “Love” in English and “Yêu” in Vietnamese? What are the semantic features of the verb “Love” in English and “Yêu” in Vietnamese? What are the similarities and differences between the two verbs in terms of these features? 1.4 Scope of the Study To analyze and contrast the verb “Love” in English and the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese within this study, the thesis focuses on analyzing and contrasting them in terms of MiCA (concerning grammatical and semantic features of the two verbs) With regard to the grammatical features, the syntactic and morphological features are discussed In terms of the semantic features, the study analyzes the general meanings, their meanings in some idioms and proverbs of the two verbs 1.5 Methods of the Study The study has employed the following methods: − To describe, analyze and contrast − To collect and synthesize statistics The procedures of the study are as follows: Edward Sapir, L.Spier (ed.), Menasha (Wis.), Sapir Memorial Publication 26 Yngve, V.H (1975) Human Linguistics in Face-to-Face Interaction In A.Kendon et al, eds.: Organization of Behaviour in Face-to-Face Interaction, Moutan The Hague, pp.47-62 In Vietnamese 27 Bùi Đức Tịnh (1996), Văn phạm Việt Nam, Hà Nội: NXB Văn hóa 28 Diệp Quang Ban (2001) Ngữ Pháp tiếng Việt NXB Giáo dục, Hà Nội 29 Diệp Quang Ban & Hoàng Văn Thung (2002), Ngữ pháp tiếng Việt, Tập & Hội Nội: NXb Giáo dục 30 Đỗ Hữu Châu (1999) Từ Vựng Ngữ Nghĩa Tiếng Việt NXB Giáo Dục 31 Hoàng Văn Hành (1994), Kể chuyện thành ngữ, tục ngữ: NXB Khoa học xã hội, Hà nội 32 Lê Biên (1999), Từ loại tiếng Việt ñại, Hà nội: NXB Giáo Dục 33 Nguyễn Kim Thản (1977) Động Từ Trong Tiếng Việt NXB Khoa học xã hội 34 Nguyễn Đình Hòa (1996): “Vietnamese verbs”, in The Mon-Khmer Studies Journal, volum 25 (141-159) 35 Võ Đại Quang (2006): Lectures on English Grammar, Hanoi: Vietnam National University Publishing House 36 Võ Đại Quang (2006), Semantics, Hanoi: Vietnam National University Publishing House 63 Websites cited 37 http://baothaibinh.com.vn/19/14235/Ngay_xuan_ban_ve_Chu_Tho Tu oi_tho_va_Mung_tho.htm 38 http://en.wikipedia.org 39 http://www.yourdictionary.com/love 40 http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/love 41 http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/love, 42 http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/lovely1 43 http://www.mtsn.org.uk/news/passing-of-a-much-loved-colleague/ 44 http://vannghequandoi.com.vn 45 Soha.vn, http://vdict.com/ 46 vndic.naver.vn/entry.nhn?entryId=32837 SOURCES OF THE DATA In English 47 Andrew M Greeley (2000) Irish Mist San Francisco: Doherty 48 Anne Bertram (1997) Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries: And Other Delicious Sayings New York : McGraw-Hill Companies 49 Apperson, G L.; 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In lover’s sky, all stars are eclipsed by the eyes of the one you love It only takes a second to say I love you, but it will take a lifetime to show you how much If you be with the one you love, love the one you are with 72 Numbers Idioms and proverbs with “Love” A face only a mother could love 10 Loving a woman who scorns you is like licking honey from a thorn 11 Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, love more, and all good things will be yours 12 To love someone with all of one’s heart and soul 13 Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all 14 Everybody loves a lord face only a mother could love 15 I must'll love you and leave youin love 16 Lord love a duck! 17 Love handles 18 Love it! 19 Love me, love my dog 20 Love to bits 21 Love to death 22 Love you! 73 Numbers Idioms and proverbs with “Love” 23 Make love 24 Misery loves company 25 One cannot love and be wise 26 Whom the gods love die young 27 To love in a cottage You know when you love someone when you want them to be 28 happy event if their happiness means that you’re not part of it 29 One cannot love and be wise 30 It only takes a second to say I love you, but it will take a lifetime to show you how much 31 In lover’s sky, all stars are eclipsed by the eyes of the one you love 32 Men are best loved farthest off 33 Love all, trust a few, wrong to none 34 He that loves the tree, loves the branch 35 He who loves sorrow will always find something to grieve over 36 Old men who have loved young company have been of long life 74 Numbers Idioms and proverbs with “Love” 37 Old love doesn't rust 38 Pity is akin to love 39 The old man who is loved is winter with flowers 75 Idioms and proverbs with “Yêu” Number Idioms and proverbs with ‘‘yêu” Yêu cho roi cho vọt, ghét cho miếng miếng bùi Yêu cho vọt, ghét cho chơi Yêu nên tốt, ghét nên xấu Yêu cắn ñau Yêu rào rậu (giậu) cho kín u trẻ trẻ đến nhà u chấy cắn đơi u chín bỏ làm mười Yêu việc chẳng nể, trăm chỗ lệch kê cho 10 Yêu ñắp ñiếm bề 76 Number Idioms and proverbs with ‘‘yêu” Một trăm chỗ lệch kê cho 11 Yêu sinh tử liều Thương lội suối qua đèo có 12 u u đường ñi Ghét ghét tông chi họ hàng 13 Yêu tam, tứ núi trèo Thất, bát sông lội Tam thập lục ñèo qua 14 Yêu ăn khơng khí no 15 u q ñỗi nên mê Tỉnh biết kẻ chê người cười 16 Yêu củ ấu tròn Ghét bồ méo 17 Yêu bốc bãi giần sàng Ghét ñũa ngọc mâm vàng chẳng ăn 18 Gái yêu tai, trai yêu mắt 19 Yêu ñương mù quáng 77