The use of metaphors in english business news articles by vietnamese and foreign journalists

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY NGO THU THAO THE USE OF METAPHORS IN ENGLISH BUSINESS NEWS ARTICLES BY VIETNAMESE AND FOREIGN JOURNALISTS Major: English Language Course code: 60220201 HCM City, July 2020 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY THE USE OF METAPHORS IN ENGLISH BUSINESS NEWS ARTICLES BY VIETNAMESE AND FOREIGN JOURNALISTS Submitted to the Faculty of English Language in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in English Language Course code: 60220201 By NGO THU THAO Supervised by TRAN QUOC THAO, PhD HCM City, July 2020 The thesis entitled The Use of Metaphors in English Business News Articles by Vietnamese and Foreign Journalists was defended and approved on 28 May, 2020 at Hochiminh City University of Technology (HUTECH) Academic supervisor : Tran Quoc Thao, PhD Signature: ……………… Examination Committee Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, PhD Chair Nguyen Thu Nhu Ngoc, PhD Reader Cao Thi Phuong Dung, PhD Reader Nguyen Tien Hung, PhD Member Le Van Tuyen, PhD Secretary Member On behalf of the Examination Committee Chair Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, PhD MASTER’S THESIS REPORT HCMC, July, 2020 Student name: Ngo Thu Thao Sex: Female Date of birth: 24/01/1991 Place of birth: HCMC Major: English Language Student code: 1741900065 I- Thesis title: The Use of Metaphors in English Business News Articles by Vietnamese and Foreign Journalists II- Objectives and contents: This study was conducted with the aim of exploring the differences in the use of metaphors in business news articles by Vietnamese and foreign journalists Specifically, the three objectives of this study are to investigate what types of metaphors are used, what functions they serve, and whether Vietnamese and foreign journalists differ in the use of metaphors The research findings indicate that there are quite a few differences in the language and the functions of metaphors deployed by two groups, although they use the same categories of structures of metaphor In specific, Vietnamese journalists used metaphorical language less frequently and less variously, and employed fewer functions of metaphors These reflect a few limitations in the use of English metaphors by Vietnamese advanced EFL learners III- Starting date: 04/05/2019 IV- Completing date: /7/2020 V- Academic supervisor: Tran Quoc Thao, PhD SUPERVISOR DEAN OF FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE Tran Quoc Thao, PhD Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, PhD i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled: THE USE OF METAPHORS IN ENGLISH BUSINESS NEWS ARTICLES BY VIETNAMESE AND FOREIGN JOURNALISTS In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee of Faculty of English Language, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology Ho Chi Minh City, July 2020 Signature …………………………… NGO THU THAO ii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, NGO THU THAO, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (English Language) accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for theses Ho Chi Minh City, July 2020 Signature …………………………… NGO THU THAO iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis would not have been possible without the support from many individuals I consider myself very fortunate to receive the valuable guidance and assistance during my research Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to them First and foremost, I am heartily grateful to my supervisor Dr Tran Quoc Thao for his valuable guidance through all the subtleties of my scientific writing I cannot forget his insightful comments and constructive approach He was always available there, with big doses of patience, to offer us constant feedbacks and encouragements which helped us developed knowledge and ideas I would like to extend my deep gratitude to the Board of Examination including Dr Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Dr Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc, Dr Cao Thi Phuong Dung, Dr Nguyen Tien Hung, Dr Le Van Tuyen, and all of our MA lecturers in the Department of English Language at HCM University of Technology Their valuable suggestions, comments, and guidance helped develop my academic writing skills and improve the quality of my Linguistic research Many thanks also go to my dear colleagues, Mr Ngo Minh Hien, Mr Nguyen Thanh Phuong, and Ms Nguyen Thi Binh An, who spent their precious time to help me deliberate and crosscheck during the data analyses, in order to ensure the reliability and objectivity of the results Without their assistance, these phases could have not been completed The last and surely the most, I am greatly indebted to my family for their love and unconditional support My parents have always been a great source of encouragement throughout my academic journey Words cannot express my gratitude and thankfulness to them iv ABSTRACT Metaphors have been considered as powerful tools to strengthen the attractive and persuasive effects in communication, especially in newspaper discourse Recognizing their vital roles, this study aims to examine the use of metaphors in English news articles by Vietnamese and foreign journalists Accordingly, the three research questions include what types, what functions, and what differences in terms of types and functions of metaphors used in business news by two groups Research sample contained 60 English business news articles written by Vietnamese and foreign journalists collected from popular newspapers in Vietnam, UK, and US The type analysis in this study was based on the conceptual categorization adapted from Lakoff and Johnson (2003) and Kheovichai (2010); while the functions of metaphors were analyzed using the frameworks adapted from Searle (1990), Stefanowitsch (2005), and Krennmayr (2011) The findings showed that although both groups shared the same types of structures of metaphors, Vietnamese journalists used English metaphorical language less frequently and less variously, and employed fewer functions of English metaphors compared to foreign journalists These findings imply a number of limitations that Vietnamese EFL learners should overcome to better their communication and writing in English Keywords: business news articles, foreign journalists, functions, metaphors, types, Vietnamese journalists v TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY .i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii ABSTRACT iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES .xi LIST OF ABREVIATIONS xii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Aims and objectives of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 The scope of the study 1.6 Significance of the study 1.7 Definitions of key terms 1.8 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 Definition and general features of metaphors 10 2.2 Vital roles of metaphors in newspaper discourse 13 2.3 Types of metaphor 14 2.3.1 The classification based on level of representation 14 2.3.1.1 Conceptual Metaphor 15 2.3.1.2 Visual metaphor 16 2.3.1.3 Linguistic metaphor 17 2.3.1.3.1 Distinguish Explicit Metaphors from Similes and Metonymies 19 vi 2.3.1.3.2 Distinguish Implicit Metaphors from Metonymies 19 2.3.2 The classification based on source-target mapping of metaphors 20 2.3.2.1 ONTOLOGICAL METAPHOR 22 2.3.2.2 ORIENTATIONAL METAPHOR 22 2.3.2.3 STRUCTURAL METAPHOR 23 2.3.2.3.1 WAR metaphors 23 2.3.2.3.2 GAME metaphors 24 2.3.2.3.3 JOURNEY metaphors 24 2.3.2.3.4 MACHINE metaphors 25 2.3.2.3.5 ORGANISM metaphors 25 2.3.2.3.6 BUILDING metaphors 26 2.3.2.3.7 Other PHYSICAL metaphors 27 2.4 A cognitive linguistic approach to metaphor 28 2.4.1 The identification of metaphor 29 2.4.2 Impacts of linguistic conventionality on the analyses of metaphors 31 2.4.2.1 Impacts of linguistic conventionality on MIP 31 2.4.2.2 Conventional metaphors and their secondary use 33 2.5 Functions of metaphors 35 2.6 Previous research on the use of metaphors 38 2.6.1 Research on the use of metaphor in newspaper 39 2.6.2 Research on the metaphor production of non-native speakers 42 2.6.3 Research on metaphors in the context of Vietnam 44 2.7 Conceptual framework 46 2.8 Summary 48 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 50 3.1 Research design 50 3.2 Research sample 51 3.3 Data collection procedures 53 3.4 Framework for data analysis 54 134 29 Vietnamese firms optimistic about expanding their business 468 Editors of VNS Vietnamnet quoting VNS Feb 28, 2019 30 Opportunities for businesses importing soybeans from Canada 388 Editors of Vietnamnet Vietnamnet Mar 1, 2019 135 Appendix 3.2: Publication information of Corpus B Corpus B – 30 English Business news articles by foreign journalists No Title Number of words Author Published by Lambeth cutting family centre funds 461 Letter The Guardian UK Feb 4, 2019 Plastic waste: UK should not pass buck to world's poorest, say MPs 517 Sandra Laville The Guardian UK Feb 7, 2019 Court orders son of Moldova's former PM to pay £466,000 625 David Pegg The Guardian UK Feb 7, 2019 Banking reform won't happen until after the election, Christopher Pyne says 605 Amy Remeikis The Guardian UK Feb 10, 2019 The Guardian view on the UK economy: before Brexit, rescue it from austerity 672 Editorial The Guardian UK Feb 11, 2019 Calls for regulator to ensure access to cash after bank IT failures 628 Kalyeena The Guardian UK Feb 12, 2019 Mark Carney: Brexit is the first test of a new global order 412 Larry Elliott The Guardian UK Feb 12, 2019 Fall in energy prices drags UK inflation to two-year low 526 Partington The Guardian UK Feb 13, 2019 Bob Katter threatens to recall parliament unless Coalition moves on banking reform 738 Paul Karp The Guardian UK Feb 13, 2019 10 To avoid environmental catastrophe, everything must change: (Readers’ response) 625 Editorial The Guardian UK Feb 13, 2019 11 Britain's EU workforce in decline as numbers from elsewhere soar 589 Aamna Mohdin The Guardian UK Feb 19, 2019 12 HSBC warns of weak global economic outlook 428 Julia Kollewe The Guardian UK Feb 19, 2019 13 It’s not just the EU that is alienated by Brexit It’s Japan too 482 William Keegan The Guardian UK Feb 24, 2019 136 14 Premier League race 'worth hundreds of millions' to home city 517 Rob Davies The Guardian UK Feb 25, 2019 15 Ted Baker issues profit warning after writing off £5m of unsold stock 371 Rupert Neate The Guardian UK Feb 27, 2019 16 Hiring boomed in January 537 Lydia DePillis The CNN Washington Feb 1, 2019 17 GM to start laying off 4,000 salaried workers on Monday 508 The CNN New York Feb 1, 2019 18 Sears gets out of bankruptcy alive 577 Chris Isidore & Kevin Liptak Chris Isidore & Nathaniel Meyersohn 19 The mighty US dollar is getting even stronger 572 Paul R La Monica The CNN New York Feb 13, 2019 20 Trade fights are pushing the global economy ever closer to the edge 529 Ivana Kottasová The CNN Feb 14, 2019 21 Coke says global slowdown will be a drag on 2019 Stock has worst day in 10 years 401 Danielle WienerBronner The CNN New York Feb 15, 2019 22 Alec Baldwin suggests Trump's latest attack on 'SNL' could be 'a threat to my safety' 374 Brian Stelter The CNN New York Feb 18, 2019 23 Nike's stock falls after Duke star is hurt as his sneaker comes apart 470 Nathaniel Meyersohn The CNN New York Feb 21, 2019 24 Southwest cancels hundreds of flights as it struggles to get its mechanical problems under control 350 Victoria Cavaliere & Rene Marsh The CNN New York Feb 21, 2019 25 Kraft Heinz posts huge loss, slashes dividend and reveals SEC investigation 557(+ video) Jackie Wattles The CNN New York Feb 22, 2019 26 The UK is not ready for Brexit Business will pay a high price 609 Charles Riley The CNN London Feb 26, 2019 27 China lost 161 billionaires because its stock markets tanked 513(+ video) Daniel Shane The CNN Hongkong Feb 27, 2019 28 TikTok hit with record fine for collecting data on children Sherisse Pham The CNN Hongkong Feb 28, 2019 572 The CNN New York Feb 7, 2019 137 29 US ditches China tariff hike 'until further notice' 30 Amazon's new waste-reduction strategy: Deliver only once a week 715 Donna Borak The CNN Washington Feb 28, 2019 363 Taylor Nicole Rogers The CNN New York Feb 28, 2019 138 Appendix 3.3: Sample of articles by Vietnamese journalists 139 Appendix 3.4: Sample of articles by foreign journalists 140 Appendix 4.1: Sample of metaphor identification and categorization Full lists at https://drive.google.com/file/d/12NqeHPGaXfVCwyUCN977QAOtNJUa83z/view?usp=sharing No Sentence MU in In Vietnam, red carp village bustling ahead ahead of Kitchen Gods’ Day of Local residents harvest red carp in Thuy Tram Village in the northern Vietnamese province of Phu Tho Orien + - Source vs Target Container Country is as metaphor a container JOURNEY Time point is metaphor a destination Day is as an Entity entity metaphor composed of elements Ontol Struct in - Container metaphor Village is as a container in - Container metaphor Province is as a container in - Container metaphor A1 enter A village popular for raising red carp in northern Vietnam has entered its of busiest season of the year as the type of fish is considered a fundamental part part of an annual traditional ritual held to bid farewell to the Kitchen of Gods - held - - - - A large area is as a container Season is as a Container JOURNEY destination metaphor metaphor (an enclosed space) Year is as an Entity entity metaphor composed of elements Ritual is as an Entity entity metaphor composed of different parts Ritual is as an Entity entity metaphor composed of different parts Ritual is as an Entity entity that metaphor could be held 141 [ ] No Sentence MU Orien Ontol Struc cut + Entity metaphor - centre + - - Entity metaphor - Entity metaphor Personifica tion Lambeth cutting family centre funds B1 All councils have to + react to government cuts cuts – the test is how, says David Hopkins Plus Dr Harry Harmer considers legacy austerity’s legacy with We read with interest Zoe Williams’ article “Red-on-redwarfare won’t stop austerity” (Red-onred-warfare won’t stop austerity, 29 January) - Redonredwarfar e Entity metaphor - WAR metaphor stop - Entity metaphor Personifica tion Red- - - WAR Source vs Target Funds is as a whole entity that can be cut into small pieces Attention is as the geometric center Funds is as a whole entity that can be cut into small pieces Austerity is as a person who leaves property to us The feeling of interest is as an entity existing together with us Economic activity is as a war Economic activity is as a person who can “stop austerity” Economic 142 onredwarfar e metaphor activity is as a war [ ] Appendix 4.2: Frequencies of root-words in A and B Full lists at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G5fSZ5k1_zxebEpf0Z6i58QuWlpMQwa/view?usp=sharing Frequencies of root-words of metphorical units in Corpus A abet access add addition advance against aggressive ahead aim alert allow along amid among anti appear appetite approach area arise around arrive at attract attractive 1 19 1 2 3 10 15 Frequencies of root-words of metphorical units in Corpus B above abuse accelerate acceleration account achieve acid acute add addition adjust affect against aggregate ahead alarm alienate alive allay allow alone alongside amid among amplify 1 2 14 2 1 2 143 avoid await back balance barrier base bear behind between big bite anti apart appear appetite approach area around arrival ask aspect asphyxiate 1 20 1 2 1 1 1 Appendix 4.3: Sample of function analysis Full lists at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W982fgo7csqnwAlunDkMTPA0HMwZL4W9/view?usp=sharing No Sentence MU Functions Country is as a container Facilitating the visualization of a vast area Time point is a destination Concretizing the conceptualization of the abstract concept “time” of Day is as an entity composed of elements Materializing the conceptualization the abstract concept “day” in Village is as a container Facilitating the visualization of a vast area in Province is as a container Facilitating the visualization of a vast area in Village is as a container enter Season is as a destination Facilitating the visualization of a vast area Materializing the abstract concept “time”, making the description of “time” more vivid in In Vietnam, red carp village bustling ahead ahead of Kitchen Gods’ Day Local residents harvest red carp in A1 Thuy Tram Village in the northern Vietnamese province of Phu Tho A village popular for raising red carp in northern Vietnam has entered its busiest season of the year as the type Source vs Target 144 of fish is considered a fundamental part of of an annual traditional ritual held to bid farewell part to the Kitchen Gods Year is as an entity composed of elements Materializing the abstract concept “time” Ritual is as an Materializing the abstract entity composed concept “ritual” of different parts of Ritual is as an Materializing the abstract entity composed concept “ritual” of different parts held Ritual is as an entity that could be held Materializing the abstract concept “ritual” [ ] No Sentence MU cut Lambeth cutting family centre funds centre All councils have to react to government cuts B1 cuts – the test is how, says David Hopkins Plus Dr Harry Harmer considers legacy austerity’s legacy We read with interest Zoe Williams’ article “Red-on-redwarfare won’t stop austerity” (Red-on- with Red-on- Source vs Target Funds is as a whole entity that can be cut into smaller pieces Attention is as the geometric center Funds is as a whole entity that can be cut into shorter pieces Austerity is as a person who leaves property to us The feeling of interest is as an entity existing together with us Economic Functions Materializing the policy of “reduce funding”, describing the policy more vividly Facilitating the conceptualization of the abstract concept “attention” Materializing the policy of “reduce funding”, describing the policy more vividly Materializing the policy of “austerity” as a person, making description more vividly and lively Materialize the conceptualization of the emotion “interest” Dramatizing the economic 145 red-warfare won’t stop austerity, 29 January) redwarfare stop Red-onredwarfare stop [ ] activity is as a war activity, implicitly criticizing the austerity policy Economic Materializing economic activity is as a activity as a person, making person who can description more vividly and “stop austerity” lively Dramatizing the economic Economic activity, implicitly activity is as a criticizing the austerity war policy Economic Materializing economic activity is as a activity as a person, making person who can description more vividly and “stop austerity” lively 146 PLAGIARISM CHECKING REPORT 147 148