Prototypes of basic colour terms in english and vietnamese from a cognitive linguistics perspective

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY - NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM A COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE (TÍNH ĐIỂN DẠNG CỦA CÁC MÀU CƠ BẢN TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT DƢỚI GĨC ĐỘ NGƠN NGỮ HỌC TRI NHẬN) MAJOR: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 9220201 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Linguistics Hanoi, 2021 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY - NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM A COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE (TÍNH ĐIỂN DẠNG CỦA CÁC MÀU CƠ BẢN TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT DƢỚI GĨC ĐỘ NGƠN NGỮ HỌC TRI NHẬN) MAJOR: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 9220201 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Linguistics Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr HOÀNG TUYẾT MINH Hanoi, 2021 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP The thesis entitled ―Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese from a cognitive linguistics perspective‖ has been submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy I, the undersigned, hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis, I have fully acknowledged and referenced the ideas and work of others, whether published or unpublished, in my thesis The thesis does not contain work extracted from a thesis, dissertation or research paper previously presented for another degree or diploma at this or any other university Signature NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN i ABSTRACT This dissertation, with the aim of identifying the prototypes of black/đen, white/trắng, red/đỏ, yellow/vàng, green/blue/xanh, grey/xám colour terms, attempts to clarify the similarities and the differences among the prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data with further explanations from cognitive and cultural perspectives Data is collected with as + basic colour terms + as/như + object referent X structure in English and Vietnamese data from literary works Combined research methods are adopted in the following means: percentage identification of individual object referent is based on quantitative method whereas further explanations concerning distinctive features depend on qualitative method as well as the similarities and the differences among these prototypes count on contrastive method The findings show: night as prototype of black colour term, snow as prototype of white colour term, blood and rose as two prototypes of red colour term, corn as prototype of yellow colour term, emerald as prototype of green colour term, sapphire as prototype of blue colour term, badger as prototype of grey colour term, mực as prototype of đen colour term, ngà as prototype of trắng colour term, son as prototype of đỏ colour term, nghệ as prototype of vàng colour term, tàu as prototype of xanh colour term, tro/gio as prototype of xám colour term Theoretically, this dissertation provides comprehensible explanations of cultural and cognitive characteristics of English and Vietnamese nations Practically, the study results are helpful for English and Vietnamese learners in translating or interpreting these prototypes correctly from cultural and cognitive viewpoints Profound knowledge of English and Vietnamese linguistic systems is beneficial for language learners for a more detailed description of the similarities and the differences Last but not least, native readers or speakers understand the similarities and distinguish the differences for the appropriate daily usage ii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1.3: Theoretical framework of dissertation 54 Figure 2.2: Data analysis procedure of dissertation 79 Table 4.1: Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data 128 Table 4.2: Objects as culture-specific referents of basic colour terms in English data and Vietnamese data 129 Table 4.3: Research outcome comparison about the most representative object referents or prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data 130 APPENDICES 170 APPENDIX 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 170 Appendix 1.1: Main development representatives in terms of prototype & categories 170 Appendix 1.2: Researches in English regarding lexicon research direction 172 Appendix 1.3: Researches in English related to semantics research direction 176 Appendix 1.4: Researches in English from culture research direction 177 Appendix 1.5: Researches in English on the subject of cognition research direction 178 Appendix 1.6: Researches in Vietnamese in regard to lexicon research direction 181 Appendix 1.7: Researches in Vietnamese in terms of semantics research direction 182 Appendix 1.8: Researches in Vietnamese connected to culture research direction 184 APPENDIX 2: OBJECT REFERENTS OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA 188 Table 2.1: Objects referents of black colour term in English data 188 Table 2.3: Objects referents of red colour term in English data 222 Table 2.4: Objects referents of yellow colour term in English data 229 Table 2.5: Objects referents of green colour term in English 233 Table 2.6: Objects referents of blue colour term in English data 236 Table 2.7: Objects referents of grey colour term in English data 239 Table 2.8: Objects referents of đen colour term in Vietnamese data 241 Table 2.9: Objects referents of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data 256 Table 2.10: Objects referents of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data 269 iii Table 2.11: Objects referents of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data 282 Table 2.12: Objects referents of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data 286 Table 2.13: Objects referents of xám colour term in Vietnamese data 292 APPENDIX 3: TABLES OF OBJECT REFERENTS AND 06-CLASS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORY SUB-CLASSIFICATION OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA 294 Table 2.1: 27 English authors, 169 literary works and 430 tokens regarding black/white/red/yellow/green/blue/grey colour terms 294 Table 2.2: 52 Vietnamese authors, 219 literary works and 443 tokens regarding đen/trắng/đỏ/vàng/xanh/xám colour terms 309 Table 3.1: Object referents of black colour term in English data 328 Table 3.2: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of black colour term in English data 330 Table 3.3: Object referents of white colour term in English data 334 Table 3.4: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of white colour term in English data 336 Table 3.5: Object referents of red colour term in English data 339 Table 3.6: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of red colour term in English data 340 Table 3.7: Object referents of yellow colour term in English data 341 Table 3.8: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of yellow colour term in English data 342 Table 3.9: Object referents of green colour term in English data 344 Table 3.10: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of green colour term in English data 345 Table 3.11: Object referents of blue colour term in English 346 Table 3.12: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of blue colour term in English data 347 Table 3.13: Object referents of grey colour term in English data 348 iv Table 3.14: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of grey colour term in English data 348 Table 3.15: Object referents of đen colour term in Vietnamese data 349 Table 3.16: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of đen colour term in Vietnamese data 351 Table 3.17: Object referents of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data 353 Table 3.18: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data 355 Table 3.19: Object referents of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data 358 Table: 3.20: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data 360 Table 3.21: Object referents of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data 363 Table 3.22: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data 364 Table 3.27: Object referents of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data 366 Table 3.28: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data 367 Table 3.29: Object referents of xám colour term in Vietnamese data 369 Table 3.30: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xám colour term in Vietnamese data 369 v TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i ABSTRACT ii PART INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims and Objectives 3 Research questions Scope of the study Methodology of the study Significance of the study 7 Structure of the study PART DEVELOPMENT 10 CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 10 1.1 REVIEW ON PREVIOUS STUDIES 10 1.1.1 In English 10 1.1.2 In Việt Nam 18 1.2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 28 1.2.1 Cognition 29 1.2.2 Onomasiology (Naming) 31 1.2.3 Culture 33 1.2.4 Language-cognition-culture relation 35 1.2.5 An introduction of Category 37 1.2.6 Prototype and Prototype theory 39 1.2.6.1 An overview of Prototype terminology 40 1.2.6.2 Viewpoints on Prototype theory 41 1.2.7 An overview of basic colour terms 43 1.2.7.1 Physical features and linguistic criteria of basic colour terms .44 1.2.7.1.1 Physical features of a basic colour term 44 1.2.7.1.2 Linguistic criteria of a basic colour term 45 vi 1.2.7.2 Basic colour terms in English 46 1.2.7.3 Basic colour terms in Vietnamese 46 1.2.8 Comparative idioms 49 1.3 Theoretical framework of dissertation 52 1.4 Summary 55 CHAPTER RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 57 2.1 Research approach 57 2.1.1 Mixed research approach 57 2.1.2 Comparative-contrastive approach 62 2.2 Research methods 64 2.2.1 Mixed research method 64 2.2.2 Comparative-contrastive method 69 2.3 Data collection 71 2.4 Procedures of data collection and data analysis 75 2.5 Data analysis 77 2.6 Summary 80 CHAPTER 3: CLASS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORY SUB-CLASSIFICATION OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA 82 3.1 Class classification and category sub-classification of basic colour terms in English data 83 3.1.1 Class and category classification of black colour terms in English data 83 3.1.2 Class and category classification of white colour term in English data 86 3.1.3 Class and category classification of red colour term in English data 90 3.1.4 Class and category classification of yellow colour term in English 93 3.1.5 Class and category classification of green colour terms in English data 95 3.1.7 Class and category classification of grey colour term in English data 100 3.2 Class classification and category sub-classification of basic colour terms in Vietnamese data 102 vii 3.2.1 Class and category classification of đen colour term in Vietnamese data 102 3.2.2 Class and category classification of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data 105 3.2.3 Class and category classification of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data 109 3.2.4 Class and category classification of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data 112 3.2.5 Class and category classification of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data 115 3.2.6 Class and category classification of xám colour term in Vietnamese data 118 3.3 Summary 120 CHAPTER COMPARISON OF PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA 124 4.1 Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data 124 4.2 Comparison of prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data 132 4.2.1 Prototype of black colour term in English compared to prototype of đen colour term in Vietnamese 133 4.2.2 Prototype of white colour term in English compared to prototype of trắng colour term in Vietnamese 135 4.2.3 Prototype of red colour term in English compared to prototype of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese 137 4.2.4 Prototype of yellow colour term in English compared to prototype of vàng colour term in Vietnamese 140 4.2.5 Prototype of green colour term and prototype of blue colour term in English compared to prototype of xanh colour term in Vietnamese 141 4.2.6 Prototype of grey colour term in English compared to prototype of xám colour term in Vietnamese 144 4.3 Summary 146 PART CONCLUSION 149 5.1 Recapitulation 149 5.2 Concluding remarks 150 5.4 Limitations and suggestions for further study 155 REFERENCES 157 viii Table 3.18: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data 06-class classification % Category sub-classification 19.54 Flower Corn Plant Egg Poultry Fauna Object referent bầu 2.65 ngó cần ngó sen bơng núm bơng 14.22 hoa lài hoa mộc bẹ chuối 0.89 bỏng ngô nhựa 1.78 sữa dừa hột vịt 5.35 trứng gà bóc 1.79 heo/lợn cạo tơ ngà lông thỏ 16.02 lườn cá phân chim cánh chim bồ câu hịa bình Fruit Flora % 23.16 Animal organ 355 % 0.89 0.89 0.89 9.82 0.89 2.68 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 4.46 1.79 1.79 10.71 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 Natural object & substance Inanimate nature 13.3 24.81 Food and beverage 8.03 Man-made object 20.35 Metal 7.1 (Semi)-precious stone 3.52 Milieu Drink Food 0.89 7.14 0.89 Artifact 9.74 356 nước nước biển tuyết nõn tuyết mây non sương bạc ngân nhũ thép thiếc vừa nguội ngọc đốt ngọc mũ ngọc ban ngày sữa bánh dầy cước sợi khói chớp đạn lưỡi cưa đường quan tàn than hoa 0.89 0.89 7.14 0.89 0.89 0.89 1.79 4.46 0.89 0.89 0.89 1.79 0.89 0.89 0.89 7.14 0.89 1.79 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 Body and bodily product 4.45 Fabric 2.67 Cosmetic 7.94 Bodily organ 3.56 Imaginative figure 0.89 357 tượng nặn thạch cao lụa xa giải khăn tang bột phấn sáp cổ cô nữ sinh nụ cười mủ mụn nhọt sọ đầu lâu tiên 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 3.57 2.68 1.79 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 Table 3.19: Object referents of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data No Object referent Frequency % No Object referent Frequency % 01 son 16 15.09 28 hoa mào gà 01 0.94 02 gấc 12 11.32 29 hoa niêm phong 01 0.94 03 máu 11 10.38 30 gạch 01 0.94 04 lửa 04 3.77 31 than cháy 01 0.94 05 tiết 04 3.77 32 hột lựu 01 0.94 06 cua luộc 02 1.89 33 cờ hiệu 01 0.94 07 đào 02 1.89 34 mãn đình hồng 01 0.94 08 gà chọi 02 1.89 35 móng ngày Tết đoan ngọ 01 0.94 09 mặt trời 02 1.89 36 lò gạch nung 01 0.94 10 máu Chúa 02 1.89 37 lòng đỏ trứng 01 0.94 11 bồ quân 02 1.89 38 ma trơi 01 0.94 12 râu ngô 02 1.89 39 mâm xôi 01 0.94 13 tôm luộc 02 1.89 40 mâm xôi gấc 01 0.94 14 vang 02 1.89 41 mào gà 01 0.94 358 15 vỏ chơm chơm chín 02 1.89 42 miếng hồng tầu 01 0.94 16 cà chua 01 0.94 43 miếng thịt sống 01 0.94 17 cắc kè lửa 01 0.94 44 miếng vơng 01 0.94 18 cục sắt lị rèn rút 01 0.94 45 mội gái 01 0.94 19 da chum 01 0.94 46 nâu (củ) 01 0.94 20 dây tơ hồng 01 0.94 47 ớt 01 0.94 21 đóa phù dung 01 0.94 48 nhót 01 0.94 22 đom đóm rừng 01 0.94 49 sành 01 0.94 23 đồng 01 0.94 50 sợi đờm máu 01 0.94 24 đồng tụ 01 0.94 51 than hồng 01 0.94 25 hổ phách 01 0.94 52 tơm chín 01 0.94 26 hoa anh đào 01 0.94 53 viên gạch nung 01 0.94 27 hoa hường 01 0.94 54 vừng lửa 01 0.94 359 Table: 3.20: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data 06-class classification % Category sub-classification Fruit Flora 33.96 % 22.66 Fauna organ 1.89 Plant 2.82 Flower 4.70 Leaf 1.89 360 Object referent gấc đào hồng tầu cà chua qủa bồ quân râu ngơ củ nâu ớt nhót hột lựu vỏ chơm chơm chín dây tơ hồng hổ phách vơng hoa anh đào hoa hường hoa mào gà Hoa niêm phong đóa phù dung móng ngày Tết đoan ngọ mãn đình hồng % 11.32 1.89 0.94 0.94 1.89 1.89 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 1.89 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 Marine animals Fauna Inanimate nature Food and beverage Man-made object 16.04 4.72 Poultry Reptile Butterfly 1.89 0.94 0.94 Fauna organ 7.55 Natural object & substance 7.55 Metal 2.82 Food 1.89 Drink Cosmetic Decoration Material 1.89 15.09 0.94 5.64 10.37 3.78 21.57 361 cua luộc tôm luộc tơm chín gà chọi cắc kè lửa đom đóm rừng tiết da chum mào gà lòng đỏ trứng thịt sống ma trơi lửa vừng lửa mặt trời đồng đồng tụ sắt lị rèn xơi xơi gấc vang son cờ hiệu sành 1.89 1.89 0.94 1.89 0.94 0.94 3.77 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 3.77 0.94 1.89 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 1.89 15.09 0.94 0.94 Body and bodily product 14.15 Bodily product 14.15 362 than hồng than cháy gạch gạch nung lò gạch nung máu máu Chúa môi gái sợi đờm máu 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 10.38 1.89 0.94 0.94 Table 3.21: 26 Object referents of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data No Object referents Frequency % No Object referent Frequency % 01 nghệ 08 23.53 14 lửa 01 2.94 02 gạch cua 02 5.88 15 mật ong 01 2.94 03 đất sét 01 2.94 16 mủ đặc 01 2.94 04 đất thó 01 2.94 17 nắng 01 2.94 05 đậu đũa 01 2.94 18 người đau gan 01 2.94 06 hổ phách 01 2.94 19 nụ cười 01 2.94 07 hoa cải 01 2.94 20 chó 01 2.94 08 hoa nắng 01 2.94 21 rơm 01 2.94 09 hoa tai 01 2.94 22 sơ mướp 01 2.94 10 lợn nghệ 01 2.94 23 lụa mộc 01 2.94 11 lông bò 01 2.94 24 thị rụng 01 2.94 12 lúa 01 2.94 25 tơ 01 2.94 13 lụa 01 2.94 26 vỏ trai 01 2.94 363 Table 3.22: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data 06-class classification % Category sub-classification Plant Flora 32.35 44.11 Vegetable Fauna % 20.58 5.88 Object referenent % nghệ 23.53 lúa 2.94 rơm 2.94 hổ phách 2.94 đậu đũa 2.94 sơ mướp 2.94 Flower 2.94 hoa cải 2.94 Fruit 2.94 thị rụng 2.94 Poultry 2.94 lợn nghệ 2.94 tơ 2.94 gạch cua 5.88 vỏ trai 2.94 lơng bị 2.94 chó 2.94 Fauna parts 17.64 364 Inanimate nature Food and beverage Man-made object 14.7 2.94 Natural object & substance 2.94 đất thó 2.94 nắng 2.94 hoa nắng 2.94 lửa 2.94 Sweet 2.94 mật ong 2.94 Accessory 2.94 hoa tai 2.94 lụa 2.94 Fabric 5.88 lụa mộc 2.94 mủ đặc 2.94 nụ cười 2.94 người đau gan 2.94 8.82 Bodily product Body and bodily product 14.7 đất sét 5.88 8.82 Human type 2.94 365 Table 3.27: 25 Object referents of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data No Object referent Frequency % No Object referent Frequency % 01 tàu 13 28.26 14 lân tinh 01 2.17 02 chàm 06 13.04 15 lửa điện 01 2.17 03 ngọc thạch 04 8.7 16 ma 01 2.17 04 rêu 02 4.35 17 mạch máu 01 2.17 05 người bệnh 01 2.17 18 mắt mèo 01 2.17 06 cỏ 01 2.17 19 mắt thủy tinh 01 2.17 07 da trời 01 2.17 20 nước Hồ Gươm 01 2.17 08 đom đóm 01 2.17 21 nước luộc rau muống 01 2.17 09 gấm 01 2.17 22 quái 01 2.17 10 hạt đỗ 01 2.17 23 rau 01 2.17 11 khói 01 2.17 24 ruộng mạ 01 2.17 12 01 2.17 25 vỏ trứng chim sáo 01 2.17 13 hẹ 01 2.17 366 Table 3.28: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data 06-class classification % Category sub-classification Leaf 32.6 Moss Flora Object referent % 2.17 tàu 28.26 hẹ 2.17 rêu 4.35 cỏ 2.17 6.52 47.8 Plant 2.17 ruộng mạ 2.17 Bean 2.17 hạt đỗ 2.17 rau 2.17 Vegetable 4.34 nước luộc rau muống 2.17 đom đóm 2.17 mắt mèo 2.17 vỏ trứng chim sáo 2.17 Bird Fauna % 2.17 6.52 Animal parts 4.34 367 Inanimate nature (Semi)-precious stone 8.7 ngọc thạch 8.7 Milieu 2.17 da trời 2.17 lân tinh 2.17 lửa điện 2.17 nước Hồ Gươm 2.17 17.38 Natural object & substance Man-made object 6.51 Artifact 2.17 khói 2.17 Fabric 2.17 gấm 2.17 chàm 13.04 mạch máu 2.17 mắt thủy tinh 2.17 người bệnh 2.17 ma 2.17 quái 2.17 4.34 Bodily product Body and bodily product 17.38 23.89 Human type 2.17 Negative imaginative object 4.34 368 Table 3.29: Object referents of xám colour term in Vietnamese data No Object referent Frequency % No Object referent Frequency % 01 tro/gio 05 31.25 05 đỉa 01 6.25 02 chàm 03 18.75 06 đá mài 01 6.25 03 gà cắt tiết 03 18.75 07 vết thương da người chết 01 6.25 04 chì 02 12.5 Table 3.30: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xám colour term in Vietnamese data 06-class classification Fauna % 25 Inanimate nature 18.75 Man-made object 31.25 Body and bodily product 25 Category subclassification Poultry 18.75 gà cắt tiết 18.75 Annelid 6.25 đỉa 6.25 Natural object & substance 12.5 chì 12.5 (Semi)-precious stone 6.25 đá mài 6.25 Artifact 31.25 tro/gio 31.25 Bodily product 25 chàm 18.75 369 % Object referent % vết thương da người chết 6.25