A contrastive analysis of proverbs and idioms relating to animals in english and vietnamese equivalents

Aims of the studyThe aims of the study: - To investigate the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese proverbs and idioms denoting human characteristics through images

HUNG YEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES - GRADUATION PAPER FIELD: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF PROVERBS AND IDIOMS RELATING TO ANIMALS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS (PHÂN TÍCH ĐỐI CHIẾU CÁC CÂU TỤC NGỮ, THÀNH NGỮ LIÊN QUAN ĐẾN CÁC ĐỘNG VẬT TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ CÁCH BIỂU ĐẠT TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG TRONG TIẾNG VIỆT) Supervisor: Le Thi Thanh Nga Student: Dao Thu Ha Student number: 11317087 Hung Yen-2021 HUNG YEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES - GRADUATION PAPER FIELD: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF PROVERBS AND IDIOMS RELATING TO ANIMALS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS (PHÂN TÍCH ĐỐI CHIẾU CÁC CÂU TỤC NGỮ, THÀNH NGỮ LIÊN QUAN ĐẾN CÁC ĐỘNG VẬT TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ CÁCH BIỂU ĐẠT TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG TRONG TIẾNG VIỆT) Student: Dao Thu Ha Student number: 11317087 Supervisor: Le Thi Thanh Nga (ký tên) Hung Yen-2021 i DECLARATION I certify that the study entitled: “A contrastive analysis of proverbs and idioms relating to animals in English and Vietnamese equivalents” is the result of my research, and the substance of this thesis has not been submitted for a degree to any other university or institution Signature Dao Thu Ha ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT During the whole process of doing this graduation paper, I have taken much necessary help and assistance from my teachers, family, and friends I am grateful for all the efforts, ideas, knowledge, and affection they have invested in me to provide me with this graduation paper First of all, I wish to show my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Ms Le Thi Thanh Nga, who has always been willing to assist me with erudite knowledge and valuable advice Without her guidance and persistent support for the whole period that we have been working together, I could not complete this graduation study propitiously and successfully My sincere thanks are also sent to the teachers in the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Hung Yen University of Technology and Education for their useful lessons and wholehearted advice In particular, my special thanks to my parents, who always support and encourage me a lot in all respects Last but not least, I would like to thank my classmate for sharing and supporting me during my study and research work as well iii ABSTRACT One of the most typical elements of the implication of culture in the language is the use of proverbs and idioms In communicative English, there is a huge number of idioms and proverbs, and they are used very often in everyday conversation The use of proverbs and idioms causes many troubles for English learners because sometimes they are very confusing Therefore, English teachers have to teach the students not only knowledge about the language but also knowledge about English culture so that the students can communicate well Animals play a very important role in many cultures including English culture and Vietnamese culture A large portion of proverbs and idioms in English as well as in Vietnamese contains images of animals There are some outstanding similarities and differences between them By understanding this, English teachers and English learners can deal with proverbs and idioms much more easily However, there are so few works focusing on this issue For this reason, this paper aims at categorizing the similarities and differences of proverbs and idioms relating to animals in English and Vietnamese as well as giving out some explanation On this basis, it also offers some educational implications for English teachers and learners to make their teaching and learning more effective iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATION TERMS vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims 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 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 An overview of idiom 2.1.1 Definitions of idiom 2.1.2 Some features of idiom 2.1.3 Types of Idiom 2.2 An overview of proverb 2.2.1 Definitions of proverb 2.2.2 Some features of proverb 10 2.2.3 Classification of proverb 11 2.3 An overview of animals 12 2.3.1 Definition of animals 12 2.3.2 Some characteristics of animals 12 2.4 Proverb versus idiom 12 2.5 Relationship between language and culture 14 2.6 Relationship between proverb, idiom and language, culture 15 CHAPTER 3: THE STUDY 17 3.1 Comparison between English and Vietnamese proverbs and idioms through cultural perspective with animal images 17 3.1.1 Culture's influence 17 v 3.1.1.1 Agricultural culture 17 3.1.1.2 Nomadic culture 19 3.1.2 The cross-cultural differences 21 3.1.2.1 Religious beliefs 21 3.1.2.2 Custom 24 3.2 Animal epithet in English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 26 3.2.1 The same symbolism and expression of animals in English and in Vietnamese 26 3.2.2 The different symbolism but same expression of animals in English and in Vietnamese 28 3.3 Similarities and differences of English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs about human characteristics through the images of animals 30 3.3.1 Similarities between English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 30 3.3.1.1 Similarities between English-Vietnamese idioms 30 3.3.1.2 Similarities between English-Vietnamese proverbs 31 3.3.2 Differences between English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 32 3.3.2.1 Differences between English-Vietnamese idioms 32 3.3.2.2 Differences between English-Vietnamese proverbs 33 3.4 Suggestions for teaching and learning English proverbs and idioms relating to animals 33 3.4.1 Suggestions for teaching English proverbs and idioms 33 3.4.2 Suggestions for learning English proverbs and idioms 34 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 35 4.1 Summary of the study 35 4.2 Limitation of the study 35 4.3 Suggestions for further study 35 REFERENCES 36 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATION TERMS BC: Before Christ MA: Master of Arts SPI: Serial Peripheral Interface CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale Nowadays, together with the growth of global connection, the English language has become more and more important Especially in Vietnam, learning English seems to be one of the main tasks of students In this process, they encounter a large number of difficulties One of them is understanding idioms, and proverbs It is important to note that every country or nation has its idioms and proverbs, while many idioms and proverbs have synonyms in several countries, which speaks to the same human nature in many cultures Learning the specific idioms related to a certain culture helps you learn more about the history, customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of it Idioms and proverbs make a language more interesting and vibrant Mastering idioms and proverbs mean you are using and understanding the language more as a native speaker would As for English learners, effectively communicating with others especially native speakers is the ultimate goal And we cannot reach that goal if we pay little or even no attention to the idioms, proverbs So grasping the use of idioms, proverbs is an essential part of English study You will find them in newspapers, books, magazines, on the radio, on the television, in everyday conversation, and at work However, most Vietnamese learners are taught English mainly with the knowledge of the language, not culturally appropriate factors embedded in the teaching language They speak English without an understanding of English communication manner They write English with little knowledge of English cultural background Consequently, it causes misunderstanding or even communicative breakdown Clearly, without cultural appropriateness, learning English in general and learning English proverbs and idioms, in particular, seems to be a challenging process Each nation’s language has its own similar and different concepts in many fields of life such as humane values, ways of thinking, behavior standards, religious beliefs, customs and traditions, social convention, etc Words and expressions including idioms and proverbs have formed the vocabulary system of a language Idioms and proverbs are regarded as special factors of a language’s vocabulary system because they reflect the culturally specific characteristics of each nation, including material and spiritual values Idioms and proverbs are used to express ideas in figurative styles They bring vividness and richness to the speakers’ speeches This is the reason why the more skillfully a person uses idioms and proverbs in his conversations, the more effectively he can establish his communicative relationship One more important thing is that the general present tendencies are towards proverbial and idiomatic usage; therefore, knowing how to use idioms and proverbs effectively in the right situations is becoming essential We all know that language is the most important means of communication in the world However, only when both the speakers and the listeners have a common understanding of each other, can they communicate effectively Language and culture go together like the two sides of a paper; they are inseparable In communication as well as in language teaching, the cultural elements are getting more and more important Being interested in idioms and proverbs for a long time, the author choose idioms and proverbs as a thesis topic Due to the limited time and knowledge, the author just focus on a very small part of the huge idiomatic and proverbial treasure, “ A contrastive analysis of proverbs and idioms relating to animals in English and Vietnamese equivalents” Intending to present an overview of proverbs and idioms in general and a contrastive analysis of proverbs and idioms relating to animals in English and Vietnamese in particular, the author hope it will partly help learners avoid difficulties in understanding English proverbs and idioms 1.2 Aims of the study The aims of the study: - To investigate the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese proverbs and idioms denoting human characteristics through images of animals - To provide some suggestions for the teaching and learning of the English proverbs and idioms relating to animals 1.3 Research questions - What are the similarities and differences of English and Vietnamese idioms and proverbs about human characteristics through the images of animals? - What are suggestions for the teaching and learning of English proverbs and idioms relating to animals? 1.4 Scope of the study - Proverbs and idioms are large parts in both English and Vietnamese; thus the author can not carry out a comprehensive study on them; thus, the author just focuses on some proverbs and idioms relating to animals - In this study, the differences in the view from culture, custom, and religion are extensively discussed; English idioms and proverbs denoting human characteristics through the images 24 - Separate the sheep from the goats: to make clear which people in a particular group are of a higher ability than the others - Like a bear with a sore head: annoyed, grumpy, irritable - The Pale Horse: the death - A paper tiger: something, such as an enemy or foreign country, that seems very strong and dangerous but is really weak and not harmful Without understanding religion as a part of the culture, the learner can not understand the proverbs and idioms that originated from them In short, both English and Vietnamese languages are rich in images and have a lot of proverbs and idioms And among them, idioms and proverbs using the images of animals take a large portion 3.1.2.2 Custom According to Hong Ngoc (2013), due to differences in living custom, ethnic groups perceive values differently and have different aesthetic standards An animal with different cultural symbols between British and Vietnamese cultures is probably a dog Same means of expression but only different connotations Many English words for animals have meanings that are far different from similar words when they are translated into Vietnamese, a typical example is a symbol of a dog The word dog is a typical example between British and Vietnamese cultures Chó/cẩu in Vietnamese and dog in English convey the same conceptual meaning, but the meaning of the word dog in each language is different British people have a long tradition of raising pets In it, pets such as dogs and cats are close friends, loved and cherished In a nomadic culture like English culture, dogs help human beings with lots of work The British associate human behavior with the image of cats and dogs: - A lucky dog: an incredibly lucky person; one who falls into good fortune - Every dog has his day: said to emphasize that everyone is successful or happy at some time in their life - A top dog: a person who has achieved a position of authority - Love me love my dog: said to warn someone that if they want to be in a relationship with you, they must be willing to accept everything about you - A dog’s chance: to have a very slim chance This phrase is to describe something unlikely to happen 25 - The tail wagging the dog: a situation in which a large group has to something to satisfy a small group - Cat’s pajamas/ The cat's whiskers: something or someone highly enjoyable, desirable, or impressive, especially in a fancy or elaborate way - Fat cat: someone who has a lot of money, especially someone in charge of a company who has the power to increase their pay - Like a cat that got the cream: used to say that someone looks very proud or satisfied about something they have done - Raining cats and dogs: to be raining heavily In Vietnam, dogs and are also close pets to humans, but in their eyes, dogs and are an unfriendly animal, an object of contempt and contempt It was seen as filthy, ignorant, and despicable In Vietnamese, a dog has a very disdainful meaning, Vietnamese people often have negative attitudes towards dogs, considering dogs as a symbol of bad, chaotic, fierce, and ignorant personalities Some idioms and proverbs have dog images in Vietnamese such as: - Chó treo mèo đậy: which means we have to be careful, keep food out of dogs and cats - Ngu chó: refers to someone ignorant - Treo đầu dê bán thịt chó: used to refer to dishonest business - Lên voi xuống chó: the term refers to the ups and downs of a person's life - Chó cắn áo rách: when someone is in poverty, suffering But they, unfortunately, meet a wicked, greedy person and can all they can to harm them - Chó chê mèo lông: this idiom reminds that when judging others, look at yourself first - Chó ngáp phải ruồi: refers to an incompetent person who achieves something by luck According to Dang Quoc Minh Duong (2010) surveying the treasure of Vietnamese proverbs and idioms, the author found that cats appear mostly with negative images such as: - Mèo mù vớ cá rán: a chance of sudden gain is completely beyond what you can - Rửa mặt mèo: refers to people who are not careful - Mèo mả gà đồng: that refers to perverse, impersonal, despicable - Im ỉm mèo ăn vụng: refer to those who deliberately conceal their sin by silence Besides typical images of dogs and cats, there still be lots of different connotations of animals in the two languages expressed in proverbs and idioms such as buffalos, cow, horses, etc If English learners not know about the custom of English culture they will 26 encounter lots of difficulties in communicating, especially with proverbs and idioms 3.2 Animal epithet in English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 3.2.1 The same symbolism and expression of animals in English and in Vietnamese According to the website Wikipedia compare the cultural meanings of animals in Vietnamese and English In that, there is a federation similarity Both Vietnamese and English people have a similar understanding of animal instincts and living behaviors, from which they derive similar associations The cultural meaning is similar for some animals such as fox, monkey, pig, and wolf In culture, wolves are greedy and ferocious, and wicked, bullying small and weak animals This has similarities in Vietnamese and English In both English and Vietnamese idioms and proverbs, the wolf represents all segments of society with its wicked, deliberate, and devious behavior In English, there is a proverb: "Wolf in sheep's clothing" means that a person with a pleasant and friendly appearance that hides the fact that they are evil In Vietnamese thinking, there are idioms and proverbs such as: Lịng lang sói Tránh kẻ gian gặp sói già Bán hùm bn sói Sói đội lốt cừu The fox can be used to describe someone cunning, deceitful, lying in both Vietnamese and English Referring to cunning, the English used to say: Slay as a fox As cunning as a fox The Vietnamese also use the image of the fox in the idioms and proverbs as: Khôn cáo Đồ cáo già Cáo mượn oai hùm Cáo đội lốt cọp Based on the characteristics of this animal in life, the image of "pig" in Vietnamese and English idioms is often negative Vietnamese and English both use the image of a pig to correct human shortcomings such as being overweight, eating vulgarly, and being stupid Béo lợn As fat as a pig 27 Ăn lợn Eat like a pig/Make a pig of oneself Ngu lợn As stupid as a pig Why is an animal of great economic value seen unfavorably? Because the Engish is a “nomadic” culture (according to Tran Ngoc Them, 2004, p 146), their livestock is mainly herbivores such as cows, horses, and sheep Pigs that eat well and are disadvantaged when moving are not the ideal choice of nomads, which is why the pig has almost no advantages in their eyes Despite its bad qualities, the pig is still considered by the Vietnamese to be a close, gentle animal whose economic value is high Therefore, there is a proverb that “ muốn giàu nuôi heo nái, muốn lụn bại, nuôi bồ câu “ Similar images of monkeys exist in both cultures and are generally characterized by contemp, and the psychology of looking down on monkeys, Vietnamese and Western people are similar when they view monkeys as inferior The British have proverbs and idioms about monkeys as: As tricky as a monkey (refer to wisdom, cunning) As agile as a monkey (being able to move as swiftly and easily as a monkey) Monkey job/ Monkey see monkey (to indicate imitation) Monkey business (behavior that is not acceptable or is dishonest) More fun than a barrel of monkey (describe the fun of the crowd but with a sarcastic connotation) Because monkeys always want to imitate people so they make fake gestures The monkey is a not-so-beautiful image, it can also be used to scorn, slander, or racism In folk language, the monkey is used by Vietnamese into rhetorical measures to express attitudes, emotions, and behaviors: Làm trò khỉ Khỉ bắt trước Cha hươu mẹ khỉ Khỉ chê khỉ đỏ đít Dạy khỉ leo 28 Therefore, looking closely at the proverbs and idioms in English and Vietnamese, it can be seen that some animal image proverbs, idioms even have amazing similarities in terms of image, form, and implied messages 3.2.2 The different symbolism but same expression of animals in English and in Vietnamese According to the website Wikipedia although there are many comparative idioms and proverbs that all use the same image of an animal, in terms of culture, Vietnamese and English always have different expressions and perceptions, so it is not always the case any simile object in idioms will be the same Vietnamese use and prefer animals such as buffaloes, dogs, and birds, whereas more Western cultures favor animals related to hunting and nomadic lifestyles like sheep, horses, as well as marine environments, whereas many Vietnamese prefer fields and forests Cultural symbolic meanings of words indicating animals are different, but their reflection meanings are similar when comparing cultural symbolic meanings of words indicating animals in Vietnamese and English, can be used with typical examples through symbolic comparison between the two species of tigers and lions: The British considered the lion as the king of the beasts (King of Beats), and the lion was a symbol of courage, nobility, regal, and dignity of domination Lions are closely attached to kingship and theocracy The lion is a symbol of British royalty and many European countries with the ambition of kingship and supremacy The British had idioms indicating qualities like a lion: Regal as a lion (vương sư tử) Brave as a lion (dũng cảm sư tử) Majestic as a lion (oai nghiêm sư tử) As fierce as a lion (hung sư tử) In Vietnamese culture, the tiger symbolizes martial arts, military, and martial power, often referred to as tiger and proclaimed as “ Hổ tướng” and often referred to as "mãnh hổ"; military units, weapons, and war tools often used the name of the tiger as a signal sign The 29 tiger in Vietnamese idioms and proverbs shows majesty, strength, power, noble qualities, and ferocity, cruelty such as: Dữ hổ Ác hùm Mạnh hổ Hổ phụ sinh hổ tử Hùm chết để da, người ta chết để tiếng Another image often associated with lions in English idioms and proverbs is dangerous, difficult, or reckless actions such as: The lion's den (a dangerous or threatening place or situation) To meet a lion in one's path/ A lion in the path (imaginary obstacle, feigned danger) Beard the lion (to confront risk or danger head on) Vietnamese people also have sentences about tigers such as: Hang hùm nọc rắn Sa vào miệng cọp Chui vào hang hùm (pointing to dangerous places) Vuốt râu hùm Xỉa cọp (refers to the reckless act) Another example of different animals but the same reflection, this different association is dominated by the history of each country In the historical development of British and Vietnamese culture, buffaloes and horses have been the farmers' companions in increasing production These animals have a certain place in the minds of the people, so many examples can be found in the animal-worded language with rich cultural symbols in both languages In Western countries, horses are freight animals, cows are raised for meat and milk, horses have more opportunities to show their strength than cows In England, horses represent the strength, willingness to work, and pride of the owners: 30 As strong as a horse Eat like a horse To work like a horse Vietnam is an agricultural country with the dominant agricultural culture The buffalo is the main farming tool in the history of agriculture in Vietnam The buffalo is a symbol of strength and diligence in Vietnamese culture: Khỏe trâu Con trâu đầu nghiệp Làm trâu điên It can be seen that the differences don’t cause trouble for understanding those proverbs and idioms because the cognition of both Vietnamese and English people about those animals is the same 3.3 Similarities and differences of English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs about human characteristics through the images of animals 3.3.1 Similarities between English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 3.3.1.1 Similarities between English-Vietnamese idioms Vietnamese idioms referring to human traits expressed through the images of animals are quite similar to English ones, but only a few are equivalent at the same level of meaning and structure For example: As tricky as a monkey Tinh ranh khỉ As timid as a rabbit Nhát thỏ đế As suspicious as a cat Đa nghi mèo As slow as a snail Chậm sên As greedy as a pig Tham ăn lợn As nimble as a squirrel Nhanh sóc Based on animal traits such as monkey cunning, rabbit shyness, cat skepticism, slug sluggishness, pig gluttony, and squirrel agility to compare with human personalities In these idioms, both the English and the Vietnamese observe and recognize outstanding characteristics of some animals which can be generalized into human beings Nevertheless, most English and Vietnamese idioms have no equivalence in the use of the images of animals due to the clear difference between the two cultures The difference between the two cultures can also affect the way of using the images of animals in idioms 31 According to Nguyen Luc, Luong Van Dang (1993, p.7), it seems to be clear that Vietnamese idioms about human characteristics through the images of animals are similar to English idioms in the sense that Vietnamese idioms from animals denoting human characteristically divided into two types: o Vietnam idioms have a phrase pattern: most Vietnamese idioms have this kind of phrase pattern and most of them have so highly fixed structures that re-ordering, substituting, or eliminating words is virtually impossible However, like English idioms, not all Vietnamese idioms are unchangeable phrases Some of them can have variants, provided that these changes of words or structures not change the original meanings of the idioms For example: We can change the order of the idiom “lòng chim cá” into “lòng cá chim”, or we can omit or substitute the word “như” in a lot of Vietnamese comparative idioms like “gan (như) cóc tía”, “ngu (hơn) bị” , “thẳng (như) ruột ngựa”… o Vietnamese idioms having clause patterns: Like English idioms, these Vietnamese ones have a full structure with subject, verb, and object Nevertheless, they can’t be used as an independent sentence but as a clause in a complex sentence There are a lot of Vietnamese idioms of this kind such as: Quạ đội lốt công Chuột chù lại có xạ hương Cà cuống chết đến đít cịn cay Ngựa non háu đá Chó già giữ xương 3.3.1.2 Similarities between English-Vietnamese proverbs A similarity is that in a Vietnamese and English proverbs about human characteristics through images of animals, there may be an idiom For example, an English proverb: “Birds of a feather flock together” contains the idiom “ bird of a feather” or “to meet a lion in one’s path” contains the idiom “a lion in the path” In Vietnamese proverb: “ bắt cá hai tay, ăn mày có lúc” contains the idiom “ bắt cá hai tay” or “dã tràng xe cát biển đông nhọc nhằn mà chẳng nên cơng cán gì” contains the idiom “ dã tràng xe cát biển đông” (Nguyen Dinh Hung, 2007, pp 13-14) Nguyen Dinh Hung (2007, p 13) says that there are many Vietnamese and English proverbs about human characteristics through images of animals that are similar in both 32 thinking and perception as well as in method and expression between the Vietnamese and English, but they also take on the characteristics of each ethnic group Con giun xéo quằn Even a worm will turn Thả săn sắt, bắt cá rô Throw a sprat to catch a herring Chó cậy gần nhà A dog is valiant at his own door Gà cậy gần chuồng A cock is valiant on his own dunghill 3.3.2 Differences between English-Vietnamese idioms and proverbs 3.3.2.1 Differences between English-Vietnamese idioms According to Nguyen Luc, Luong Van Dang (1993, p.16) Vietnamese idioms are different from English idioms since they have the proportion in their structures Most Vietnamese idioms from animals denoting human characteristics on the structure of two symmetrical parts like: Chó gio/mèo mù Mèo đàng/chó điếm Buộc cổ mèo /treo cổ chó Bới đầu cá/vạch đầu tơm Đầu trâu/ mặt ngựa Cóc guốc/khỉ đeo hoa Some of them have rhymes, mainly interior rhyme such as: Được voi đòi tiên Mèo mả gà đồng Cõng rắn cắn gà nhà Bút sa gà chết Có cá mịi địi cá chiên Another difference in syntactic features between English and Vietnamese idioms about human characteristics through the images of animals is that Vietnamese ones have hyperbole Many Vietnamese idioms use exaggerated images intending to emphasize their figurative meanings such as: Ăn chó lơng Chó có váy lĩnh Ăn mắm mút giịi Giết gà dùng dao mổ trâu 33 3.3.2.2 Differences between English-Vietnamese proverbs According to Nguyen Dinh Hung ( 2007, p 15), there is another difference between English and Vietnamese proverbs human characteristics through the images of animals in their use of metaphor to convey the same thought, the same perception, and the same criticism such as: Birds of a feather flock together Ngưu tầm ngưu, mã tầm mã Every bird loves to hear himself sing Mèo khen mèo dài đuôi To shut the stable-door when the horse is stolen Mất bò lo làm chuồng One scabby sheep is enough to spoil the whole flock Con sâu làm rầu nồi canh Although expressing the same meaning, English and Vietnamese proverbs use different images of animals Because the cultures of the two countries are different, the images of animals in their proverbs are also different 3.4 Suggestions for teaching and learning English proverbs and idioms relating to animals Teaching and learning a language are teaching and learning culture These two elements cannot be separated By teaching proverbs and idioms, English teachers can help their students to penetrate English culture excitingly and interestingly Moreover, English language learners, often struggling with a limited vocabulary, find these memorable proverbs and idioms easy to learn and fun to use Learning idioms and proverbs helps students to remember the structures and vocabularies carried in the idioms and proverbs easily 3.4.1 Suggestions for teaching English proverbs and idioms It is said that teaching vocabulary is not easy at all and teaching English idioms and proverbs are no exception, even more, difficult because idioms are sequences of words with tight cohesion both in their structures and meanings Learners often have difficulties in recognizing that they are dealing with idioms or proverbs and therefore they are easily confused with the meaning of the idioms and proverbs in the context The first step in teaching English idioms and proverbs, teachers need to help students understand idioms and proverbs such as giving definitions of idioms, proverbs, characteristics of idioms, proverbs and types of idioms, proverbs Secondly, on the aspect of cultural teaching, there will be three stages During the first stage of teaching, teachers will explain to students the cultural background The second stage will include learning about differences between cultures In the third stage, students will learn about animal-related idioms and proverbs in the culture 34 To learn and remember idioms and proverbs related to animals, in the lessons, the teacher will divide the class into groups and instruct them to find and explain proverbs and idioms about different animals Therefore, when teaching idioms and proverbs, it is necessary to study them in certain languages, in cultural contexts, to fully understand their meaning 3.4.2 Suggestions for learning English proverbs and idioms To fully comprehend English idioms and proverbs related to animals, learners will need to study them in certain situations, in a cultural context Based on the knowledge provided by teachers about idioms and proverbs, combined with learning English culture to have a deeper understanding of idioms and proverbs Students can form study groups to discuss idioms and proverbs to better understand idioms and proverbs Moreover, the students should make use of the internet to understand the meaning of the idioms and proverbs Besides learning idioms, proverbs also learn sentence structure and vocabulary In the process of learning culture, it is necessary to find similarities and differences between cultures to distinguish and avoid confusion - Influenced by culture: Agricultural origins are reflected in Vietnamese proverbs and idioms with numerous references to some kinds of cattle as buffalo, dragon, fish, dog Meanwhile, English ones reflect the cultural characteristics of nomadic origins This explanation explains why such great cattle images of culture as a horse, bull, sheep, ox are often used in proverbs and idioms - The cross-cultural differences: England and Vietnam have different histories, different custom, and different religions They have different connotations of some animals in life These idioms and proverbs, often connected with historical events, local custom, and religions, convey different messages even though they use the same image of an animal In addition, the different cultures are the main reason for the differences in syntactic and semantic features between English idioms and proverbs and Vietnamese ones The English idiom is analytical and based on particular observations, while the Vietnamese ones are expressive, have symmetrical structures, and sometimes use exaggerated images To conclude, proverbs and idioms are inseparable parts of each country’s language and culture Learning English in general and English proverbs and idioms, in particular, must be embedded in learning English culture 35 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 4.1 Summary of the study The research results have once again affirmed the relationship between language and culture Idioms and proverbs are an important and highly symbolic language unit, containing in it the conventional values associated with the culture the cultural life of a people So to understand idioms is not easy for not only foreigners but also for native speakers Learning a foreign language will be more effective and easy when we understand the cultural characteristics of that country, as well as learning the language of a country will bring us closer to their cultural life English idioms and proverbs are very interesting but implicated to study This paper cannot cover all kinds of English idioms and proverbs but has attempted to investigate English idioms and proverbs about human characteristics through the images of animals and compare them with Vietnamese ones Proverbs and idioms are not the only product of language but an effective social communication environment English and Vietnamese proverbs and idioms reflect distinguished cultural identities between the two countries 4.2 Limitation of the study During the process of this research, the author takes some problems there Lack of resources, which means there are not enough of them That is the reason why some data is missing and not collected and included in the project Process that takes a long time Consequently, mistakes and limitations are inevitable in the ideas and form of the thesis The study scope is not the only aspect to be discussed 4.3 Suggestions for further study The study has been completed with the great effort of the author, although mistakes may not be avoided There are some topics for future research: - A study on idiomatic expressions containing words denoting weather in English and Vietnamese from cultural perspective - An investigation into english and vietnamese idioms containing the words of possession - English and Vietnamese idioms: From traditional to cognitive view In conclusion, besides the limitations, this study was completed under the guidance of teachers and self-effort So any comment or critic would help the author to complete the research 36 REFERENCES Vietnamese books Chu Xuân Diên, Lương Văn Đang, Phương Tri (1975), Tục ngữ Việt Nam, Nxb Khoa học Xã hội, Hà Nội Hoàng Phê (1997), Từ điển tiếng Việt, Trung tâm từ điển học Đà Nẵng Hoàng Tiến Tựu (1999), Văn học dân gian Việt Nam, Giáo trình đào tạo giáo viên Trung học sở hệ Cao đẳng Sư phạm, Giáo dục, Hà Nội Nguyễn Đình Hùng (2007), Tuyển tập thành ngữ, tục ngữ, ca dao Việt-Anh thông dụng, Nxb thành phố Hồ Chí Minh Nguyễn Lực Lương Văn Đang (1993), Thành ngữ Tiếng Việt, Nhà Xuất Bản Khoa Học Xã Hội Hà Nội Nguyễn Thanh Tùng (2000), “Đặc trưng ngơn ngữ- văn hóa nghĩa từ động vật (Anh -Việt)”, Tạp chí Khoa học ĐHSP Tp.HCM, số 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