A Vietnamese-English cross-cultural study of expressing sarcasm

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THÙY LINH A VIETNAMESE – ENGLISH CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF EXPRESSING SARCASM (NGHIÊN CỨU GIAO THOA VĂN HÓA VIỆT – ANH VỀ CÁCH DIỄN ĐẠT LỜI NÓI CHÂM BIẾM ) M.A Minor Thesis English Linguistics 602215 Hanoi, 2011 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THÙY LINH A VIETNAMESE – ENGLISH CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF EXPRESSING SARCASM (NGHIÊN CỨU GIAO THOA VĂN HÓA VIỆT-ANH VỀ CÁCH DIỄN ĐẠT LỜI NÓI CHÂM BIẾM) M.A Minor Thesis Field: English Linguistics Code: 602215 Supervisor: Assoc Dr Dương Thị Nụ Hanoi, 2011 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration Acknowledgement Abstract Table of contents PART A: INTRODUCTION I Rationale II Scope of the study III Aims of the study IV Research questions V Methodology VI Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL PRELIMINARIES Culture Language Language and Culture CHAPTER II: SARCASM, PUNS AND TYPES OF PUNS 2.1 Sarcasm 2.2 Puns and types of puns CHAPTER III: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 3.1 GENERAL VIEW 16 3.1.1 Comments on the survey questionnaires 16 3.1.2 Comments on the informants 18 3.2 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 19 3.2.1 The use of puns 19 3.2.2 Puns in expressing sarcasm in Vietnamese and English 20 3.2.2.1 Vietnamese findings and discussions 20 3.2.2.2 English findings and discussions 23 v 3.2.2.3 Cross-cultural similarities and differences 25 3.2.3 Puns in expressing sarcasm in Vietnamese 26 3.2.3.1 In terms of speaker’s position in the situation 26 3.2.3.2 In terms of informants’ parameters 30 3.2.4 Puns in expressing sarcasm in English 32 3.2.4.1 In terms of speaker’s position in the situation 32 3.2.4.2 In terms of informants’ parameters 34 3.2.5 Cross cultural similarities and differences 35 3.2.5.1 Similarities 35 3.2.5.2 Differences 35 PART C: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION IN TEFL 3.1 Conclusion 37 3.1.1 Main similarities 37 3.1.2 Main differences 37 3.2 Implication for teachers and learners 38 3.2.1 Teachers as a means of learning a second culture 38 3.2.2 Suggestions for learners 39 3.3 Suggestions for further research 40 REFERENCES APPENDICES PART A: INTRODUCTION I Rationale There‘s a point of view holding that all modern art is more or less sarcastic because the viewer cannot help but compare it to previous works For example, any portrait of a standing, non-smiling woman will naturally be compared with the Mona Lisa; the tension of meaning exists, whether the artist meant it or not As a matter of fact, it is the case not only in art but for many other fields of life including language Gresham, in his work, made an interesting conclusion that ―Bad coinage drives out goods‖ This reflects the fact of money that debased or under weight coins will drive good, full weight coins out of circulation This assertion, however, was not properly applied in the economics only but in other fields of life as well It is the case for every realm in which an exchange occurs, with nowhere more vital than in the Kingdom of Ideas, where the coin of realm is the word In particular, we can easily observe that bad meanings or associations of words tend to give good ones out of circulation Some examples might be the words ―girl‖ and ―lady‖ Nowadays, people, especially men, tend to use the word ―girl‖ to refer to their darling In Vietnamese the phenomenon can be clearly realized in the use of ―gái‖ In the past, ―gái‖ was used to address a girl so it appeared normally in calls like ―gái ơi‖ Gradually, with the appearance and popularity of call-girls, the word has a new, more popular meaning of prostitutes Also, the word ―lady‖ has a completely different use from the previous It is used to mean a woman who is weak inside and cannot protect herself The same situation happens to the words such as ―cô nương‖ or ―tiểu thư‖ in Vietnamese Hence, it can be seen that ―negative‖ use of words is preferred to positive one Studying sarcasm would therefore be of great value to linguists and researchers Nevertheless, the issue is not paid much attention among Vietnamese researchers in detail and linguistic researchers of the world in general This research aims at discovering one of the most common and worth-studying phenomena of pragmatics, sarcasm, for without sarcasm then, as one might say, there is no art II Scope of research The study aims mainly at the major knowledge of sarcasm in Vietnamese and English daily life and jokes Specifically, the difference between the use of puns in expressing sarcasm in spoken Vietnamese and English is focused Moreover, the study is confined to the verbal aspects of the act of using puns in expressing sarcasm Other factors such as paralinguistic and extra-linguistic ones are beyond the scope of the study - The dialects used in the North, the South and the Central of Vietnam are use among which the Northern one is mainly used; especially the spoken accent of the Northern version is used quite often; and the English spoken by Anglophone community of England, America, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, are chosen for contrastive analysis - The data are collected by conducting survey questionnaires to examine the differences in the way Vietnamese and English speakers use puns in expressing sarcasm III Aims of research The research has been carried out with a view to explore the similarities as well as the differences in the way Vietnamese and English speakers use puns in expressing sarcasm thus to equip language learners with a major description of sarcasm in English and Vietnamese and help them avoid culture shock and communicate successfully IV Research question: What are the major similarities and differences in the ways Vietnamese and English speakers use puns in expressing sarcasm? V Methodology The following methods are resorted to: - Conducting survey (with questionnaires as a data collection instrument) - Conducting observations VI Design of research The study is composed of three main parts: Part A (Introduction) presents the rationale, scope, aims, research questions, and methodology of the study Part B (Development) consists of three chapters: Chapter I (Theoretical preliminary): discusses the notions of language-culture relationship Chapter II (Sarcasm, puns and types of puns): explores different conceptualizations of sarcasm, puns and types of puns, types that are used in common between English and Vietnamese and ones that only appear in English or Vietnamese Chapter III (Data analysis and findings) analyses collected data to find out major cross-cultural similarities and differences in the choice of puns in expressing sarcasm Part C (Conclusion) summarizes the main findings of the study, provides some implications for TEFL, and offers suggestions for further research Reference includes all the books, articles or website that has been referred to during the writing of this thesis The appendices list examples of different groups of equivalence in order of the alphabet PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL PRELIMINARIES Culture: Whether or not we realize it, we are trapped by our own culture Anyone who encounters another culture quickly becomes aware of this because of thousands of little things that differ among countries For example, only one third of people use tableware to eat, another third eat with chopsticks, and the rest eat with their fingers Even within a country, differences are inevitable Knowing the culture prevents us from cultureshock Culture can be defined in an abstract way as the know-how that a person must possess to get through the task of daily living and only for a few does it require a knowledge of some or much music, literature and the art; or it might be defined concretely as the way of life of a people, for the sum of their learned behavior patterns, attitudes, and material things All in all, culture is considered in terms of the three aspects: (1) learned behavior patterns that refers to what people do, (2) attitudes that refers to what people think or believe; and (3) material things that refers to property Language: Definitions of culture all mention language Obviously, language is one of the most visible factors of culture People face with cultural differences in languages when contacting with someone from another country The idiom ―mưa trút nước‖ in Vietnamese, for example can be expressed as ―it rains cats and dogs‖ in Britain, or ―it rains jugs‖ in Europe, ―rains rope‖ in France, or ―rains in basins‖ in Spain due to different cultures Yet it is not easy to define what language is Language can be defined as any set or system of linguistic symbols used by a community of people who are enabled to communicate intelligibly with one another (Random House Dictionary of the English Language) Or it might be defined in a short and succinct way as ―a complex and abstract phenomenon that can be realized through a number of verbal and non-verbal codes‖ (Emmitt and Pollock) Whichever definition is used, language is put in a given community and functions as a systematic means of communicating Language and culture It is often commented that someone is ―cultured‖ or ―uncultured‖ depending on his behaviors and reaction in certain situations Most of these actions are taken with utterances What one speaks when greeting or departing someone can reveal much about him In other words, whether someone is judged to be cultured or uncultured is much relevant to what he utters in social communication Therefore, language is regarded as a mean to measure other‘s cultural reality Expressed in another way, language is a system of signs that is seen as having its own cultural value Besides, what people utter refers to common experience such as facts, ideas or events that are communicable because they refer to a stock of knowledge about the world that other people share Words also reflect the speaker‘s attitude, belief, and their point of view In other words, language realizes culture It is interestingly asserted by Sapir that culture is ―what society does and thinks‖, and language is ―a particular how of thought‖ People also create experience in real life The way they transfer messages directly through face to face communication or indirectly on telephone, etc brings them with numerous experience which is handed down from generation to generation The process is in a continuous flow Hence, language embodies and maintains cultural reality Language and culture simply not independently and separately exist The language of Esperanto couldn‘t survive because it has no culture background Vice versa, no culture can exist without its own language The relationship between language and culture is deeply rooted Language is used to maintain and convey culture and cultural ties Different ideas stem from differing language use within one‘s culture and the whole intertwining of these relationships starts at one‘s birth Every infant is born, in fact, quite similar It is not until the child is exposed to their surroundings that they become individuals in and of their cultural group From birth, the child‘s life, opinions, and language are shaped by what it comes in contact with Brooks (1968) argues that physically and mentally everyone is the same, while the interactions between persons or groups vary widely from place to place Patterns which emerge from these group behaviors and interactions will be approved of, or disapproved of Behaviors which are acceptable are different in different locations (Brooks, 1968) thus forming the basis of different cultures It is from these differences that one‘s view of the world is formed Hantrais (1989) puts forth the idea that culture is the beliefs and practices governing the life of a society for which a particular language is the vehicle of expression Therefore, everyone‘s views are dependent on the culture which has influenced them, as well as being described using the language which has been shaped by that culture The understanding of a culture and its people can be enhanced by the knowledge of their language This brings us to an interesting point brought up by Emmitt and Pollock (1997), who argue that even though people are brought up under similar behavioral backgrounds or cultural situations but speaking different languages, their world view may be very different As Sapir-Whorf argues, different thoughts are brought about by the use of different forms of language One is limited by the language used to express one‘s ideas Different languages will create different limitations, therefore a people who share a culture but speak different languages will have different world views Still, language is rooted in culture and culture is reflected and passed on by language from one generation to the next (Emmitt & Pollock 1997) 40 the use of that language unless we learn about culture because many of the meanings constructed in the language are culture specific.” (Pollock, 1990: 39) Therefore, students are recommended to: Work with authentic materials, compare, and contrast as much as possible ways of expression in the source and target languages and cultures Expose themselves to native speakers whenever and wherever possible Try to go native as much as possible 3.3 Suggestions for further research For better understanding and more effective use of hedges before giving bad news, it is suggested that (i) areas such as sarcasm and irony, sarcasm and face, punning strategies, paralinguistic and extra-linguistic factors be investigated in depth (ii) more detailed data analysis be made to bring more light to the area under investigation, thus, arriving at more convincing conclusions The thesis has been completed with the author‘s greatest efforts and to the best of her knowledge and understanding However, it is obvious that shortcomings and inadequacies are unavoidably there The author wishes with sincere gratitude to receive constructive and insightful comments from the readers Thank you very much! 41 REFERENCES Allwright, D & Bailey, KM (1991), Focus on the language classroom: an introduction to classroom research for language teachers, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Bogel, Fredric V "Irony, Inference, and Critical Understanding." Yale Review: 50319 Brooks, N (1986), Culture in the classroom In JM Valdes (ed) Culture bound: bridging the cultural gap in language teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 123–128 Bryant, G A., & Fox Tree, J E (2002) Recognizing verbal irony in spontaneous speech Metaphor and Symbol, 17, 99-115 Byram, M (1989), Cultural studies in foreign language education, Multilingual Matters, Clevedon Colebrook, Claire (2004), Irony, Routledge, London and New York Emmitt, M and Pollock, J (1990), Language and Learning, Oxford University Press, Oxford Gibbs, R W (2000) Irony in talk among friends Metaphor and Symbol, 15, 5–27 Hantrais, L (1989), The undergraduate’s guide to studying languages, Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, London Hutcheon, Linda Irony’s Edge: The Theory and Politics of Irony London: Routledge, 1994 Lavandier, Yves Writing Drama, 263-315 Lee, C J., & Katz, A N (1998) The differential role of ridicule in sarcasm and irony Metaphor and Symbol, 13, 1–15 42 Star, William T "Irony and Satire: A Bibliography." Irony and Satire in French Literature Ed University of South Carolina Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1987 183-209 Yule, G (1996), Pragmatics, OUP, Oxford Random House Dictionary of the English Language I BẢN CÂU HỎI (For Vietnamese informants) Bản câu hỏi thiết kế nhằm phục vụ cho đề tài nghiên cứu khác biệt văn hóa Việt-Anh cách thức sử dụng lối nói chơi chữ nhằm diễn đạt châm biếm trào phúng Các liệu thu thập sử dụng vào phân tích Xin q vị vui lịng bớt chút thời gian trả lời câu hỏi để chúng tơi hồn thành đề tài nghiên cứu Xin đảm bảo chúng tơi khơng tiết lộ danh tính q vị hoàn cảnh Xin chân thành cảm ơn! Xin cho biết vài thông tin cá nhân cách đánh dấu √ vào ô phù hợp Tuổi quý vị Dưới 30  Trên 30   Nữ   Đã có gia đình   Nơng thơn  Giới tính q vị Nam Tình trạng hôn nhân Độc thân Nơi quý vị sinh sống lâu Thành thị Câu hỏi 1: Quan sát tình sau Bạn cho lối chơi chữ sử dụng nhằm mục đích gì? Chọn nhiều lựa chọn phù hợp cho tình cách chọn chữ phù hợp (a, b, c…) cho ý kiến riêng bạn a để chế giễu người nghe b để chế giễu người khác c để gây hài d để thể trí tuệ dí dỏm người nói e ý kiến khác “Thế nào, năm lớn đấy, chống lầy chưa?” …………………………………………………………… II …………………………………………………………… "Ui dào, đại tổ hại điện." …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… “Em nên lấy thợ bào, khom lưng ảnh đẩy êm” …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… “Tu lão tu gì, có mà tu hú” …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Kỹ sư đôi lúc làm cư sỹ Thày giáo phen tháo giày Giáo chức đành dứt cháo Khoái ăn sang nên sáng ăn khoai …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Câu hỏi 2: Theo bạn việc sử dụng lối chơi chữ thông báo/đưa nhận xét tình sau có phù hợp khơng? Đánh dấu √ vào cột sau Cột phù hợp Cột có không Cột không phù hợp Cột khơng phù hợp III Tình A Gia đình A1 Có hai người đánh phố A2 Chồng/vợ bạn lại nhà muộn B Xã hội B1 Bạn thấy vợ/chồng đồng nghiệp cặp bồ với người khác B2 Bạn nghe thấy tin quan chức nhà nước bị phát ăn hối lộ C Trường lớp C1 Bạn thấy bạn học quay C2 Bạn điểm cao làm mà bạn chẳng tốn công sức thời gian học D Công việc D1 Một đồng nghiệp có thành tích nghề nghiệp thăng chức D2 Bạn xem quảng cáo kẹo TV Câu hỏi 3: Bạn châm biếm tình khơng A1 A1 Bạn có dính líu vào câu chuyện A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 Bạn quan sát câu chuyện nói chuyện với người xem khác A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Bạn chứng kiến câu chuyện kể lại với người khác D1 D2 IV A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 Câu hỏi 4: Nếu bạn muốn thể châm biếm tình trên, bạn nói nào? Chọn nhiều lựa chọn cách đánh dấu √ trước lựa chọn cho ý kiến bạn Gia đình Có hai người đánh phố a Nện trị “chí” “ tử” b Xem phim bạo lực cho vào suốt ngày “binh” c Lại có đứa thích “lỗ trẫu ăn mùi” (lỗ mũi ăn trầu) d Cũng gớm nhỉ, mà trông tưởng chúng hổ giấy e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Chồng/vợ bạn lại nhà muộn a Lại muộn, có muốn bị “củ hành” khơng đấy? b “Nhà” yêu quý đấy! Sao sớm c Có người trốn việc quan “chủa ờ” d Mình có khiếu sớm muộn e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Xã hội Bạn thấy vợ/chồng đồng nghiệp cặp bồ với người khác a Đã chán cơm thèm lạc b Người hai lịng thuận hai tay ấy, nhỉ? Bận tay dùng tay kia, tiện c Ứm ừm, cẩn thận khéo yêu nhiều thành ốm, ôm nhiều thành yếu d “Họ giàu họ nghinh giá thú, hai đứa nghèo dụ dỗ đi” V e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Bạn nghe thấy tin quan chức nhà nước bị phát ăn hối lộ a Gớm, có xử lý “cá kiếm” đủ b Ơi dào, có dù chả đâu c Cịn phải nói, vấn đề tiền đâu mà d Cái chả thế, có có lại toại lịng e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Trường lớp Bạn thấy bạn học quay a Đằng người có “chí” đầu b Luyện tập kỹ quay nhiều nên chai c Đố ơng biết “dơi gián” có chân? (gian dối) d Họ anh hùng không tên tuổi, sống âm thầm bóng tối mênh mơng e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Bạn điểm cao làm mà bạn chẳng tốn công sức thời gian học a Thế học mà khơng thức đâu có sao, b Ơi giời, mà bọn phải cày ngày cày đêm cho mệt c Thế bảo học thức thực hóc mà, học vừa đủ hay d Cuộc đời lên voi xuống chó khơng lường trước e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… VI Cơng việc Một đồng nghiệp có thành tích nghề nghiệp thăng chức a Ái dà dà, lên “xếp” đây, bõ công “xếp xó” nhá b Làm mà câu ghế giỏi c Thưng thưng chưa đâu nhá (thưng chắc/thăng chức) d Ơi dào, loại tiến sỹ giấy khơng biết có làm nên cơm cháo khơng e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… Bạn xem quảng cáo kẹo TV a Gì gì, muốn tốt muốn đẹp phải biết “củ chi” b Quảng cáo phải có chân dài người ta thích xem c Quảng cáo với quảng mèo đồ đào lửa hết (lừa đảo) d Ngọt ngào man trá e Ý kiến bạn …………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… VII SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE (For native speakers of English) This survey questionnaire is designed for my research in to “A Vietnamese-English CrossCultural Study of Expressing sarcasm” Your assistance in completing the following items is greatly appreciated; you can be confident that this survey questionnaire is for research purpose only and you will not be identified in any discussion of the data Thank you very much for your assistance! Please tick (√) where appropriate: Your age Below 30  Above 30  Your gender Male  Female  Your marital status Single  Married  Area where you spend most of the time Urban  Rural  Question 1: Look at the following situations Do you think the puns are used in order to: a to make fun of the hearer b to make fun of someone else c to make fun of the situation VIII d to show wit and the sense of humour of the speaker e others Choose the option(s) by writing the letter(s) (a, b, etc.) or your own opinion below: - How celebrities stay cool? - They have many fans …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… “Here’s champagne to our real friends and real pain to our sham friends” …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… - If the plural of Hippopotamus is hippopotami, what is the plural of whatafoolamus? - Whatafoolami (what a fool am I) …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… What a typical bachelor he is! …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Question 2: Do you think it is acceptable to use puns when informing/giving comments in the following situations? Please put a tick (ν) in one of the following columns Column means advisable Column means yes and no Column means unadvisable Column means strongly unadvisable Situations A Family life IX A1 Two guys fighting outside A2 Your husband/wife comes home late again B Social life B1 You witnessed your colleague’s wife/husband going about with someone else B2 You heard on the news that a government official is discovered to take bribes C Academic life C1 You witnessed your classmate cheat in the exam C2 You got high mark for an assignment for which you did not spend much time and effort D Business life D1 A colleague with bad work record is promoted D2 You are watching an ad on TV Question 3: Would you express your sense of sarcasm in those situations if A1 A2 A1 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 You are watching the story as an outsider and talking to other outsiders A2 A1 You are engaged in the story B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 You have witnessed the story and are now narrating it to others A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 Question 4: If you express your sense of sarcasm, how would you give comment/inform in each situation? Choose one or more options by putting a tick next to the letter before it or give your own idea X Family life Two guys fighting out in the street a Why don’t they give peas a chance (peace) b Look at these jerks! c You guys are having mad banners (bad manners) d You guys must belong to the peace force e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Your husband/wife comes home late again a Let’s sing the praises of the sky (this guy) (If you are female) or Do you want some ice-cream? (I scream) (If you are male) b Now let’s listen to his/her late excuse c I’m out of the showering (shouting of the hour) d Our unsung hero has come back e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Social life You witnessed your colleague’s wife/husband going about with someone else a Do you happen to see the two weevils that I caught? (two evils) b Hope to see you at the court soon c I guess you are going to have a right of the nuts (night of the ruts) d Well, for such cases like this, one should appear invisible e Your idea …………………………………………………………… XI …………………………………………………………… You heard on the news that a government official is discovered to take bribes a Now they have realized (real lies) b Who wouldn’t want to be gifted? c They are all in lack of pies (pack of lies) d Well, it’s just an open secret e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Academic life You witnessed your classmate cheat in the exam a Could you help me find the co-word of “our class”? (coward) b You so deserve to be booked c People cannot get rewarded for a sack of pins (pack of sins) d Always be sincere, even when you don’t mean it e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… You got high mark for an assignment for which you did not spend much time and effort a Well, school’s cool (school) b As one might say, it is always worth booking (notes) for an exam c This is so much a pun fart (fun part) d This is just awfully nice e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… XII Business life A colleague with poor work record is promoted a How can you get that with your real eyes? (real lies) b Now who’s the boss! c Ho, a seat (so a hit) d To lead people, walk behind them! e Your idea …………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… You are watching a candy ad on TV a Ads are committed to some other TV viewers but the clever ones (smother) b Can it still be nice without those sweeties? c Advertisements are always as ready as a stock (steady as a rock) d TV sometimes has undesirable attractions! e Your idea …………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………