Nominal groups in selected chapters from pride and prejudice by jane austen a systemic functional analysis

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL TUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATES STUDIES *********** NGUYỄN THỊ LAN PHƢƠNG NOMINAL GROUPS IN SELECTED CHAPTERS FROM “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” BY JANE AUSTEN: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS CỤM DANH TỪ TRONG MỘT SỐ CHƢƠNG ́ TƢƢ̀“KIÊU HÃNH VÀĐINḤ KIÊN” CỦA JANE AUSTEN: PHÂN TICH́ M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 HANOI – 2013 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL TUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATES STUDIES *********** NGUYỄN THỊ LAN PHƢƠNG NOMINAL GROUPS IN SELECTED CHAPTERS FROM “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” BY JANE AUSTEN: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS CỤM DANH TỪ TRONG MỘT SỐ CHƢƠNG ́ TƢƢ̀“KIÊU HÃNH VÀĐINḤ KIÊN” CỦA JANE AUSTEN: PHÂN TICH́ M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 Supervisor: Dr Đỗ Tuấn Minh HANOI – 2013 DECLARATION I, Nguyêñ Thi Laṇ Phương , hereby declare that this minor thesis is the result of my own research and I have not been submitted anywhere for any award All sources of information in this study which is not my own work has been identified and acknowledged I also state that the thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for any degree to any other universities or substitutions Nguyêñ Thi Laṇ Phƣơng October, 2013 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express the deepest appreciation to Dr Đỗ Tuấn Minh, my supervisor, for invaluable and constructive guidelines during the planning as well as the development of this research work My heartfelt thanks also go to my family, friends and colleagues whose encouragement and support have made the completion of my thesis possible ii ABSTRACT This study provides an insight into the selected nominal groups in “Pride and Prejudice”, one of the most enduringly popular novels in the English language, by Jane Austen in the light of Systemic Functional Grammar While the make-up of the nominal groups in the original work is revealed and described, an analysis of English nominal groups and Vietnamese equivalents in the two Vietnamese versions by Diệp Minh Tâm and Thu Trinh is also presented Upon completion of the research, the findings reflect the similarites and differences in the treatment of the nominal groups between the two translators, based on which some implications for potential translators of this masterpiece are produced iii DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study Scope and objective of the study Research methods Design of the study PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Schools of grammar 1.1 Traditional grammar 1.2 Systemic Functional Grammar Basic notions 2.1 2.2 Noun phrases in Traditional Grammar and No Noun phrases in Traditional Grammar 3.1 3.2 Nominal groups in Systemic Functional Grammar 4.1 Traditional Grammar 4.2 Terminology in Systemic Structure of nominal grou 4.2.1 Deictic 4.2.2 Numerative 4.2.3 Classifier and Epithet 4.2.4 Thing 4.2.5 Qualifier Nominal groups in Vietnamese Similarities and differences between Vietnamese nominal groups and English nominal groups “Pride and Prejudice” & Analytical background 7.1 About the author Jane Au 7.2 Pride and Prejudice 7.3 Vietnamese translated ver 7.4 Previous studies CHAPTER II: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data collection Data analysis 2.1 Features of Nominal grou Austen 2.1.1 Overview on the nominal groups in “Pride and Prejudice” in selected chapters 2.1.2 Pre-modification: A look at Deictic, Numerative, Epithet and Classifier 2.1.3 Qualifier 2.1.3.1 v 2.1.4 Nominal group complex in Minor process 2.2 Treatment of Nominal groups in Vietnamese translated versions 2.2.1 Treatment of nominal groups as a whole 2.2.2 Treatment of the Head/Thing 2.2.3 Treatment of Pre-modification 2.2.4 Treatment of Qualifier PART III: CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES APPENDIX vi PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study A fundamental shift in linguistic research from focusing on forms to exploring both forms and functions has been seen in recent years by linguistics The big change represents an attempt of viewing and treating language as a communication activity rather than blocks of isolated grammar sets With the introduction of Systemic Functional Grammar by Halliday, the functional exploration and analysis of texts helps us understand the way texts work by applying what we know about the meaning of grammatical resources When it comes to syntactic analysis, noun phrases are considered to be common cross-linguistically, which may result in the fact that they seem to earn the place of the most frequently occurring phrase type The same case applies to literary works where a huge distribution of noun phrases, termed as “nominal groups” by Halliday, are observed One of the most worldwide famous literature masterpieces, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, long lives with readers not only because of the excellent plot The considerable attention to the linguistics of the timeless novel has always been paid by scholars across the nations One of the most loved linguistic aspects debated is the abundance of sophisticated nominal groups exploited in this work of art As a consequence, loads of researches have been conducted to make an analysis of the aforementioned topic Boasting the vivid and superb language, “Pride and Prejudice” earns a huge popularity in Vietnam and the work, therefore, enjoys the circulation of the so far two different versions of translation Since their introduction, both of the versions by Diệp Minh Tâm and Thu Trinh have gained noticeable success in winning the hearts of the keen readers The author would like to conduct a study to explore the use of nominal groups in the novel in the light of Systemic Functional Grammar and also an analysis of their Vietnamese equivalents in the two Vietnamese translation versions to examine whether there exists any differences between the two versions due to perceptions of life and culture as well as to bring a fresh investigation into the bicentenary literary treasure Scope and objective of the study As the title of the study suggests, the thesis will be conducted with a view to describing the nominal groups in selected chapters, owing to the small scale, in “Pride and Prejudice” following the framework of Systemic Functional Grammar by Halliday Besides, a contrastive analysis of the nominal groups and their Vietnamese equivalents in the two Vietnamese translation versions are provided in the hope that readers may have a better understanding and their own judgment over which version gains more success in transmitting the message of the author in the literary work The research questions, therefore, are posed as follows: - What are nominal groups? - How are the nominal groups in selected chapters in “Pride and Prejudice” structured in the light of Systemic Functional Analysis? - What changes are made to the structure of the English nominal groups in the two translated versions? - What are the similarities and differences between nominal groups in English and their equivalents in the two Vietnamese versions? Research methods As the research is undertaken with the aim of investigating the nominal groups in the novel, the descriptive and contrastive analysis with the qualitative data will be employed Also, the Vietnamese equivalents in the two translation are put together for the purpose of comparison in terms of structure In this way, the use of nominal groups in this work will be extensively investigated while the Vietnamese equivalents are correspondingly reviewed Design of the study The first part of the study offers readers a quick look at the study with the aims and methodology temper the business of her life the second-hand intelligence of their neighbour Lady Lucas a certain step towards falling in love 3.very lively hopes of Mr Bingley‟s heart hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had heard much the advantage of ascertaining from an upper window a pleasant countenance Easy, unaffected manners fine woman with an air of decided fashion II the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity 10 the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world 11 a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous 12 a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing a judgment too unassailed by any attention to herself a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their III brother‟s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade (married) a man of more fashion than fortune a great opposition of character the easiness, openess, ductility of his temper a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure Miss bennet‟s pleasing manners a disadvantage to be so guarded the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend the beautiful expression of her dark eyes (her manners were not) those of the fashionable world the man who made himself agreeable nowhere a very strange creature by way of a friend the entreaties of several that she would sing again 10 such a mode of passing the night 11 the exclusion of all conversation 12 one of the first refinements of polished societies 13 the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished socities of the world 14 the notion of doing a V very gallant thing 15 the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow the enjoyment of all her original dislike the only one of the party whom she could regard with any complacency an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world the comfort of seeing her sleep a renewal of tenderness your list of the common VI extent of accomplishments the whole range of my acquaintance your idea of an accomplished woman 10 a thorough knowledge of music, singing 11.a certain something in her air and manner of walking 12 the injustice of her implied doubt the perpetual commendations of the lady either on his hand-writing or on the evenness of his lines or on the length of his letter my little recent piece of modesty a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution VII the power of doing anything wirth quickess the sweetness of my temper the rashness of your original intention the friend who is supposed to desire his return to the house the influence of friendship and affection the discretion of his behaviour 10 the degree of importance which is to appertain to this request 11 the degree of intimacy subsisting between the parties 12 an object of admiration to so great a man 13 a something about her more wrong and reprensible VIII 14 a great inclination (,Miss Benner,) to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel 14 the pleasure of despising my taste 15 a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody the power of their conversation the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his two motives for their choosing to walk up and down the room together our surest way of disappointing him the smallest objection to IX explaining them this method of passing the evening a real superiority of mind the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention all the perverseness of the mischance that should bring him where no one else was brought her pleasure in being at Hunsford, her love of solitary walks, and her opinion of Mr and Mrs Collins‟ happiness an allusion to what might arise in that quarter the want of money 5.women of fortune our habits of expense X not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money the usual price of an Earl‟s younger son a silence which might make him fancy her affected with what had passed 10 young ladies of her age 11 one of the most tractable creatures in the world 12 a very great favourite with some ladies of my acquaintance 13 a circumstance which Darcy of course would not wish to be generally known 14 the kind of young man to XI get into a scrape of that sort 15 his reason for his interference 16 some vert strong objections against the lady 17 the propriety of his friend‟s inclination 18 the measures taken to separate Mr Bingley and Jane 20 every hope of happiness for the most affectionate, generous heart in the world 21 Mr Darcy, whose pride, she was convinced, would receive a deeper wound from the want of importance in his friend‟s connections every sentence conveying the idea of uneasiness an attention which it had hardly received on the first XII perusal Mr Darcy‟s shameful boast of what misery he had been able to inflict a keener sense of her sister‟s sufferings Darcy‟s leaving Kent a silence of several minutes the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her his sense of her inferiority – of its being a degradation – of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination A warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding her deeply-rooted dislike 10 the strength of that attachment, which, in spite of his endeavours, he had found impossible to conquer 11 his hope that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of his hand 12 the established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed 13 the feelings, which, you tell me, have long prevented the acknowledgement of your regard 14 Mr Darcy, who was leaning against the mantelpiece with his eyes fixed on her face 15 the disturbance of his XIV mind 16 the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister 17 every reason in the world to think ill of you 18 the principal, if not the only means of dividing them from each other, of exposing one to the censure of the world for caprice and instability, the other to its derision for disappointed hopes 19 an eager interest in that gentleman‟s concerns 20 the estimation in which you hold me 21 my honest confession of XV the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious design 22 the belief of my being impelled by unqualified, unalloyed inclination 23.your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others 24 the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry 25 his shameless avowal of what he had done with respect to Jane XVI ... scattered in the novel Data Analysis 2.1 Features of Nominal groups in ? ?Pride and Prejudice? ?? by Jane Austen 2.1.1 Overview on the nominal groups in ? ?Pride and Prejudice? ?? in the selected chapters. .. original version of ? ?Pride and Prejudice? ?? by Jane Austen in the light of Systemic Functional Grammar and has had a burning ambition of conducting a comparison between the English nominal groups and. .. remarkably nouns and adjectives Nominal Groups in Systemic Functional Grammar 4.1 Terminology in Systemic Functional Grammar in contrast to Traditional Grammar It is remarkable that though a “nominal