A study on idiomatic expressions containing words denoting food and drink in english and their vietnamese equivalents from cultural perspective

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES  ̃ NGUYÊN THI ̣THÀNH A STUDY ON IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS CONTAINING WORDS DENOTING FOOD AND DRINK IN ENGLISH AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS FROM CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ̀ (NGHIÊN CƢƢ́U VÊNHƢƢ̃NG THÀNH NGƢƢ̃CÓCHƢƢ́A CÁC TƢ̀CHI ̀ Ƣ́ Ƣ́ THƢƢ́C ĂN VÀĐÔUÔNG TRONG TIÊNG ANH VÀTƢƠNG ĐƢƠNG CỦA CHÚNG TRONG TIẾNG VIỆT NHÌN TỪ GÓC ĐỘ VĂN HÓA) MA MINOR THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60 22 02 01 Hanoi – 2014 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES  ̃ NGUYÊN THI ̣THÀNH A STUDY ON IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS CONTAINING WORDS DENOTING FOOD AND DRINK IN ENGLISH AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS FROM CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ̀ (NGHIÊN CƢƢ́U VÊNHƢƢ̃NG THÀNH NGƢƢ̃CÓCHƢƢ́A CÁC TƢ̀CHI ̀ Ƣ́ Ƣ́ THƢƢ́C ĂN VÀĐÔUÔNG TRONG TIÊNG ANH VÀTƢƠNG ĐƢƠNG Ƣ́ CỦA CHÚNG TRONG TIÊNG VIÊṬ NHÌN TƢ̀GÓC ĐỘVĂN HÓA) MA MINOR THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60 22 02 01 Supervisor: Assoc Prof., Dr Nguyêñ Xuân Thơm Hanoi – 2014 DECLARATION I certify that the content of this thesis is the result of my own work and that all the material and sources collected in preparing this study have been identified and acknowledged The thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for any degree to any other universities or institutions or for any other purposes i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On the completion of this thesis, I am grateful to many people First and foremost, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Xuan Thom for his enthusiastic guidance and valuable advice and help, without which, this thesis could not be completed I also wish to thank all my lecturers of Post Graduate Department, College of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University for their helpful instruction during my whole course of studying In addition, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my family, friends and colleagues, whose encouragement and assistance play an important part in my doing this thesis Finally, I am all too aware that despite all the helpful advice and assistance, the project is far from perfect Therefore, I have sole and full responsibility for any inadequacies and shortcomings that the thesis may be considered to have Hanoi, October 2013 Nguyễn Thị Thành ii ABSTRACT One of the most effective and colourful ways to transfer culture is the use of idioms which, however, causes many troubles for English learners because of their confusing meanings To help learners have a better understanding of idioms, particularly idioms containing food and drink this paper conducts “A study on idiomatic expressions containing words denoting food and drink in English and their Vietnamese equivalents from cultural perspective” The idioms studied of both languages are analyzed and compared in terms of their syntactic, semantic, pragmatic and cultural features The equivalence those idioms of the two languages is also analyzed On this basis, it also offers some educational implications for English teachers and learners to make their teaching and learning more effective iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii ABSTRACT iii PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale to the study Research aims and research questions Objectives of the research Scope of the research Methods of the study Significance of the research Design of the research PART II: DEVELOPMENT Chapter I: Literature Review Chapter II: Theoretical background 2.1 Overview of Idioms 2.1.1 Definition of idioms 2.1.2 Typical features of idioms 2.1.3 Idioms and other similar language units 2.2 The relationship of Language and Culture 12 2.2.1 Concept of Culture 12 2.2.2.The inseparable Relationship between Language and Culture 12 2.2.3 The Relationship between Idioms and Culture 12 Chapter III: METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE 14 3.1 Research design 14 3.2 Research methodology 14 3.3 Data collection 14 a What is food? 14 iv b What is drink? 16 c Choosing idioms containing food and drink 16 3.4 Data analysis 16 3.5 Reliability and validity 17 Chapter IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 17 4.1 Syntactic features of idioms containing food and drink in English and Vietnamese 17 4.1.1 Phrase Structures 17 4.1.2 Sentence Structures 20 4.2 Semantic features of idioms containing food and drink in English and Vietnamese 21 4.2.1 Idioms having human implications 21 4.2.2 Idioms having non-human implications 25 4.3 Similarities and differences in syntactic and semantic features of idioms containing food and drink in English and Vietnamese 26 4.3.1 Similarities 27 4.3.2 Differences 28 4.4 The equivalence of the English and Vietnamese idioms containing food and drink 31 4.4.1 Idiomatic equivalence 31 4.4.2 Conceptual equivalence 32 4.4.3 Lexical equivalence 33 4.4.4 Semantic and pragmatic equivalence 37 4.5 Cultural characteristics of English and Vietnamese idioms containing food and drink 37 4.6 Implications for teaching and learning idioms containing food and drink39 PART III: CONCLUSION Conclusion 40 v Limitations of the thesis and further study 40 Suggestions for further study 41 REFERENCES 42 APPENDIXES I vi PART I: INTRODUCTION Rationale to the study Mastering a foreign language is a strong desire of all learners However, it is not an easy task because of many obstacles that learners face during their learning Moreover, their final target of learning a foreign language is the ability to communicate A successful communication can only be reached when both the speakers and the listeners have a common understanding of each other However, the differences in many aspects of the languages and cultures cause various problems for learners in the process of mastering a foreign language One of the most effective and colourful ways to transfer culture is the use of idioms Because idioms imply culture, we cannot understand idioms correctly without the cultural context Besides, according to Cambridge International dictionary of Idioms (1998), on the one hand “… it is often impossible to guess the meaning of an idiom from the words it contains”; on the other hand “Idioms may also suggest a particular attitude of the person using them, for example disapproval, humour, exasperation or admiration ” Therefore, idioms are among the most interesting English aspects but it has never been easy to learn as well Thus, a good understanding of idioms is the key for learners to know more about the target language as well as its culture and to avoid culture shocks during communication Making comparisons between English idioms and Vietnamese ones can help Vietnamese learners comprehend the similarities and differences of the two languages and cultures, which in turn help them improve their English Because of the reasons above, I have wished to conduct some studies on English idioms and Vietnamese equivalent ones However, due to the limitation of the graduation paper’s scope and time, I would like to focus on English idioms containing food and drink and their equivalents in Vietnamese which have attracted me most for a long time in view of their variety in English idiom treasure Research aims and research questions 189 When the moon turns green cheese 190 Worth your salt XIV APPENDIX 2: VIETNAMESE-ENGLISH IDIOMS OF FOOD AND DRINK Vietnamese idioms Ăn chao đai bat Ai biết đâu ma ăn cô Ăn banh tra tiền Ăn bơ lam biếng Ăn cábỏlơ Ăn cam tra vang Ăn cay bưng tay Ăn nao rao ấy Ăn tao rao sun 10 11 Ăn cay uống đắng Ăn chao cầm 12 13 14 Ăn chay niêṃ Phât Ăn chócảlông Ăn chưc ̣ Ăn cơm ga gay, cất bin 15 nưa ̉̉ 16 Ăn cơm mơi noi chuyê cu 17 18 Ăn cơm nhà Chúa mú tối Ăn cơm nhàthổi tùvà hàng tổng 19 Ăn cơm nha vac nga v 20 Ăn cươp cơm chim ̉́ 21 Ăn hương ăn hoa 22 Ăn mân tra đao 23 Ăn mâttra gưng 24 Ăn may đoi xôi gấc ̉̀ 25 Ăn miếng chảtrảmiến bùi 26 Ăn miếng trả miếng Ăn môtbat chao chaỵ 27 quãng đồng Ăn muối chuố 28 chát 29 Ăn noi ca riềng ca toi ̉́ 30 Ăn ốc noi mo 31 Áo ấm cơm no 32 Ao sâu tốt cá 33 Bắc nươc chơ gaọ ngư 34 Bạn bè xôi thịt 35 Bánh đúc bày sàng Bảo xôi ừ xôi, bảo thịt 36 thịt 37 Bắt cá hai tay 38 Bé hạt tiêu 39 Bình cu rượu mới 40 Bơxôi ruông ̣ mât 41 Bóp chết từ trứn nươc ̉́ 42 Bưa rau bưa chao ̉̃ 43 Cá chậu chim lồng Cà cuống chết đến đít 44 còn cay 45 Cá đối bằng đầu 46 Cá mè một lứa 47 Cá nằm thớt 48 49 50 51 52 Cà riềng cà tỏi Cãi chém ch Câm hến Cắn cơm không vơ Cao lương mi vi ̣ 53 Cay ớt 54 Chắc cua gach 55 Chán cơm nếp ná Chê cam sanh vơ phai ̉̀ 56 quýt hôi 57 Chén chú chén anh 58 Chén tạc chén thù 59 Chó già giữ xương Chưi cho ăn va 60 61 62 63 64 65 ̉̉ mắm Chuột chù nếm dấm Chuột sa chĩnh gạo Chuyện nở ngô Có cam phụ quýt Có cháo đòi chè 66 Cố đấm ăn xôi 67 Có nếp có te 68 69 70 71 Có oản phụ xôi Có thịt đòi xôi Có thóc mới bóc gạ Cơm bưng nươc rot Cơm chẳng lanh canh 72 chẳng ngot 73 Cơm đen vân tung 74 Cơm hang chao chơ ̣ ̉̀ 75 Cơm ngon/deo canh n 76 Cơm niêu nươc lo 77 Cơm no rươụ say 78 Cơm sung chao dền 79 Cơm teme ̣ruôt 80 Cơm teno xôi vòchẳng 81 thiết Cơm thưa canh 82 83 84 85 Còn nước còn tát Con sâu bỏrầu nồi can Củi quế gạo châu Đâm bi thọc, chọc bị g 86 87 88 Đắt tôm tươi Dây càra dây muống Dê ̃như ăn goi Đo lo ̣nươc mắm đếm 89 dưa hanh 90 Đoi ăn banh ve ̉́ Dùi đục chấm (nươc) 91 92 93 (mắm) cáy Được diếc tiếc Ép dầu ép mơ nơ ép duyên 94 Gạo chợ nước sông 95 Gắt mắm tôm 96 Giá áo túi cơm 97 Giao trứng cho ác 98 Giâtđầu cáváđầu tôm 99 Giết gà bằng dao mổ 100 101 trâu Gừng càng già càng ca Há miệng chơ sung 102 Hàng thịt nguýt hàng 103 104 105 Hàng tôm hàng cá Hiền củkhoai Húng mọc, tía tô cung mọc 106 Ke ăn ốc đổ vỏ 107 108 Kén cá chọn canh Khát nước mới đào XVIII giếng Khinh khinh chin 109 mắm thối Không cócálấy rau má 110 làm ngon 111 Không ưa thi dưa co g 112 Láu tôm láu cá 113 Liêụ cơm gắp mắm 114 Lợn lành chữa thành l què 115 Lòng chim dạ cá 116 Lúng búng ngậm hột thị 117 Mạnh vi gaọ baọ vi tiề 118 Mạt cưa mướp đắng 119 Mătđỏnhư gấc 120 Mătvang nghê ̣ 121 Mật ít ruồi nhiều 122 Mâtngotchết ruồi Măttai/xám gà cắ 123 tiết 124 Màu mơ riêu cua 125 Mềm bun 126 Mèo mù vớ cá rán 127 Mía ngọt đánh cả cụm 128 Miệng thơn thớt, dạ ớ ngâm 129 Mơ minh ran minh ̉̃ 130 Mọc lên nấm 131 Một nụ cươi bằng mư thang thuốc bổ 132 Muối bỏbiển/bể 133 Mươi voi không được bát nước xáo 134 Mươn gióbemăng 135 Nằm gai nếm mật 136 Nâng nâng trưng 137 Nát tương 138 Nem công chảphương 139 140 141 142 Ngậm bồ hòn làm ngọ Ngậm đắng nuốt cay Ngang cua Nghèo rớt mùng tơi 143 Ngọt mía lùi 144 Nguây nguẩy mẹ quẩy tôm 145 Nhẵn cu toi ̉̉ ̉ 146 147 148 149 Nhát cáy Nhạt nước ốc Nhịn nhịn cơm số Như (ăn) cơm bưa 150 Như cá gặp nước 151 Như meo thấy mơ ̉̀ 152 Nhương cơm se ao ̉̀ 153 154 155 156 Nói deo kẹo Nói hành nói tỏi Nói ngọt đương Nói nhát gưng ̉̀ 157 Nói đổ me vào mặ 158 Nụ cà hoa mướp 159 Nửa nạc nửa mơ 160 Ông ăn cha, bà ăn nem ̉̉ Ông mắt chân gio, bà 161 chai rươụ Quần nươc ao cha 162 lòng ̉́ 163 Quýt làm cam chịu 164 Ra ngô khoai 165 Rách xơ mướp 166 Rán sành mơ 167 Rành rành canh n XX hẹ 168 Rau nao sâu nấy ̉̀ 169 Rối canh hẹ 170 Rụng sung Rươụ ngon chẳng nê ( ̣ 171 be sanh ̉̀ 172 Rươụ vao lơi ̉̀ 173 Sơn hao hai vi ̣ ̉̀ 174 Thả săn sắt bắt co cá rô 175 Thêm dấm thêm ơt 176 Thêm mắm thêm muố 177 Theo voi ăn bã mía 178 Thuôc ̣ chao chay 179 Thưa nươc đuc ̣ tha câ ̉̀ 180 Tiền trao chao muc 181 Trà dư tửu hậu 182 Tránh vỏ dưa gặp vỏ d 183 184 185 186 Tre giàmăng moc ̣ Treo đầu dê, bán thịt c Trồng càđươc ̣ cà Trưng choịvơi đa ̉́ 187 Trưng đểđầu đẳng/gâỵ ̉́ 188 Tương cà gia bản 189 Vắt chanh bỏ vỏ 190 Xấu tư trưng ̉̀ XXI ... Choosing idioms containing food and drink From those definitions of food and drink, I call all idioms related to any kind of food and drink “idioms containing food and drink? ?? or “idioms of food and. .. expressions containing words denoting food and drink in English and their Vietnamese equivalents from Cultural Perspective? ?? I also call them “idioms containing food and drink? ?? or “idioms of food. .. and drink in English and Vietnamese It is undeniable that idioms in general and English and Vietnamese idioms containing food and drink in particular always attract great attention of all linguists