VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES Hà THị TUYếT NHUNG [ AN ENGLISH -VIETNAMESE CROSS - CULTURAL STUDY OF BOASTING NGHI£N CøU GIAO V¡N HO¸ VIƯT - ANH TRONG C¸CH KHOE KHOANG M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 602215 Hanoi, 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES Hà THị TUYếT NHUNG [ AN ENGLISH -VIETNAMESE CROSS - CULTURAL STUDY OF BOASTING NGHI£N CøU GIAO V¡N HO¸ VIƯT - ANH TRONG C¸CH KHOE KHOANG M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 602215 Supervisor: Đào ThÞ Thu Trang, M.A Hanoi, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS * Certificate of originality of study project report i *Acknowledgements ii *Abstract iii *Table of contents iv *Abbreviations vi * List of tables vii * List of figures viii PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Scope of the study Aims of the study Methodology Design of the study PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 Language, culture and cross-cultural communication 1.1.1 Language, culture in communication 1.1.2 Language and culture in cross-cultural communication 1.2 Speech act 1.2.1 What is a speech act? 1.2.2 Classification of speech acts 1.2.3 Boasting as a speech acts 10 1.3 Politeness 11 1.3.1 What is politeness? 11 1.3.2 Face and Politeness 12 1.3.3 Politeness strategies 14 CHAPTER 2: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 16 2.1 Advisable topics to boast 16 2.2 Politeness strategies realized in boasting 18 2.3 Use of strategies in boasting as seen from communicating 20 partners' parameters 2.3.1 Data analysis 20 2.3.2 Major similarities and differences 28 2.4 Use of strategies in boasting as seen from informants' 28 parameters 2.4.1 Data analysis 29 2.4.2 Major similarities and differences 31 PART III: CONCLUSION 33 Review of the findings 33 Implications for cross – cultural communication 33 Suggestions for further research 33 REFERENCES APPENDICES 35 ... UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES Hà THị TUYếT NHUNG [ AN ENGLISH -VIETNAMESE CROSS - CULTURAL STUDY OF BOASTING. .. VIƯT - ANH TRONG C¸CH KHOE KHOANG M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 602215 Supervisor: Đào ThÞ Thu Trang, M.A Hanoi, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS * Certificate of originality of study. .. BACKGROUND 1.1 Language, culture and cross- cultural communication 1.1.1 Language, culture in communication 1.1.2 Language and culture in cross- cultural communication 1.2 Speech act