English idioms denoting time with reference to vietnamese

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS ENGLISH IDIOMS DENOTING TIME WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE (Nghiên cứu thành ngữ biểu đạt thời gian Tiếng Anh liên hệ với Tiếng Việt) HOÀNG THỊ HÀ Field: English Language Code: 8.22.02.01 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Ho Ngoc Trung Hanoi, 2020 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled “English idioms denoting time with reference to Vietnamese” submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2020 Hoàng Thị Hà Approved by SUPERVISOR Assoc Prof Dr Ho Ngoc Trung Date: ………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all the people who have supported and inspired me to complete this thesis The success of this paper is also attributable to them First and foremost, I would like to send my heartfelt gratitude towards my beloved supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Ho Ngoc Trung for his enthusiasm and dedication, his critical comments and timely feedback, his constant understanding and encouragement Had it not been for his tremendous support, I could never have been able to complete this research I would also thank the organizers of this master course My sincere thanks go to the whole lecturers and the staff of Hanoi Open University for their useful lectures, assistance, enthusiasm and advice during my course I highly appreciate the helpful advice and assistance from my colleagues at Marie Curie High School Finally, I am so indebted to my parents, my husband and my family for their understanding, support and encouragement during the entire period of my study ii ABSTRACT This study focused on English idioms denoting time with reference to Vietnamese Through their syntactic features, semantic features and cultural characteristics we find out the similarities and differences between English idioms and Vietnamese ones under the light of contrastive analysis and crosscultural perspective Data used for analysis in this study were mainly collected through dictionaries and the internet Through analysis of idioms containing time in English and Vietnamese, it is deduced that idioms are really important in communication Idioms are used to express ideas in figurative styles They bring vividness and richness to the speakers’ speeches The findings of the thesis illustrate some implications for teachers and learners of English from the use of linguistic features of idioms containing time in English and focus on the meanings of English idioms containing time in English and a comparative analysis with Vietnamese ones I hope that the study may help learners and teachers of English avoid difficulties in realizing and translating English time idioms into Vietnamese iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES vii Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Methods of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Significance of the study 1.7 Design of the study Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Previous studies 2.1.1 Previous studies of English idioms in Foreign Countries 2.1.2 Previous studies of Vietnamese idioms in Vietnam 2.2 Theoretical background 2.2.1 Syntax theories 2.2.2 Semantic theories 2.2.3 An overview of Phrase, Clause and Sentence structures 2.3 Theoretical framework 15 2.3.1 Definition of idioms 15 2.3.2 Time 17 2.3.3 Syntactic features 17 2.3.4 Semantic features 24 iv 2.3.5 Cultural Features 26 2.3.6 Idioms which contain Words Denoting Time (IT) 27 2.4 Summary 27 Chapter 3: SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH IDIOMS DENOTING TIME WITH REFERNCE TO VIETNAMESE 28 3.1 Syntactic Features of English idioms which contain words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 29 3.1.1 Phrase Structures 29 3.1.2 Clause Structures 33 3.1.3 Similarities and Differences of Syntactic Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 35 3.2 Semantic Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 37 3.2.1 Semantic Fields of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 37 3.2.2 Similarities and Differences of Semantic Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 41 3.3 Difficulties students encounter when learning idioms 43 3.3.1 The non-compositional meaning of idioms 43 3.3.2 Difficulties in using idioms correctly 43 3.3.3 The shortage of teaching materials 43 3.4 Some suggested solutions 44 3.4.1 Learn idioms in context, never in isolation 44 3.4.2 Create conversations using idioms 44 3.4.3 Keep an ‘Idioms’ diary 44 3.4.4 Learn a small amount at once 44 3.4.5 Find many idioms in songs 44 3.4.6 Themes: Related To Your Topic 44 v 3.4.7 Try to see the idiom in your mind 45 3.5 Summary 45 Chapter 4: CONCLUSION 46 4.1 Concluding remarks 46 4.2 Limitation of the study 48 4.3 Suggestions for further studies 48 REFERENCES 49 APPENDIX 1: LIST OF ENGLISH IT 51 APPENDIX 2: LIST OF VIETNAMESE IT 70 vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1.5 Words denoting time Table 3.1 Statistical Summary of Syntactic Features of English and Vietnamese Idioms Containing words Denoting Time 28 Table 3.2 Statistical Summary of Semantic Features of English and Vietnamese Idioms Containing words Denoting Time 34 Chart 3.1 Rate of Syntactic Features of English and Vietnamese Idioms Containing words Denoting Time 29 Chart 3.2 Rate of Semantic Features of English and Vietnamese Idioms Containing words Denoting Time 35 vii Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale In this initial part, the problem and the rationale, the aims and objectives, the scope, and the significance of the whole paper are presented Most importantly, the research questions are identified to serve as a guideline for the whole research Nowadays, together with the growth of the global integration, English language has become increasingly essential In the process of communication, idioms play an important role in the effective use of English Furthermore, idioms are sayings that reflect accumulated human experiences and are built on frequently occurring situations that demonstrate human behavior, social traits, certain habits or tradition in a country Sometimes we come across some idiomatic expressions that we cannot understand although we can comprehend the meaning of every single word in them “Language is a source of misunderstandings” (Antoine de Saint Exupery) Every country or nation has got their own idioms that are specific to their own culture, while many idioms have synonyms in several countries, which refers to the equal shared human nature in many cultures Mastering 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 make a language more gripping and vibrant Grasping idioms means you are using and understanding the language more like 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 Thus, grasping the use of idioms is an essential part of English study There have been so far a number of studies and investigations into idioms concerning family, animals, colors, food, weather, etc These studies mainly concentrate on investigating semantic features such as transfer of meaning: metaphor, hyperbole and simile Nevertheless, hardly any study of idiomatic expressions indicating time has been carried out especially in syntactic, semantic categories and cultural features All the reasons above have inspired the researcher to conduct a study on this thesis entitled “English idioms denoting time with reference to Vietnamese” Hopefully, the result of this study will help Vietnamese teachers and learners of English teach, study and use the idioms, proverbs and sayings involving time effectively 1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 1.2.1 Aims of the study The study is carried out with the aim to investigate syntactic and semantic features of English idioms denoting time and their Vietnamese equivalents to describe the similarities and differences between them This can also help teachers and learners to be familiar with idioms in their teaching and learning 1.2.2 Objectives of the study This study is intended to achieve the following objectives: - Identifying syntactic and semantic features of English idioms denoting time with reference to the Vietnamese equivalents - Finding out syntactic and semantic similarities and differences between English idioms denoting time and their Vietnamese equivalents - Suggesting some solutions enabling Vietnamese teachers and learners to be aware of English idioms denoting time 1.3 Research questions To achieve these objectives, the research was undertaken to answer the following questions: What are the syntactic and semantic features of English idioms denoting time with reference to Vietnamese? What are the similarities and differences between English idioms denoting time and their Vietnamese equivalents? What are some suggestions for the Vietnamese teachers and learners when teaching and learning English idioms denoting time? 1.4 Methods of the study The meanings of idioms, in accordance with their syntactic and semantic features, are described and interpreted with means of descriptive method and a powerful source of dictionaries and document 6 Late in the day Living on borrowed time Delayed almost too long Isn't it rather late in the day to say you're sorry? Following an illness After Jim was struck or by near-death lightning, he felt like experience, he many people believe they have cheated death was living on borrowed time We made good time Do something faster It only took us an than you thought hour to get here 6 Make good time Make somebody's To make someone very day happy Go on, tell him you like his jacket It'll make his day! Mary is as merry as a cricket whenever she has Merry as the day Very happy and is long carefree company come to call The little children are as merry as the day is long 63 Name the day Need something yesterday To announce when you plan to something Have you and Chris important, especially named the day yet? get married Yes, I'm in a hurry! I To require something need it yesterday! in a very big hurry Mary won't speak to Sally Not give anyone To ignore someone the time of day (usually out of dislike) She won't give her the time of day Not one’s day A bad day one of those days I missed my train and forgot my glasses - I guess it's just not my day My employer is a man of mature years The professor, a woman of Of mature years Old mature years, is planning to retire at the end of the school term On the Spur of the Moment Linda and Louis Denotes a drove to the beach on spontaneous or the spur of the sudden undertaking moment 7 One day/some day In the future 64 I'd like to go to Mexico one day Something that you say One swallow which means because Okay, they won their last one good thing has game but one swallow happened, you cannot doesn't make a summer doesn't make a therefore be certain summer that They're still bottom of the more good things will league happen and the whole situation will improve 7 Many people in their One's sunset years Order of the day Other times, other manner Pass the time of One's old age sunset years love to travel Something necessary Warm clothes are the or order of the day when usual at a certain time camping in the winter Amy thought her grandchildren addressed their friends in startlingly Different generations rude terms "But or then," eras have different she reflected, "other customs times, other manners." To chat or talk 65 I saw Mr Brown in town yesterday I stopped and day (with informally with passed the time of day someone) someone with him I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment Do you Pressed for time Not have much time mind if we have the meeting tomorrow? Put years on somebody To make someone look The breakup of his or feel much older marriage put years on him There was another killing Saturday night A small, easily special obtainable pistol last night with a Saturday night special Save the day To produce a good result when a bad result was expected Save (something) for a rainy day The team was expected to lose, but Sally made three points and saved the day To keep an amount of She has a couple of money for a time in the thousand pounds kept future when it might be 66 aside which she's saving needed See the light of day for a rainy day The company agreed the ad was an embarrassment and promised it would To be made available never again see the or be known about light of day 8 To use an opportunity Seize the day, young to man something that you You may never get the Seize the day chance to embark on want and not to worry such about the future an adventure again After the felon served his To spend a certain Serve time time, he was released from amount of time in jail 8 Spring into action To suddenly begin prison As soon as the boss came moving or doing in the door, everyone something sprang into action To move quickly to assume the military posture of attention 9 Spring to attention The recruit sprang to attention Spring to one's feet He sprang to his feet To stand up quickly and demanded that 67 the chair recognize him To go quickly to defend someone (Can be against physical or verbal attack.) 9 Spring to someone's defense Spring up 9Spring something on 3someone 4Sunday best Sunday driver The dog's ears sprang To appear or develop up suddenly; to sprout, as when the refrigerator with a seedling opened - To surprise someone with something - I hate to spring this on you at the last moment, but I will need some money to travel on One's best clothing, which one would We are in our Sunday wear to church best, ready to go I'm a Sunday driver, and I'm sorry I just can't driver who appears to bear A slow and leisurely be sightseeing and Take years off (of) someone or something Take your time Fred was attacked and Ralph sprang to his defense to go faster To make someone My exciting vacation seem or look younger took years off of me Not be in any hurry 68 Take your time answering the question A raise in pay? That'll be the day! That'll be the day It will never happen - Johnnie knew he was going to be in big-time trouble 9The big time 0The dead of winter - Of extreme severity - When he landed the position as vice - It can also mean to president, he knew he reach the top of one’s had reached the big profession time Shouldn’t go out for Middle of winter, when it is very cold vacation in the dead of winter and dark Those hottest, I hate the dog days of dampest, worst days summer; I always go of a hot summer to the lake then The dog days of summer The New York minute A very short period of time which passes Go on a date with so quickly that we Viggo? I'd that in can’t even notice it a New York minute Recently Usage notes: also used in the She phoned me just forms the other night the other day I saw and the other week him the other night The other day 69 The time is ripe There aren't enough hours in the day There’s one born every minute Time is money Time is on your side Time to call it a day Twilight years When the time is ripe, it’s Time is ripe, we advantageous to should start our plan undertake plans that have been waiting for a while There are too many things to and not enough time Something that you say about someone who you think has been very stupid If time is going to waste, money isn’t being made I am behind in all my work There aren't enough hours in the day! 'He left a window open and then wondered why he'd been burgled! ''There's one born every minute, isn't there?' Remember, time is money, shouldn’t waste it You've got time on Be young and have your side, so you plenty of time ahead of shouldn't feel pressured into you making a career decision now It's time to quit for the day Jane: Well, I'm done Time to call it a day The last years before death In his twilight years, he became more mellow and stopped 70 yelling at people Up in years/advanced in years/along in years/on in years Year in, year out Old; elderly Year after year; for years My uncle is up in years and can't hear too well I seem to have hay fever year in, year out Mary: Mr Franklin, Immediately; Right away when you want (An answer to the this? Fred: Well, Yesterday wouldn't be too question "When you yesterday wouldn't be soon want this?") too soon 71 APPENDIX 2: LIST OF VIETNAMESE IT Vietnamese IT Meaning/Equivalent expression in English Ai giàu ba họ, khó ba đời Every dog has its day/Fortune knocks once at least at every man's door/One cannot be always fortunate Ăn bữa hôm lo bữa mai Live from hand to mouth Ăn bữa sáng lo bữa tối Make both ends meet Ăn cắp quen tay ngủ ngày Once a thief, always a thief/ Once a liar always a liar Ăn có chừng, chơi có độ Eat at pleasure, drink with measure/ diseases are the interest of pleasures Ăn có giờ, làm có buổi Without time off from work, a person becomes both bored and boring Ăn cơm chúa múa tối ngày Get paid from somebody and work for them Ăn đời kiếp Spend the rest of one’s life Ăn theo thuở, theo thời Manner changes with the time/one must live according to his means Áo bào gặp ngày hội Meet with a favorable opportunity Áo đơn đợi hè Wait for chance to develop Áo gấm đêm Cast pearl before swine Ba lần đo, lần cắt Measure thrice and cut once Ba năm chín tháng mười ngày For a very long time Ba ngày béo bảy ngày gầy Something which does not maintain the stability/change irregularly Bách niên giai lão Bảy ngày ba bão biết cứng Live to be a hundred (together) Difficulty helps judge one’s strength 72 mềm Buổi đực buổi Day on and day off/Not often Buổi tối nghĩ sai, sáng mai nghĩ It’s always easier to think in the morning/an hour in the morning is worth two in the evening Buồn hoa bí buổi chiều One is bored stiff Càng mong lại lâu A watched pot never boils Chậm mà Slow but sure, slow and steady wins the race Chẳng chóng chày Sooner or later Chạy đua với thời gian A race against time Chó dại có mùa, người dại quanh năm An ass will always be an ass/ he who is born a fool is never cured Chơi xuân kẻo hết xn You are only young once Có cơng mài sắt có ngày nên kim Nothing is impossible to a willing heart/where there’s a will, there’s a way Cóc chết ba năm quay đầu núi East or west, home is the best Dăm bữa nửa tháng To spend from five days to a fortnight Đầu năm mua muối, cuối năm mua vôi Do things which people believe to bring about the luck Để khứ trôi vào dĩ vãng Let bygones be bygones Đêm dài mộng The problem which is not solved quickly which be much more difficult You can’t always be lucky/the pot goes too often to the well but is broken at last Đi đêm có ngày gặp ma Đi trước sau To start earlier but finish later 73 Penny wise and pound foolish Khôn ba năm dại A year care, a minute ruin Kiếm củi ba năm thiêu Kiến tha lâu có ngày đầy tổ Lâu ngày dày kén Many a little makes a micelle/little and often fill the purse Patience in time, the grass becomes milk With time and patience, the leaf of the mulberry becomes satin Lâu ngày dâu thành lụa Turn night into day Lấy đêm làm ngày To act in a stealthy manner Len chuột ngày To act in a stealthy manner Len rắn mùng năm Straw near fire will catch sooner or later/first make friend, then make love Lửa gần rơm lâu ngày bén Mơ ban ngày Daydream Mỗi giây dài tựa thiên thu Every minute seem like a thousand Mỗi thời, cách Other time, other manners Mong đêm mong ngày Wait for long Một sớm chiều Short time Cold winters Mùa đông tháng giá 74 Work ineffectively and surely get the failure Mùa hạ buôn bông, mùa Mưa lâu thấm đất Small rain lays great dust Năm tháng tận End of the year Person with many shortcomings Năm ngày ba tật Once in a blue moon Năm mười họa Bad time for everything Năm xung tháng hạn Nay đợi mai trông Always wait and look forward to something/someone Nay gánh mai đội Work busily and hard Ngày ba tháng tám Some day Ngày rộng tháng dài Have all the time in the world Ngủ ngày cày đêm Sleep by day and work by night Nói trước bước khơng qua Do not count your chicken before they are hatched Nói trước quên sau Have a memory/mind like a sieve Rõ ban ngày As clear as the day Sáng rửa cưa, trưa mài đục, tối giục To dawdle in one’s job Sớm đào tối mận Be flirtatious Sớm ngày hay chước Better early than late Sơng có khúc, người có lúc A flow will have an ebb/there is a crook in the lot of everyone 75 Sống chết mai One cannot predict the future Tháng ba đau máu, tháng sáu đau lưng Be unhealthy Tháng đợi năm chờ Wait and look forward to someone/something for long time Thời gian chữa lành vết thương Time is the great healer Thời gian có chờ đợi Time and tide wait for no man Thua keo trước keo sau Better luck next time Thức đêm biết đêm dài Judge not of man and things at first sight/you never know anyone till you’ve eaten a peck of salt with him Thức khuya dậy sớm Work hard Tối đêm ba mươi It is pitch-dark/As dark as midnight Trâu chậm uống nước đục Better early than late/ he who sleeps catches no fish Trước có vụng sau khéo It is the first step that is troublesome Trước sau Always the same 76 Be unhappy Ủ rũ diều hâu tháng chạp Việc hôm để ngày mai Xuân bất tái lai Never put off till tomorrow what you can today/there is no time like the present Xuân thu nhị kỳ One‟s spring time never returns The ordinary thing which happens as usual Yên giấc ngàn thu Be dead and buried 77 ... SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH IDIOMS DENOTING TIME WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE 3.1 Syntactic Features of English idioms which contain words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese Idioms and proverbs... Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 35 3.2 Semantic Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese. .. which idioms belong to 3.2 Semantic Features of English idioms containing words denoting time with reference to Vietnamese 3.2.1 Semantic Fields of English idioms containing words denoting time with