Idioms and proverbs containing color terms in english and vietnamese from the cultural perspective

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HA NOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE (Thành ngữ , tục ngữ có chứa từ màu sắc tiếng Anh tiếng Việt góc nhìn văn hóa) BUI THI PHUONG DUNG Field: English Language Code: 8220201 Supervisor: Dr Le Phuong Thao Hanoi, 12/ 2020 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, The undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled “IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE” 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, 12/2020 Bui Thi Phuong Dung Approved by SUPERVISOR (Signature and full name) Dr Le Phuong Thao Date:…………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The mission of completing this study would not have been fulfilled without the useful and practical assistance from many people First and foremost, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisor Dr Le Phuong Thao for her scholarly knowledge, precious guidance and enthusiastic support regarding my study She has inspired and encouraged me a lot during the steps of my thesis I am really grateful to the organizers of the course as well as the organizing board of master thesis defense for proper preparation and enthusiastic supports before, during and post our study process I would like to convey my special thanks to all lecturers at the Faculty of Post Graduate Studies - Hanoi Open University for their helpful and interesting lectures that broaden my knowledge and lead me to my work Last but not least, I would like to show my sincere gratitude to my family and all of my classmates together with close friends for their love, care, encouragement and financial as well as spiritual support for me to finish this thesis ii ABSTRACT Being keen on the colors used in idioms and proverbs around the world, including English-speaking countries and Vietnam, the dissertation is named “IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE” from cultural perspective has been chosen by the author With the purpose of finding and analyzing color words culturally, the study aims at helping English learners and readers deeply comprehend and smoothly use the color words in idioms , proverbs As well as their cultural features in English and Vietnamese The study focuses on solving the main question of what are the fundamental similarities and differences between the English and Vietnamese word of color from cultural standpoint It is based on the wide range of methods such as qualitative, quantitative, collating and comparing as well as the synthesis methods conducted by data collection, data analysis, and drawing representative conclusions The writer collect and analyze data from books, newspapers, articles, magazines on the internet and in everyday life, then study them from a semantic and cultural perspective After being recorded, the writer analyzes them, resulting in the semantics of the word indicating the color in the idiom, the defined proverb, and specific explanation and clarification of the word indicating the color in the idiom, custom English and Vietnamese language From the research results, the writer tries to learn how to use the words for color in everyday English learning and application in the hope that it will help readers realize the importance of word indicating color language and proverbs in English and Vietnamese in terms of culture in teaching and learning English to have better understanding and discovery In addition, this study also helps with correcting with students’ mistakes of words and enables having a better understanding of schools of words about colors as well as related words in English and Vietnamese; therefore, the study bears a great potential of becoming basis for other authors to make more intensive studies in the future iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .9 1.1 Rationale of the study 1.2 Aims and objectives of the study .9 1.2.1 Aims 1.2.2 Objectives 1.3 Research questions 10 1.4 Methods of the study 10 1.5 Scope of the study .10 1.6 Significance of the study 11 1.7 Structure of the study 11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 12 2.1 Previous study 12 2.2 An over view of idioms and proverbs 15 2.2.1 Concepts of idioms and some common features 15 2.2.2 Concepts of proverbs and some common features 17 2.2.2 Overview of idioms and proverbs with words denoting color .20 2.3 English and Vietnamese culture 25 2.3.1 Definition of Culture 25 2.3.2 Western Culture and Eastern Culture 26 2.4 Semantic – cultural characteristics in idioms, proverbs 28 2.4.1 Relation between language and culture 28 2.4.2 Cultural semantics of word 29 2.4.3 Semantics – culture in idioms and proverbs 30 2.5 Summary 34 CHAPTER 3: COMPARISION BETWEEN CULTURE FEATURES OF IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERM IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE 35 iv 3.1 Symbolic values on human .35 3.1.1 Object 35 3.1.2 Attributes, properties 45 3.1.3 State, state of mind 57 3.1.4 Health state .62 3.1.5 Fortune 67 3.2 Presentation values of words denoting color about social phenomena 71 3.2.1 In English idioms, proverbs 71 3.2.2 In Vietnamese idioms, proverbs .73 3.2.3 Comparison 76 3.3 Expression values of words denoting color on natural phenomena 77 3.3.1 In English idioms, proverbs 77 3.3.2 In Vietnamese idioms, proverbs .79 3.3.3 Comparison 81 3.4 Summary 82 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 84 4.1 Scope of human values occupies the highest quantity In which, several smaller scopes and attributes, properties are ranked the decisive position Error! Bookmark not defined 4.1.1 Scope of object Error! Bookmark not defined 4.1.2 Scope of human attributes and propertiesError! Bookmark not defined 4.1.3 State and state of mind Error! Bookmark not defined 4.1.4 Health Error! Bookmark not defined 4.1.5 Fortune Error! Bookmark not defined 4.2 Symbolizing scope of social phenomena and attributesError! Bookmark not defined 4.3 Scope of neutral phenomena and attributes Error! Bookmark not defined REFERENCES 87 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1: The system of words denoting color in English has homonym cases .24 Table 1.2: The system of words denoting color in Vietnamese has homonym cases 24 Table 2.1: Concurrence in denotative scope of several color factors in Vietnamese and English idioms and proverbs 34 Table 3.1 Name and appearing frequency of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the object scope 35 Table 3.2: Name and appearing frequency of color factor in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs belonging to object scope 37 Table 3.3 Symbolic space of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in composition with Vietnamese (object scope) 44 Table 3.4: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the attribute, property scope 45 Table 3.5 Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in the scope of attributes, external properties 47 Table 3.6 Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in the scope of internal attributes and proverbs 53 Table 3.7: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the scope of state and state of mind 57 Table 3.8: Names and appearing frequency of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in the scope of state and state of mind 59 Table 3.9: Symbolizing capacity of color factor in the scope of state, state of mind in Vietnamese and English idioms, proverbs (+: yes; -: no) 62 Table 3.10: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the scope of health state 63 Table 3.11: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs belonging to scope of health state 64 Table 3.12 Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the scope of fortune 67 Table 3.13: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in the scope of fortune 68 Table 3.14: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors belonging to social scope in English idioms, proverbs 71 vi Table 3.15: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in the social scope 73 Table 3.16: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors belonging to natural scope in English idioms, proverbs 77 Table 3.17: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in the natural scope in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs 79 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Rate of color groups appearing in idioms and proverbs of Vietnamese and English Figure 2.2: Rate of color factors appearing in idioms, proverbs of two languages viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale It can be seen that in the relationship between language and objective reality, language is considered as a tool to structure and model objective reality In the same natural phenomenon, the same ability to perceive, but each community of people, each language has a number of words indicating different colors Color is one of the attributes of objects that exist in the world around us that human vision can perceive Color exists in the material world, but it closely attaches to the spiritual life of human beings, contributing to making life more lively and full of life Different colors with different meanings have brought rich colors to life The color word class is not small in quantity and rich and diversified meanings, which are shown in many text styles, especially in language Therefore, the word class showing colors becomes the object that is studied and studied by language from many different sites such as structure, semantics, symbolism and perception However, there has not been any research on the cultural aspect of words indicating colors used in idioms and proverbs of different languages Recognizing the importance of this aspect in language research, applied in teaching and learning, the writer chooses the topic: “ IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE” to study with the hope of providing meaningful explanations evoke substance, learn about the combination of basic color words and semantics of this group of words from a cultural perspective in English and Vietnamese to find the similarities and differences in this group of words in two different languages The research of this topic will contribute to the practice of teaching and learning English 1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 1.2.1 Aims The research centralizes in analyzing idioms and proverbs contain words indicating colors in English and Vietnamese in terms culture It is aimed at helping English learners and readers deeply comprehend and smoothly use the fields colors, its related words as well as their cultureal features in English and in Vietnamese 1.2.2 Objectives The major objectives of this study, put forward in order to gain the aims of the study, are as follows: - To identify cultural features of idioms and proverbs in English - To identify cultural features of idioms and proverbs in Vietnamese Except several exceptions, the symbolizing properties decided by combined factors, the other cases comply with rule: Along arrow, the positive property of matter will decrease gradually In which, red – white – black are three important landmarks of symbolizing nuance 3.2.3 Comparison 3.2.3.1 Similarities The black color is the color symbolizing for negative attributes and social phenomena and it is the decisive color In idioms, proverbs of two language, the color factors are frequently combined together to symbolize for opposite social attributes 3.2.3.2 Differences About colors and associated factors The color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs are more diversified and abundant in term of symbolic sense The associated factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs are mainly nouns; whereas in English, these factors belong to many different categories The color factors symbolize mainly the private meanings of each nation If the red color group in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in this scope symbolize for predestined love tie of spouses, but in English, it symbolizes for social attributes on welcoming warmly or bureaucracy White in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs also symbolizes for matters from “matters considered as vague” to “unforeseen matters” apart from clear matters Beside color factors, the associated predicates also decide the differences of symbols in two languages In Vietnamese, words denoting human organs appear significantly: teeth, head; in English, only hand Originating from wet rice culture with plant characteristics, in Vietnamese, there are many particular factors: rice, tree, leaf, net, spring… Vice versa, in English, there are many special factors: magazine, shadow, economy, comedy… About symbolizing method Although the main symbolizing method in two languages is metaphor but the natures of metaphor are very different The color factors in Vietnamese participate into creating the symbolizing structures, and also are able to symbolize separately or combined with other factor through metaphor to symbolize Whereas the symbolizing scope and methods of color factors in English are narrower, there is no case when the color factor participates into creating a sustainable symbolizing structure 76 About symbolic sense Because of different social characteristics of two nations are different, the color factors symbolize specifically The symbolic senses of Vietnamese idioms, proverbs reflect the social characteristics of Vietnam from part time to current time The social attributes and phenomena symbolized are particular cultural characteristics of each nation We cannot find out the symbolic sense of “nether world” – where dead people rest in peace in English, but we cannot find out the symbolic sense of “black mail” in Vietnamese… In Vietnamese and English, there are two similar structures but different about symbolic sense “Blue sky” in English belongs to symbolizing scope on nature and beauty of nature, but in Vietnamese, “blue sky” means natural reason, Heaven’s day 3.3 Expression values of words denoting color on natural phenomena 3.3.1 In English idioms, proverbs There are 12 color factors belonging to 43 units symbolizing for natural attributes and phenomena, occupying 9.6% and color factors belonging to 25 units which not symbolize and only name the natural realities Table 3.16: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors belonging to natural scope in English idioms, proverbs No Color Frequency Black 10 White Red Green Blue Golden Grey Brown Yellow 10 Silver 11 Cherry Although belonging to natural scope, the black color is still the color appearing most in this scope These color groups symbolize for natural attributes, things and phenomena These symbolic senses have different properties depending on color group and associated factors The symbolizing factors have positive meanings: 17 units 77 Including color factors: silver, golden, white, green, in which silver and golden symbolize for valuable attributes of nature but white and green symbolize for natural phenomena and attributes (white frequently symbolizes for snow, green symbolizes for vagrancy of nature) * Color factors have symbolizing property: 12 units The color factors are combined with other factor through metaphor: Combined factors are words denoting plants Combined factors are words denoting food/ remedy Golden remedy: valuable remedy Yellow cake: oxide uranium ore * Color factors participate into symbolizing structure: units with same metaphor structure Black and white: clearly These symbolizing factors have neutral meanings: 14 units Including the color factors: brown, red, cherry, vermilion, and green The red color group appears most when symbolizing the neutral things, attributes The major symbolizing method is the metaphor We survey the symbolizing methods: * Color factors have symbolizing property: units Color factors are combined with other factors: Combined factors in this care are mainly nouns (bomb, point, noise, matter…) Color factors symbolize separately: White : tooth Brown: flock of birds * Color factors participate into symbolizing structure: units We survey that they are metaphor structures The general symbolizing characteristics of these structures show the natural attributes: difficult to identify, near distance, sudden appearing, disappearing… Disappear/ vanish/ go off into the blue: Disappearing See the whites of his eyes: very near Symbolizing factors have negative meanings: units Only two factors white, black are combined with other predicates symbolizing for positive names and natural phenomena The metaphor symbolizing method is also used All of associated predicates are nouns Black ice The black hole of Calcutta 78 The color factors in this scope have the complete symbolizing meanings and also partial symbolizing meanings We survey cases of partial symbolizing meanings The symbolic senses of these units have many layers and combined with partial symbolic senses and unsymbolic sense, we understand the symbolic sense of whole unit: A swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon (valuable things); but a swarm in July is not worth a fly 3.3.2 In Vietnamese idioms, proverbs There are 191 units denoting natural phenomena and only 20 color factors belonging to 99 units with symbolizing property, occupying 11.8% Table 3.17: Names and appearing frequencies of color factors in the natural scope in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs No Color Frequency Blue 25 Indigo Bluish green White 21 All white Silver Yellow 16 Red (pink) 18 Deep red 10 Purple 11 Pink 12 Deep 13 Baby pink 14 Black 26 15 Shining black 16 Coal black 17 Sooty 18 Dark 19 Grey 20 Lead These color factors symbolize for natural attributes or natural phenomena according to specific properties depending on used color and its associated words The symbolizing factors have positive meanings: 44 units 79 The color factors symbolize positively: yellow, white, green, black, red and baby pink The colors symbolize for natural attributes and phenomena also belonging to two different symbolizing groups: * The color factor group is able to symbolize or combine with other words through metaphor: 22 units Words indicate color through metaphor to symbolize for neutral attributes: units There are only color factors: red, yellow, white A ragged coat may cover an honest man “Bản Thổ” red yellow, carrying a thurible to Nhi nang These color factors only symbolize for natural attributes: red symbolizes for attribute of numerous, and yellow, white are valuable and good attributes The words denoting colors are combined with several particular words to symbolize for natural attributes or natural phenomena through metaphor: Silver cloud, cranes shun Green revolution * The color words are combined together according to stable symbolizing structures through metaphor: 22 units These symbolizing structures are symmetric metaphor structures The color words participating into symbolizing structure are mainly: green, white, pink… The associated factors also have specific characteristics; all of them indicate natural things and phenomena surrounding us: cloud, water, sea, mountain… Blue sky and white day Green Mountain and bluish green water To symbolize for natural attributes and phenomena with negative meanings, there are color factors and combined factors are as follows: 17 units The color factors with negative meanings include: black, white, red, deep red; and also color combinations: black – red, green – red… * Color factors symbolize separately or combine with other factor: units We also recognize that there are main symbolizing ways in this small scope: Color factors symbolize for any natural attribute through metaphor: Deep red Dead father is not as worried as red furnace in the Northwest As dark as sooty face The color factors are combined with other words through metaphor to symbolize to: Dark egg-plants are placed in foot of larder 80 * The color factors are combined together according to stable symbolizing structure through metaphor: units These symbolizing structures are mainly the symmetric metaphor structures These structures can be complete symbolizing structure: Green forest and red mountain Green forest and toxic water Or it may be the structure participating into creating a symbol of unit: Red shrimp and black egg-plant seeing for many times to know There is a unique symbolizing comparison structure with negative meaning: As dark as ink Symbolizing for natural attributes with neutral meanings: 38 units * Color factors are combined with other factor or symbolize separately: green, indigo and red Symbolizing separately through metonymy: Firstly figure, secondly ferment, thirdly indigo plant and fourthly drawing Combined with other factor through metaphor: Green grass, please go and red tile, please return Without word, eating in green forest With words, eating surrounding home * The color factors participate into creating the symbolizing structure: 33 circumstances Most of them are the comparing structure The color factors participating into creating the neutral symbolic sense are much diversified: white, green, red, black, grey… The symbolic senses of these color factors are mainly normal natural attributes As grey as lead As blue as skin In summary, two color factors blue and white appear most We recognize although combined with many different words, the color factor green still remain its symbolizing property to indicate the natural development and growing The left factors mainly symbolize for natural attributes of natural things and phenomena Noting that the combined factors appearing with colors in this scope are mainly the factors about river, rice, boat… These factors are associated with traditional culture of wet rice planting 3.3.3 Comparison 3.3.3.1 Similarities The color factors symbolize for attributes of things, phenomena and natural attributes through symbolizing method of metaphor 81 The associated predicates are much diversified in terms of scope and category These factors have specific characteristics of each nation The symbolizing property does not only depend on color factors, but it also depends on associated factors The black color in idioms, proverbs of two languages has negative (or neutral) symbolizing property The green color in two languages symbolizes for verdency 3.3.3.2 Differences About color factors and combined words The color factors in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs are more diversified and symbolize for more natural attributes and phenomena than color factors in English idioms, proverbs From analyses stated above, we recognize that in English idioms, proverbs, the color factors in this scope mainly symbolize for attributes of nature and things Green is the decisive symbolizing color in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs in this scope and also the positive symbolizing color Whereas, black is the decisive color in English idioms, proverbs and has negative meaning and green mainly has neutral meaning About symbolizing method In Vietnamese linguistic data, many colors are combined together to create special symbolizing structure; whereas in English, colors only symbolize severalty The color factors in Vietnamese can stand independently to symbolize for natural phenomena, the associated factors only clarify this property This characteristic does not appear in English linguistic data Thousands of pink and thousands of purple Words denoting quantity have independent symbolic sense When they are combined with color factors, they will create a special structure to show the beauty of nature and living beings 3.4 Summary Through analyzing scopes stated above, we can understand about linguistic and cultural characteristics of two nations Both languages use the words denoting color to symbolize for similar scopes: object, stats, attributes, character, health, fortune, nature and society; but each language has its specific symbolizing characteristics Nguyen Duc Ton had exact comment: “The conceptions with linguistic properties associated with concept thoughts which are homogeneous in nations will change from this language to other language” [88, page 297] It will be shown in the following aspects: 82 Vietnamese people and English people pay much attention to attributes and characters of people But English people only pay attention to internal attributes; whereas Vietnamese people pay attention to both For Vietnamese people, there is a specific relation between appearance and internal virtues of people In each scope, Vietnamese people use the specific irreducible structure “Human organ + color”, but in English, only several scopes are used For Vietnamese people, in each category, the properties of colors cannot be decided completely the symbolizing properties, but they mush base on combined factors For English people, it is not same Several color factors in two languages symbolize for same things, but their symbolizing methods and using scopes are very different 83 CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION 4.1 Recapitulation Since language was created, it has become an effectively communicative means allowing people to be better at mutual understanding A Vietnamese person can understand an English and vice versa if sharing a common language As a matter of fact, they have obstacles in communicating not to know features of culture and language of each country It is necessary to deeply study about words and their fields that are put in different cultural contexts As language and culture have a close relation Language is a means to convey culture which is hidden inside language There goes a Chinese saying “Language and document writing is a quintessence of national culture The ancient culture of nation is handed on by language and document writing and the culture is developed by them” That is the major reason for the author to choose the thesis entitled “Idioms and proverbs containing color terms in English and Vietnamese from the cultural perspective” In the thesis, there are both similarities and differences of color words in idioms and proverbs in English and Vietnamese to highlight cultural elements In object scope, although the number of color factors is similar but their symbolizing properties are different Red is the decisive color symbolizing for objects in Vietnamese; whereas in English, it is white Through analyzing, we recognize that Vietnamese people pay much attention to who is object and which class does this object belong to and age; whereas the objects in English idioms, proverbs are not paid much attention to as other scopes and they not belong to clear scopes as in Vietnamese, only the scope of age is shown clearly In human attributes and properties Vietnamese people pay much attention to human attributes and properties and the color factors are predicates identifying the properties of attributes For same color factor, when it is combined with different human organs, the symbolizing properties will be different In English, predicates are verbs denoting movement or observation but they not appear in Vietnamese In Vietnamese, the attributes and properties mentioned are the internal and external attributes; whereas in English, they are mainly internal attributes If un Vietnamese, white is the decisive symbolizing color in this scope, it is the positive symbolizing color when talking about external attributes but is becomes the negative symbolizing color when talking about 84 internal attributes But in English, black is the negative symbolizing color and although it symbolizes for internal or external attributes, it has negative meanings Colors in Vietnamese are able to symbolize for independent actions and also participate into symbolize structure; whereas colors in English symbolize through combining with other factor In state and state of mind , English people pay much attention to expressing human states and states of mind We recognize that in this scope, two languages have similarities Red is the decisive color and can symbolize for angry and ashamed states of people When recognizing colors denoting different states, Vietnamese people base on true nuances and expressions of people, whereas English people based mainly on affecting factors Symbols of grey, yellow are typical characteristic in Vietnamese idioms, proverbs but they not appear in English idioms, proverbs In health scope, the attention levels of two nations on health state are not only similar, but the symbolic senses of color factors also have many similarities in two languages Green is the decisive color when symbolizing for health in two languages The positive and negative color groups in two languages are similar: pink, red have positive symbolizing meanings; green, grey, pale and black have negative symbolizing meanings The symbolizing method is the typical characteristic of each language In fortune scope , the symbolizing color factors in each language are different In Vietnamese, the color factors are frequently associated to symbolize opposition and their symbolizing properties stipulate each other, these symbolic senses contain the knowledge of native speakers and also based on reality of life; while the color factors in English symbolize for fortune associated with social and historical events of England 4.2 Concluding remarks Cultural features of the color words in idioms and proverbs in English and Vietnamese denoting cuisine are widely used by the native speakers, which may become an obstacle in daily life if they not clearly know about them Through the study, the author wish to give a few suggestions for teaching and learning some cultural features of words relating the color words in idioms and proverbs in English and Vietnamese cuisines Learners can learn about the color words in idioms and proverbs from cultural features It is proved that one not only has the fundamental knowledge of language in terms of 85 meanings but also has to know about when, where and how to use it appropriately In other words this may be regarded as barriers in language acquisition for every object 4.3 The limitations of the study Due to the limitation of time, data collected as well as the shortage of references, the topic under study may not have been thoroughly discussed as it should be Firstly, the data collected for this were obtained from color terms as well as its fields cannot reflect an overview on their cultural features of the English with reference to their Vietnamese equivalents Culture, language and semantics in general and those in English and Vietnamese in particular are immensely diverse This thesis merely investigates several cultural features of words relating to color words in idioms and proverbs in English with reference to their Vietnamese equivalents With limited data for the analysis, there are certainly some other semantic and cultural features that the research could not have covered and fully clarified 4.4 Recommendations and suggestions for further research This minor thesis has attempted to research on cultural features of the color words in idioms and proverbs in English with reference to their Vietnamese equivalents Nevertheless, due to the limit of time and capacity of a thesis, the writer cannot cover everything related but has merely only dealt with cultural features of the color words in idioms and proverbs from common fields of cultural In addition, the topic that is discussed in the thesis bears a great potential for further study; therefore, it is somehow interesting and useful to succeeding researchers Those who are interested in cuisine may conduct further studies on recipes as well as typical ingredients characterized in each country of England and Vietnam It is hoped that the suggestion will open up a new direction for deeper and more impressive researches in the future Finally, the author would like to acquire feedback from teachers as 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tr 24-27 41 Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (1985), Từ vựng học tiếng Việt, NXB ĐH THCN, Hà Nội 42 Hoàng Văn Hành (2004), Thành ngữ học tiếng Việt, NXB KHXH 89 ... of the color words in both English and Vietnamese I find out the idioms, proverbs containing words denoting color in Vietnamese and English, and then reckoning the number of words denoting color. .. around the world, including English- speaking countries and Vietnam, the dissertation is named ? ?IDIOMS AND PROVERBS CONTAINING COLOR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE? ?? from. .. 3.1.1.1 Idioms and proverbs containing color terms in English There are 60 units, occupying 13.3% Table 3.1 Name and appearing frequency of color factors in English idioms, proverbs in the object