CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY, DATA, AND GENERAL FINDINGS
4.3. Comparing Logico-semantic Relation of Expansion in English and
4.3.1. Realization of Expansion in English and Vietnamese Clause Complexes
a. Similarities
In English and Vietnamese, the expanding clauses function the same way in the clause complex.
When the logico-semantic relation between the clauses is elaboration, the expanding clause functions as the restatement (generalizing or specifying) or an explication of the primary clause.
When the logico-semantic relation between clauses is extension, the expanding clauses, the expanding clause functions as an addition, a replacement, or an alternation of the whole or a part of the primary clause.
When the logico-semantic relation between clauses is enhancement, the expanding clause functions as the coordination or attribution of circumstantial features.
The possible positions of the expanding clauses in both languages are also the same:
the expanding clause can be positioned flexibly in the complex: at the initial position, at the middle position, or at the final position.
b. Differences
The expanding clause in English differs from the expanding clause in Vietnamses in its structure variation. The English expanding clause can be finite, non- finite, or even verbless, while the Vietnamese expanding clause is fixed in its structure.
The only change that can be made to the expanding clause in Vietnamese is that the subject can be hidden in case the expanding clause shares the subject with other clause(s).
4.3.1.2. Expanded Clauses
Expanded clauses in English and Vietnamese clause complexes of expansion are the same in their functions and their possible clause moods.
In both languages, the expanded clause is the nucleus of the complex, the domain of the expansion process, to which the expanding clauses are attached and from which the clause complex is developed nexus by nexus. In the specific case of hypotactic elaboration, the whole or a part of the expanded clause can act as the antecedent of the relative clause.
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As the primary clause in the clause complex, the expanded clause is a free clause, which can stand alone as a complete sentence. The expanded clause in both languages thus can be of all the four possible clause moods: declarative, exclamative, interrogative, and imperative. The only thing that distinguishes the expanded clause and a sentence is that when the expanded clause is followed by a secondary clause, the end-of-clause punctuation marks for marking the mood is clipped away.
4.3.1.3. Conjunctions a. Similarities
In both languages, conjunctions between the constituent clauses in the clause complexes of expansion can be realized either structurally or lexically. Structural conjunctions involve the use of clause adjacency and punctuation while lexical conjunctions are demonstrated through the conjunctives.
Structural conjunctions can be used in both paratactic clause complexes and hypotactic clause complexes. The use of structural conjunctions in paratactic complexes is the same in the two languages.
Conjunctives in both language can be classified in the same three ways: basing on their structures, basing on the taxis relations that they demonstrate, and basing on the logico-semantic relation that they demonstrate
b. Differences
Conjunctions are where English clause complexes of expansion and Vietnamese clause complexes of expansion are at the most variance.
As regards structural conjunctions, English hypotactic clause complexes of expansion uses adjacency of clauses and the nonfinite forms of the verbs in the dependent clause to structurally connect the clauses, while Vietnamese clause complexes of expansion uses clause adjacency and the ellipsis of subjects only, no change in the verbs, to structurally connect the clauses. The use of punctuation marks to connect the clauses in Vietnamese seems to be less consistent and systematic than in English.
As regards lexical conjunctions, conjunctives in two languages are not identical in their subtypes.
In English clause complexes, conjunctives are structurally classified into simple conjunctives, relative pronouns, conjunctive groups, correlative structures, and complex conjunctives. In Vietnames complexes, however, conjunctives are structurally classified
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into simple conjunctives, relative expressions, conjunctive groups, correlative structures, and complex conjunctives.
Also, it is observed from the corpora that correlative structures in Vietnamese are very popular while there is no such popularity in the use of English correlative structures.
Even the simple conjunctives in Vietnamese expanding clauses tend to change to look like correlative structures by paralleling with particle thì or là, which are purely functional, in the expanded clause, just to seek the balance in the complex structure, just like when the correlative structures are used. Such a tendency is not found in English conjunctives use.
4.3.1.4. Expanding Clause and Expanded Clause Paratactically Related a. Similarities
The paratactic clause complex of expansion in English and Vietnamese are realized in the same way. The constituent clauses are equal and the clause sequence can tell which clause is primary and which clause is secondary. The markers for paratactic relation are: (i) structural linking (adjacency), (ii) paratactic conjunctives (simple linkers, conjunctive groups, correlative structures, complex conjunctives), and punctuation.
b. Differences
Despite the similar realization, paratactic clause complexes in English and Vietnamese still diverse in their exploitation of conjunctives. Specifically, while the omission of conjunctives from the English clause complexes of expansion influence the cohesion of constituent clauses, resulting in certain, even significant loss of meaning, the use of conjunctives for parataxis in Vietnamese clause complexes is quite loose and vague.
4.3.1.5. Expanding Clause and Expanded Clause Hypotactically Related a. Similarities
Hypotactic clause complexes of expansion in English and Vietnamese are also quite similar in the realization. The hypotactic clause complexes are made up from unequal clauses, related by hypotactic markers. The markers of hypotactic relation that clause complexes in two languages share include: (i) structural binding, (ii) hypotactic conjunctives, and (iii) punctuation.
b. Differences
As regards structural binding, in English hypotactic clause complexes, the clauses are structurally connected by clause adjacency and the non-finite verb forms, while in
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Vietnamese hypotactic clause complexes, the clauses are structurally connected by clause adjacency and the ellipsis of the subject of the secondary clause.
As regards hypotactic conjunctives, while relative pronouns are used in English hypotactic clause complexes of expansion (in hypotactic elaboration, to be specific), relative expressions are used in the same situation.
Also, the exploitation of punctuations in Vietnamese hypotactic clause complexes is also not very consistent and systematic.