The thesis investigates semantic and cultural features English idioms containing the word hand, with the reference to Vietnamese equivalents. Despite all the efforts, it is obvious that there are some certain limitations. Firstly, the research could merely be conducted with the data collection of only 239 idioms in English and 105 Vietnamese idioms containg the word tay equivalents merely 4 dictionaries in each language because of the shortage of time and the limitation of reference materials. Secondly, most of samples are from dictionaries, only a small part of the sample from literature works. This undoubtedly does not guarantee that a full collection of English idioms containing the word hand is achieved. Therefore, the result of the research may not be completely accurate, though great efforts have been made to avoid any biases which may result from an insufficient data. In addition, under the constraint of ability, the author could solely investigate and compare English idioms containing the word hand, in both languages under only two criteria including semantic and cultural features which may not be totally adequate for a thorough understanding of English idioms containing the word hand.
Therefore, here are some suggestions for further studies which may be useful and interesting: A study on English idioms containing word hand from structural, pragmatic or cognitive perspectives.
Moreover, other studies on English idioms relating to nose, leg, head or other parts of the body could be useful for both languages teaching and learning.
The world of idioms is undoubtedly large and fascinating, especially when it comes to comparing between two or more languages. The study covered just the most used idioms with the word hand, in order to give readers an idea of how the colorful meanings of idioms are used in the two languages above, English and Vietnamese. Idioms are more of a culture rather than a language thing, and as such they represent a complex world of everyday communication of nonnative speakers.
There are limitations of the study due to short time and lack of materials. Further research is recommended to be made on idioms with colors, or other elements such as religion or business, which would be attractive and helpful for people who speak these three languages.
55
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57 WEBSITES:
38. http://www.learn-english-today.com 39. http://www.wikipedia.org
40. http://www.english-at-home.com 41. http://www.usingenglish.com 42. http://www.idiomconnection.com
58 APPENDIX APPENDIX 1
ENGLISH IDIOMS CONTAINING THE WORD “HAND”
1 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 2 a clean hand wants no washing.
3 a firm hand
4 a handful of ashes is all that remains of the greatest 5 a show of hands
6 all hands on deck 7 a safe pair of hands 8 an iron fist/hand 9 ask for/win sbd’s hand 10 ask for one’s hand 11 at first-hand.
12 at hand
13 at the hands of someone| at someone's hands: (formal) 14 (close/near) at hand
15 be a dab hand at something = be an old hand at something 16 be an old hand
17 be beforehand with the world 18 be behindhand with his payment 19 be caught red handed
20 be caught with one’s hand in the till 21 be / get out of hand
22 be good with your hands 23 be hand in glove
24 be rubbing one’s hands with glee 25 be putty in one’s hands
26 bite the hands that feed 27 bear someone in hand 28 blind/tie sbd hand and foot 29 blood on one’s hands 30 bound / tied hand and foot 31 boil / dirty one’s hands
59 32 bring up by hand
33 by hand 34 change hands 35 cap in hand
36 caught red-handed 37 chuck one’s hand 38 come (readily) to hand 39 dab hand at something
40 devil makes hard work for idle hands 41 die by one’s own hand
42 do something with one’s hand tied behind the back 43 eat out of one’s hand
44 fall into someone's hands/the hands of someone 45 fall into the wrong hands
46 force one’s hand 47 force someone's hand 48 free hand
49 fly off the handle 50 fly off the handle
51 gain, get, have, etc. the upper hand 52 get out of hand
53 get your hands dirty 54 get a big hand
55 (get/take your) hands off (something/someone)(informal) 56 get one’s hands on
57 get, have, etc. a free hand 58 get itchy hand
59 give someone a hand 60 give sbd a hand (with sth) 61 give someone a big hand 62 give someone a free hand 63 give / lend somebody a hand 64 go hand in hand
65 go cap in hand to someone
60 66 go hand in hand (with sth)
67 golden handshake 68 go to hell in a handcart 69 golden handcuffs
70 go hat in hand (to someone) 71 have a hand like a foot 72 have a hand at pastry 73 have a hand in something 74 have a free hand
75 have a hand in
76 have a whip hand over someone
77 have time on your hands | have time to kill (informal) 78 have the upper hand
79 have/hold, etc. the whip hand (over someone/something) 80 have the game / cards in one’s hand
81 have someone's blood on your hands 82 have someone in the palm of your hand 83 have your hands tie
84 have one’s hands full 85 have long hands 86 hand /give it to sbd 87 hand in glove 88 hand in hand 89 hand it to someone 90 hand on a platter/plate 91 hands full
92 (all) hands on deck 93 hands tied
94 handbrake on a canoe 95 handle with kid gloves 96 hand in glove
97 hand in glove (with someone) 98 handbrake on a canoe
99 hands down (informal)
61 100 hands up! (informal)
101 hand over fist 102 hand in glove 103 hands down
104 hand some is as handsome does 105 hand in
106 hand out 107 heavy hand 108 hold one’s hand 109 hold someone's hand
110 I only have one pair of hands (informal)
111 in safe hands
112 in someone's capable, safe, etc. hands 113 in hand
114 in the hands of someone | in someone's hands 115 in safe hands| in the safe hands of someone 116 in good hands
117 iron hand/fist in a velvet glove 118 keep your hand in
119 keep something (ready) to hand 120 keep one’s hand in
121 keep a tight hand
122 kiss one’s hand to someone
123 know something like the back of one’s hand
124 know someone/something inside out| know someone/something like the back of your hand
125 know something like the back of your hand 126 know something like the palm of one’s hand 127 lay/get your hands on something
128 lay hands on
129 left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing 130 learn at second hand
131 lie in one’s hands
62 132 like the back of one's hand
133 live from hand to mouth 134 need a hand (with sth) 135 not do a hand’s turn
136 make/lose money hand over first 137 make a woman’s hand a prisoner 138 many hands make light work 139 offer your hand (formal) 140 off your hands
141 offer one’s hand 142 old hand
143 on hand
144 on either/every hand 145 on your hands
146 on the one hand… on the other (hand)…
147 on the other hand 148 one’s right hand 149 one’s hands are tied 150 out of hand
151 out of your hands 152 overplay one’s hands 153 play into someone's hands 154 play (right) into one’s hands 155 play one’s hands for all it is worth 156 (like) putty in someone's hands 157 put one’s hand to the plough 158 put one’s hand in the pocket 159 put one’s hand in one’s heart
160 raise a/your hand against/to someone 161 read one’s hand
162 reject / dismiss something out of hand 163 safe hands
164 show of hands
165 show / tip one’s hand
63 166 sleight of hand
167 sit on one’s hands 168 someone needs a hand
169 someone's hand (in marriage) 170 stay your hand
171 take the law into one's own hands 172 take your courage in both hands 173 take matters into your own hands 174 take someone in hand
175 take something into your own hands 176 take the law into your own hands 177 take your life in your hands 178 take the law into your hands 179 take a hand in something
180 take something / somebody in hand 181 take one’s life in one’s hands 182 take the law into one’s own hands 183 through up one’s hands
184 take off one’s hands
185 take something / somebody off one’s hands 186 take one’s courage in both hands
187 take the law into your own hands 188 take a hand at cards
189 take something into one’s own hands 190 the hand of God
191 the dead hand of something
192 the devil makes work for idle hands: (saying)
193 the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing 194 the devil makes work for idle hands
195 the heavy hand of someone 196 the matter in hand
197 tied hand and foot
198 throw your hand in: (informal) 199 try your hand (at something)
64 200 turn your hand to something
201 try one’s hand at something 202 turn one’s hand to something 203 upper hand
204 wait on someone hand and foot (disapproving)
205 wash your hands of someone/
something
206 wash one’s hands off something / someone 207 win (something) hands down
(informal) 208 win hands down 209 with a high hand 210 with an open hand 211 with a heavy hand
212 with one’s hat in the hand 213 wring one’s hand
214 work hand in hand
215 Be able to count someone/something on (the fingers of) one hand:
216 To have one’s hands full it to be busy or too busy to take on other activities.
217 Something done with a heavy hand is done excessively and/or oppressively.
218 A reference to an iron fist (or iron hand) in a velvet glove is to authoritarian behavior concealed behind a facade of benevolence.
219
To know something like the back of one’s hand is to be intimately or thoroughly
familiar with it.
220
When the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, one entity associated
with another is unaware of the second entity’s actions or intentions.
221 To lend a hand means to help.
222 To live from hand to mouth is to live on a subsistence level, with no cushion of comfort.
223 When something gets out of hand, it is out of control.
224 “On the other hand” means “alternatively.”
65
225 To overplay one’s hand is to be overconfident.
226
To play into someone’s hands is to engage in activity or behavior that makes one
vulnerable to another person’s manipulation.
227
A show of hands is a literal or figurative assessment or vote to determine support
for or opposition to an intended course of action or agreement or disagreement with an opinion.
228
To take the law into one’s own hands is to seek justice or retribution instead of
obtaining assistance through law enforcement or legal procedures.
229
To wash one’s hands of something is to decide that one no longer wants to be considered responsible for an action or policy that one does not have control over.
230
To wash one’s hands of something is to decide that one no longer wants to be considered responsible for an action or policy that one does not have control over.
231 Be able to count someone/something on (the fingers of) one hand:
232 To have one’s hands full it to be busy or too busy to take on other activities.
233 Something done with a heavy hand is done excessively and/or oppressively.
234 A reference to an iron fist (or iron hand) in a velvet glove is to authoritarian behavior concealed behind a facade of benevolence.
235
To know something like the back of one’s hand is to be intimately or thoroughly
familiar with it.
236
When the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, one entity associated
with another is unaware of the second entity’s actions or intentions.
237 To lend a hand means to help.
238 To live from hand to mouth is to live on a subsistence level, with no cushion of comfort.
239 When something gets out of hand, it is out of control.
240 “On the other hand” means “alternatively.”
241 To overplay one’s hand is to be overconfident.
66 242
To play into someone’s hands is to engage in activity or behavior that makes one
vulnerable to another person’s manipulation.
243
A show of hands is a literal or figurative assessment or vote to determine support
for or opposition to an intended course of action or agreement or disagreement with an opinion.
244
To take the law into one’s own hands is to seek justice or retribution instead of
obtaining assistance through law enforcement or legal procedures.
245
To wash one’s hands of something is to decide that one no longer wants to be considered responsible for an action or policy that one does not have control over.
246
To wash one’s hands of something is to decide that one no longer wants to be considered responsible for an action or policy that one does not have control over.
247 Be able to count someone/something on (the fingers of) one hand
67 APPENDIX 2
VIETNAMESE IDIOMS CONTAINING THE WORD TAY EQUIVALENTS 1. bà chúa đứt tay
2. bắt cá hai tay
3. bắt tận tay day tận tóc = Bắt tận tay day tận cánh = bắt tận tay day tận mặt 4. bó chân bó tay
5. bốc lửa bỏ tay người 6. buộc chỉ cổ tay
7. buông tay dầm, cầm tay lái 8. cá vào tay ai nấy bắt
9. cầm dầu dính tay 10. cạn như lòng bàn tay 11. chai tay bạc áo 12. chặt tay day trán 13. chỉ tay day trán 14. chỉ tay năm ngón
15. chơi dao có ngày đứt tay
16. chữ tốt xem tay người hay xem khoáy 17. chung tay góp sức
18. cờ đã đến tay
19. cờ đến tay ai người ấy phất 20. của ở bàn chân bàn tay
68 21. Đánh chuông ra mặt đánh giặc ra tay 22. day tay mặt đặt tay trái
23. đều tay xoay việc
24. đi cuốc đau tay đi cày mỏi gối 25. đời người được mấy gang tay 26. gắp lửa bỏ tay người
27. gảy móng tay cũng xong
28. giàu hai con mắt, khó hai bàn tay.
29. giơ tay mặt, đặt tay trái 30. hai bàn tay trắng 31. hai tay buông xuôi 32. hớt tay trên
33. chân bùn tay lấm 34. khéo chân khéo tay
35. khéo con mắt, vụng hai tay 36. khéo tay hay miệng
37. khéo tay hay miệng 38. khi vui thì vỗ tay vào 39. khoa chân múa tay
40. không kịp trở tay = Trở tay không kịp 41. mạnh chân khỏe tay
42. mau tay hay làm 43. mau tay hơn tày đũa 44. may tay hay làm
45. mồm miệng đỡ chân tay 46. quen tay quen việc
47. một bàn tay thì vừa, hai bàn tay thì vơi 48. một chân một tay
49. múa tay trong bị
50. năm ngón tay có ngón dài ngón ngắn
69 51. ném đá giấu tay
52. ngắn chẳng tày gang = Ngày vui ngắn chẳng đầy gang 53. ngắn tay với chẳng tới trời
54. nhắm mắt xuôi tay
55. nhanh tay hơn mau miệng 56. như tay với chân
57. nốt ruồi ở tay ăn vay cả đời 58. nuôi ong tay áo
59. sẩy vai xuống cánh tay 60. tắm mưa gội gió
61. tay bắt mặt mừng 62. tay bế tay bồng 63. tay cày tay cuốc 64. tay cầm tay cắp 65. tay chèo tay lái
66. tay chiêu đạp niêu không vỡ 67. tay đã nhúng chàm
68. tay dao, tay thớt
69. tay dùi đục, chân bàn chổi 70. tay đứt dạ xót = tay đứt ruột xót 71. tay đứt ruột xót
72. tay hòm chìa khóa
73. tay không đòi bắt gió trời 74. tay ngơi bụng nhịn
75. tay không mà nổi cơ đồ 76. tay không nói chẳng nên điều 77. tay kiếm tay cờ
78. tay làm hàm nhai
79. tay que rẽ chân vòng kiềng
80. tay làm hàm nhai, tay quai miệng trễ 81. tay năm tay mười
82. tay nem tay chạo
83. tay nhọ thì mặt cũng nhọ