In my study, I have found some techniques to write an informal invitation card, letter and a card, a letter of invitations to a housewarming party. The ways to
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write a formal invitation letter and how to write a card, a letter of invitations to the other event are not mentioned. The others can find how to write a formal letter and a letter, a card of invitations to the other events such as: Wedding invitations, birthday party invitations…or writing a congratulating card to the housewarming event, a thanking card/ letter for the attending the housewarming party. Finding those will help the people who are teaching and learning English write a card, a letter to the other events effectively.
Although similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese invitations to a housewarming party in cards and letters in terms of syntactic, semantic and cultural features have been investigated so far in the thesis, it can not cover all the aspects relating to such broad cultural and linguistic convention like inviting and its related issues. As a result, further researches can further find out more about this topic. Here are some suggestions:
A comparative study on accepting an invitation to housewarming party in cards and letters in English and Vietnamese in terms of cross-cultural perspective.
A comparative study on refusing an invitation to housewarming party in cards and letters in English and Vietnamese in terms of politeness strategies.
A comparative study on hedges in declining an invitation to housewarming party in cards and letters in English and Vietnamese in terms of syntactic and semantic features.
The thesis has been completed with greatest efforts. However, during the making of the thesis, shortcomings and mistakes are inevitably unavoidable.
Therefore, sympathetic comments and suggestions are highly appreciated.
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REFERENCES
English
1. Anthony Burgess (1968), Ender by Outside.
2. Austin, J.L (1962), How to Do Things with Words. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3. Brow, P, & Levinson, S (1987), Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage.Cambridge University Press.
4. Cobuild, C (2001), English grammar. (T.Y. Nguyen, Trans.). Ho Chi Minh City:
Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
5. Carolyne Lee (2009), Word Bytes: Writing in the Information Society.
6. Duong Hai Dang (n.d), Direct Invitations in English and Vietnamese. Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City University of Education Press.
7. Đinh Phuong Thuy (2014), A comparative study on making invitation in English and Vietnamese in term of across - cultural perspective.
8. Hornby (2003), Oxford Advanced Leaner’s Dictionary. Oxford University Press.
9. Jim Miller ( 2002), An Introduction to English Syntax. Edinburgh University Press.
10. Karlyn Kohrs Campbell et Al (2015), The Rhetorical Act.
11. Leech, G (1983), Principles of Pragmatics. New York: Longman.
12. Le Thi Mai Hong (2008), Politeness strategies in requests and invitations: A comparative study between English and Vietnamese, Pragmatics essay.
13. Le Thi Kim Ngoc (2013), An analysis of making and accepting an invitation in English and Vietnamese
14. Levine, D.R & Adelman, M.B (1982), Beyond Language-Intercultural Communication for English as a Second Language. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
15. Luu Quy Khuong (2007), An investigation into spoken direct invitations in English and Vietnamese.
16. Ngo Thi Bac Ha ( 2010), A study of pre – sequences in invitations in English and Vietnamese
17. Nguyen Thi Kim Quy (2004), A Cross-Cultural Study on Inviting and Responding to Invitations in Vietnamese and English.
18. Nguyen Van Lap ( 2005), classified categories of invitations as speech etiquette in Vietnamese in terms of speech act theory
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19. Nguyen Van Trọng (2012), A comparative study on making invitations in English and Vietnamese.
20. Noam Chomsky (1971), Syntactic Structures.
21. Richard J. C, Platt J., Webber H (1992), Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Longman.
22. Tillitt, B, & Bruder, N.B (1999), Speaking naturally. USA: Cambridge University Press.
23. Wall, A. P (1987), Say it naturally. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
24. Wierzbicka, A (1991), Cross-cultural Pragmatics: The Semantics of Human Interaction. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
25.William Cobbett (1918), A Grammar of the English Language in a Series of Letters:
26. Yule, G (1996), Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vietnamese
1. Cao Xuân Hạo (1991), Tiếng Việt sơ khảo ngữ pháp chức năng. Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Xã Hội.
2. Khải Hưng (1988), Nửa Chừng Xuân. Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Văn Học.
3. Khải Hưng (1994), Tuyển tập truyện ngắn. Hải Phòng: Nhà Xuất Bản Hải Phòng.
4. Le Huy Lam (2000), Đàm thoại tiếng Anh trong mọi tình huống. Ca Mau City:
Ca Mau Publisher.
5. Nam Cao (nd), Lão Hạc. Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Giáo Dục.
6. Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (2007), Dụng học Việt ngữ. Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Đại Học Quốc Gia Hà Nội.
Websites
1. http:// www.keydifferences.com.
2. http://www.letters – org.com
3. http://www.letters.sample-invitationletter.infor 4. http:// www.membertripod.com
5. http://www.scholarworks, gvsu.edu
6. http://www.skillyouneed.com/write/formal-or-inforomal-writing.html 7. http://www.thoughtco.com
8. http://www.word-mart.com/html/ write/formal-or-inforomal-writing.html 9. http://www.zapeta.ms
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APPENDICES
1. Sample letters 1.
68A, Lonron Satu, Taman Bahagla2, Melaka
14th June 2010 Dear Michael,
How is everything going? I am delighted to tell you that I have moved to a new house.
As the previous tenancy contract has ended, I found a new house in North Sydney where is much closer to my office. I moved in last Friday after finishing all the cleaning.
The new place that I rent is a two-storey house with a big yard at the back, so I can host a BBQ diner there. My bedroom is much more spacious than the old one and it has a big window. I always enjoy the beautiful city view in the morning.
In order to celebrate the moving, I am going to throw a house warming party and I would love you to come. It will be on the 5th of July and starts at 7 pm. I will show you around my new house and we will have dinner together with my other friends.
Hope to see you on that day. If you cannot make it, you are always welcomed to come another time.
Regards, Kate
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2.
2 West Road,Violetville,Cork.
25th February 2008 Dear Mrs. Bhanot,
You will be glad to know that our new house Megha Villa is now complete and we are shifting tomorrow. As you know, the house was the last wish my mother expressed. Although the construction started when she was still alive, it could not be completed in her presence. Perhaps, it may now give great solace to her soul.
The house is a beautiful double- storeyed one with 5 bedrooms. The sitting room is large and glassed on three sides for the sunlight to pour in throughout the day. There is a garden we have to develop around it. We are throwing a house- warming party on 28th May, 2009 and are inviting just our immediate circle of friends at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Sorry for this short notice, but please put aside all other engagements for that day and come along with your family. We are fixing a barbecue in the warm open.
Do write me a line to reassure me.
Yours Sincerely, Anita
3. Thomas Nolan223 E,
Concord Street, Orlando, FL 3280.
24th April, 2017.
Dear Joe,
Greetings from Cork! Now that we have settled in our new house I am having a house-warming party to celebrate.
I am inviting some of the gang from Dublin and some of my new school friends from Cork.
The fun begins at 9pm on Saturday, 3rdMarch. Why not come down on Friday night and stay for the weekend? I have asked Sandra and Brian to stay over also.
My dad will meet you at the station.
Let me know as soon as possible if you can come.
Love, Sally
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4. Thái Bình, ngày 5 tháng 12 năm 2012
Chị Nhung kính mến,
Chúng em rất vui mừng báo tin cùng chị ngôi nhà mới cuả chúng em đã hoàn thành.
Chúng em sẽ chuyển về nhà mới vào ngày 15 /12/2012. Chúng em trân trọng kính mời chị và gia đình đến dự bữa cơm thân mật cùng gia đình chúng em vào 17h ngày 16 tháng 12 năm 2012 tại xóm 6 thôn Đồng Phú, xã Độc Lập, huyện Hưng Hà, tỉnh Thái Bình. Chị cố gắng thu xếp thời gian đến dự và thăm nhà em nhé.
Sự hiện diện của chị và gia đình là niềm vinh hạnh của chúng em. Gia đình rất hân hạnh được đón tiếp.
Em
Phạm Hồng Anh 5.
Hưng Hà, ngày 03 tháng 9 năm 2015 Hải thân mến,
Công trình thế kỷ của gia đình tôi đã hoàn thành. Mọi công vệc chuẩn bị chuyển về nơi ở mới cũng đã ổn.
Vào 11h ngày mùng 10 tháng 9 năm 2017, gia đình chúng tôi tổ chức bữa cơm thân mật về nhà mới. Trân trọng mời bạn và gia đình đến dự cùng chúng tôi tại xóm Hồng Thái, thôn Vị khê, xã Minh Hòa, huyện Hưng Hà. Đây cũng là dịp để bạn bè chúng mình gặp nhau.
Cố gắng thu xếp công việc về dự nhé. Rất mong gặp bạn.
Bạn Lê Thị Hoa
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2. Sample cards 1.
We’ve moved & we’re having a HOUSEWARMING
celebration party!
Please join us on
Saturday – September 20th at 3pm The Montgomery family’s new home
1234 celebration avenue – our town Beverages & appetizers will be served
Regrets only at 123 456 7890 2.
You are invited to a HOUSEWARMING PARTY
At the new home of Marry Ann & James Robinson Friday – December 20th – 8.00pm The cottage house, 24 Crescent Sirffi London RSVP to Mary Ann (regrets only) at 012345 552 116
By December 10th 3.
You are invited to the
Thompson Family’s Housewarming party.
Please join us to start filling our new house with wonderful friends, family and memories
Saturday, November, 15th 5pm
Thompson Home 123 Mulberry Lane Houseton, TX 12345
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4.
You are invited to the
Hung Family’s Housewarming party.
There’s no place like home, but home is where the heart is.
All our boxes are unpacked.
Now help us move the love of friends and family into our new place.
Join us for a housewarming celebration to remember.
Sunday, October, 22nd 7am
Thanh Lang - Minh Hoa – Hung Ha – Thai Binh 5.
Nhân dịp mừng Tân Gia gia đình chúng tôi Trân trọng kính mời anh Lê Hồng Phong
Đến dự buổi tiệc han mật chung vui cùng gia đình chúng tôi tại tư gia:
Số 07 Cách mạng – TT Chư Sê – Chư Sê – Gia lai.
Vào 11h00 ngày 20 tháng 8 năm 2016.
Sự hiện của anh là niềm vinh hạnh cho gia đình chúng tôi.
Rất hân hạnh được đón tiếp/.
Thuật + Lê kính mời 6.
TRÂN TRỌNG KÍNH MỜI Bác và gia đình tới dự LỄ TÂN GIA MỪNG NHÀ MỚI Vào 17h, thứ Bảy, ngày 25 tháng 9 năm 2010
Tại gia đình Thạo – Ngân Tổ 2 – Đường Nguyễn Xuân – khu phố 5
Phường Đông Sơn – Thị xã Bỉm Sơn Rất hân hạnh được đón tiếp!
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3. Practice: Writing a letter, a card of invitation to a housewarming party.
1. Task 1: Complete the letter below by filling each blank with a suitable phrase in the box:
reply as soon as you can request that everyone brings something celebrate my new life be here invite you
89 Hang Bai street Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi 24 March 2006 Hi everyone,
In order to ……(1)…….. in Hanoi. I would like to …(2)….. you to a special housewarming party.
When: Friday, 27 Match, 2006 at 8pm.
Where: 89 Hang Bai street.
I would like to ….(3)…..for 4 to 8 people to eat and drink. Please ….(4)…. so that I can estimate how many people will …(5)… and what everyone will bring.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Tran Lam
2. Task 2: Complete each sentence of the following letter.
Dear Janet,
1. As/ know/ we / buy / new house/ April//.
………
2. It / be/ bad condition / and / it/ need/ a lot/ work//.
………
3. We/ finish/ most/ it/ now/ and look/ very nice//.
………
4. Mike/ I/ decide/ give/ house – warming/ party/ July 9th//.
………
5. You/ think/ you/ able/ come?
………
6. Most/ our/ former classmates/ invite/ and/ they/ all/ agree/ come//.
………
7. We/ organize/ barbecue/ garden/ new house//.