VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
οOο

ĐẶNG NGUYÊN GIANG
A STUDY ON STRUCTURAL AND SEMANTIC COMPONENTS
OF TYPICAL ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS
(Nghiên cứu thành tố cấu trúc và ngữ nghĩa của một số thành ngữ
cố định (đặc ngữ) điển hình trong tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt)

Major: English Linguistics
Code: 62 22 15 01

A Thesis Submitted in Total Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

HANOI – 2013
HANOI – 2013

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DECLARATION BY AUTHOR
Except where reference has been made in the text, this thesis contains no material
previously published or written by another person.
I,
Đặng Nguyên Giang, hereby state that this thesis is the result of my own research and
the substance of the thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for any degrees to
any other universities or institutions. ii
PUBLISHED WORKS BY THE AUTHOR RELEVANT TO THE THESIS
Giang, Đ. N. (2009). Idiomatic Variants and Synonymous Idioms in English. VNU
Journal of Science, Foreign Languages, 25 (2), 81-85.

Văn Độ, Dr. Nguyễn Đức Hoạt, and Dr. Nguyễn Văn Trào for their invaluable
suggestions, highly constructive comments on several issues related to the dissertation.
Their willingness to support me, answer my questions, and comment on my dissertation
content and organization has made me more confident to pursue the research in this
challenging area.
I give my sincere thanks to all my students, colleagues and friends who patiently
listened to my frustrations, and provided me with encouragement, understanding and
collegiality.
As custom dictates, I have saved the most important people for last. My gratitude goes
to my mother and father. Their constant love and unconditional support are simply
beyond words. A big thank goes to my wife, Thanh Hà, and my gorgeous son, Bảo
Nam, for their patience, endless love, and devotion. Whatever choices I have made, they
have always stood by me and believed in me. I am immensely thankful for all the
assistance they have given me.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration by Author
…………………………………………… …………….

Published Works by the Author Relevant to the Thesis…………… ….…….
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………… ………
Abstract…………………………………………………………….…… ……
List of Figures……………………………………………………… …………
List of Tables…………………………………………………………… ………

List of Abbreviations and Symbols Used in the Thesis……………… ……
List of Vietnamese – English Terms………………………………… ….……
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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
………………………………………… ………

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………… ….………….
1.1. Theoretical Background……………………………………… …….…….
1.1.1. Idioms Defined………………………………………… …….……….
1.1.2. Idioms from Traditional View………………………… …….………
1.1.3. Idioms from Cognitive View…………………………… …….………
1.1.4. Idioms from Taxonomic View………………………… …….……….
1.1.5. Idioms from Cultural View…………………………… …….………
1.1.6. Idioms in the Relationship to Other Linguistic Units……… …… …
1.2. Previous Research……………………………………………… …….…
1.2.1. Previous Research Works on Idioms in English………… ….…….….
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1.2.2. Previous Research Works on Idioms in Vietnamese……… ……….….


2.3.2.1. Canonical Structural Components Unique to English……… …
2.3.2.2. Non-canonical Structural Components Unique to English…
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3.3. Formation of Semantic Components of Idioms…………………… ……
3.3.1. Formation Mechanism……………………………………….… ……
3.3.2. Main Factors Affecting the Formation of Semantic Components……
3.3.2.1. Living Circumstance…………………………… …….………
3.3.2.2. Historical Allusion………………………………… ………
3.3.2.3. Religions and Beliefs……………………………… …………
3.3.2.4. Traditions and Customs…………………………… … ………
3.4. Semantic Components of English and Vietnamese Idioms Compared…
3.4.1. Similarities…………………………………………… ………………
3.4.1.1. Canonical Semantic Components Found in both Languages…
3.4.1.2. Non-canonical Semantic Components Found in both Languages
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USION
…………………………………………….………….

1. Recapitulation…………………………………………………… ….……….
2. Conclusions……………………………………………………… … ………

3. Implications for Idiom Teaching and Translation…………… ……….…
4. Suggestions for Further Studies…………………………………… ………
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REFERENCES
………………………………………………………… ……

APPENDIX 1………………………………………………………… ….……
APPENDIX 2………………………………………………………… ….……
APPENDIX 3…………………………………………………….… …………
APPENDIX 4……………………………………………………… …………
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involve two types of idioms: idiom variants and synonymous idioms.
The semantic components of each idiom type involve the motivation degrees
(transparent, semi-transparent, semi-opaque, and opaque) (Fernando & Flavell 1981;
Fernando 1996), the association between the literal readings and the idiomatic meanings
(Langlotz 2006), and the semantic composition of component parts (Hành 2008). The
findings of the current study also reveal that most of the idioms in both English and
Vietnamese are analyzable and have meanings that are at least partly motivated
(Geeraets 1995; Gibbs 1990, 1995; Kövecses & Szabo 1996; Nunberg et al. 1994;
Fernando 1996; Langlotz 2006; etc). The formation mechanism of the semantic
components of idioms is motivated by external semantic cognition including metaphors,
metonymies and conventional knowledge (Gibbs 1990, 1995). It is a natural process
implicitly affected by several different factors such as living circumstance (geographical
environment, climate), historical allusion (historical events, fables and mythologies,
literary works), religions and beliefs, and traditions and customs (food and cooking,
animals). This leads to a fact that the component parts forming idioms in the two
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languages are different although they denote similar concepts. The thesis also presents
the implications for idiom teaching and translation.
Keywords: idioms, idiomaticity, symmetrical idioms, similized idioms, non-symmetrical
idioms, idiom variants, synonymous idioms, underlying factors, motivation degree,
literal reading, idiomatic meaning

Figure 2.12: Distribution of similized idioms in English and Vietnamese….…
Figure 2.13: Structural patterns of similized idioms in English…………….……
Figure 2.14: Structural patterns of similized idioms in Vietnamese………….….
Figure 2.15: Structural components of as A as B similized idioms in English.….
Figure 2.16: Structural components of A like B similized idioms in English….…
Figure 2.17: Structural components of […] like B similized idioms in English…
Figure 2.18: Structural components of […] as B similized idioms in English.…
Figure 2.19: Structural components of A như B similized idioms in
Vietnamese…………………………………………………………
Figure 2.20: Structural components of (A) như B similized idioms in
Vietnamese…………………………………………………… …….
Figure 2.21: Structural components of như B similized idioms in
Vietnamese……………………………………………… ………

26

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27
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48

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verb phrases in English………………………………………………
Figure 2.31: Structural components of non-symmetrical idioms as sentences in
English…………………………………………………………
Figure 2.32: Structural components of AB non-symmetrical idioms as noun
phrases in Vietnamese…………………………… ………………
Figure 2.33: Structural components of AB non-symmetrical idioms as adjective
phrases in Vietnamese………………… …………………………
Figure 2.34: Structural components of AB non-symmetrical idioms as verb
phrases in Vietnamese………………………… …………………
Figure 2.35: Structural components of non-symmetrical idioms as sentences in
Vietnamese……………………………………… …… ………
Figure 2.36: Distribution of idiom variants in English and Vietnamese…….…
Figure 2.37: Realization criteria of idiom variants in English and Vietnamese.…
Figure 2.38: Distribution of synonymous idioms in English and Vietnamese ….
Figure 2.39: Realization criteria of synonymous idioms in English and
Vietnamese………………………………… ……………… …….
Figure 2.40: Distribution of idiom types in English and Vietnamese……….…
Figure 2.41: Distribution of idiom variants and synonymous idioms in English
and Vietnamese……………………………………….……… …
Figure 3.1. Distribution of transparent symmetrical idioms in English and
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ưu tính kế in Vietnamese.
Figure 3.4: Transformation of quốc sắc thiên hương (from Sino-Vietnamese
into Vietnamese)…………………………………… ……………
Figure 3.5: Distribution of semi-opaque symmetrical idioms in English and
Vietnamese……………………………………………… …… ….
Figure 3.6: Semantic components of semi-opaque symmetrical idioms in
English and Vietnamese……………………………… ……………
Figure 3.7: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of day and night in English and mồm năm miệng mười in
Vietnamese………………………………………… ………………
Figure 3.8: Distribution of opaque symmetrical idioms in English and
Vietnamese………………………………………… ………… ….
Figure 3.9: Semantic components of opaque symmetrical idioms in
Vietnamese………………………………………… ……………
Figure 3.10: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of già kén kẹn hom in Vietnamese…………………………… ……
Figure 3.11: Distribution of semi-transparent similized idioms in English and
Vietnamese………………………………………… ………… ….
Figure 3.12: Semantic components of semi-transparent similized idioms in
English and Vietnamese……………………………………………
Figure 3.13: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of as busy as a bee in English and chậm như rùa in
Vietnamese…………………………………………………………
Figure 3.14: Distribution of semi-opaque similized idioms in English and
Vietnamese………………………………………… ……………
Figure 3.15: Semantic components of semi-opaque similized idioms in English
and Vietnamese……………………………………………….……
Figure 3.16: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of as black as coal in English and đen như chó in
Vietnamese………………………………… ……………………

104 105
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Figure 3.17: Distribution of transparent non-symmetrical idioms in English and
Vietnamese………………………………………………… … ….
Figure 3.18: Semantic components of in any case in English……………….…
Figure 3.19: Distribution of semi-opaque non-symmetrical idioms in English
and Vietnamese………………………………………… …………
Figure 3.20: Semantic components of semi-opaque non-symmetrical idioms in
English and Vietnamese……………………………………………
Figure 3.21: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of throw a spanner into the works in English and áo gấm đi đêm in
Vietnamese……………………………….………………… ……
Figure 3.22: Distribution of opaque non-symmetrical idioms in English and
Vietnamese……………………………………………… …………
Figure 3.23: Semantic components of kick the bucket in English and đẽo cày
giữa đường in Vietnamese……………………………… ………
Figure 3.24: The relationship between the literal reading and idiomatic meaning
of kick the bucket in English and đẽo cày giữa đường in
Vietnamese………………………………… ……………………
Figure 3.25: The semantic composition of kick the bucket in English and đẽo
cày giữa đường in Vietnamese (drawn from Fernando & Flavell
1981)…………………………………………………………………
Figure 3.26: The formation of an idiom in English and Vietnamese (drawn from
Fernando & Flavell 1981: 26)…………………………….…………
Figure 3.27: The formation mechanism of semantic components of idioms in
English and Vietnamese………………………… ………………


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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1: Traditional view of kick the bucket in English ………………….….…

Table 1.2: Traditional view of mì chính cánh in Vietnamese…….…… ……
Table 1.3: Types of Idioms (Fernando 1996: 32)………………….…… ….…
Table 1.4: Distinguishing criteria of idioms…………………….…… ………….
Table 2.1: Possible variabilities of idiom variants in English……………………
Table 2.2: Possible variabilities of idiom variants in Vietnamese………… ……
Table 2.3: Possible variabilities of synonymous idioms in English…… … …….
Table 2.4: Possible variabilities of synonymous idioms in Vietnamese…… …
Table 2.5: Possible variabilities of idiom variants found in both English and
Vietnamese…………………………………………….…….…………

Table 2.6: Possible variabilities of synonymous idioms found in both English
and Vietnamese…………………………………………….…………

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS USED IN THE DISSERTATION

[…]
Adj
AdjP
Adv
AdvP
Cl
De
DCl
Ger
HN

independent clause
language teaching
negative particle
noun
noun phrase
modifier
operator
phrasal verb
preposition
prepositional phrase
pronoun
target language
to-infinitive
sentence
similized
source language
subordinator
synonymous
verb
verb phrase

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LIST OF VIETNAMESE – ENGLISH TERMS
bán m
ờ
bán tường minh
biến thể thành ngữ
chuyển đổi theo nghĩa đen
đẳng kết
đồng đại

non-symmetrical idiom
similized idiom
component
transparent
nuance 1
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
‘The accurate and appropriate use of expressions which are in the broadest sense
idiomatic is one distinguishing mark of a native command of the language and a reliable
measure of the proficiency of foreign learners’ (Cowie, Mackin & McCaig 1993: x). In
fact, I started learning English in 1994. And I am now working as a teacher of English
in a university in Sonla. Indeed, my students and I all desire to master English as the
native speakers; nevertheless, we usually face a lot of difficulties that prevent us from
gaining natural conversations. One of the reasons for these problems lies in the way we
perceive and use idioms. The structural and semantic problems posed by idioms puzzle
us a lot. Of all the difficulties the most familiar is that of meaning: most idioms do not
mean what they appear to mean. The sense of the whole idiom is usually different from
the meanings of the combination of its component parts. The study is carried out with
the hope that, to some extent, our problems will be solved.
Actually, studying idioms is not new; nonetheless, it has never been old. In Vietnam,
there exist three approaches in studying idioms: etymology, synchronic evolution, and
comparison and contrastive analysis (Hành 2008). Firstly, the investigations on idioms
under etymology go into macro field. These studies focus on the formation and
transformation of each idiom during its existence. It is hard work taking a lot of time

clause. To the best of my knowledge, the structural components of idioms in both
English and Vietnamese have not yet been investigated in this way.
Although the component parts forming idioms expressing the same concepts in English
and Vietnamese are usually different, they have some features in common. The idioms
in both languages appear from totally transparent to the totally opaque: transparent, i.e.
all the components are explicit (e.g. slow but sure in English and bàn đi tính lại (discuss
something carefully) in Vietnamese); semi-transparent, i.e. some components are
explicit (the meaning focused) and the other are implicit (e.g. as busy as a beaver (very
busy) in English and đẹp như tiên (very beautiful) in Vietnamese); semi-opaque, i.e. all
the components are implicit but possibly interpretable (e.g. like a duck to water (feel
comfortable) in English and như chó với mèo (be always conflictive) in Vietnamese);
and opaque, i.e. all the components are implicit (e.g. kick the bucket (die) in English and
đẽo cày giữa đường (be indeterminate in one’s position) in Vietnamese) (Fernando &
Flavell 1981; Fernando 1996). Investigating semantic components of idioms based on
these semantic criteria in both English and Vietnamese is still the gap. In addition, what
main factors lie behind the differences between the two languages in terms of the
formation of semantic components of idioms also need uncovering (Hành 2008).
For the reasons presented above, we state that studying the structural and semantic
components of idioms in both English and Vietnamese in order to fill in the gap in
research is necessary.

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2. Aims and Objectives of the Study
The study attempts to find out the similarities and differences between English and
Vietnamese idioms from structural and semantic perspectives.
In order to achieve the aims, the study is expected to reach the following objectives:
- to study how idioms are organized structurally and semantically in English and
Vietnamese;
- to establish the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese idioms in
terms of structural and semantic components;

work will provide assistance to English-speaking learners of Vietnamese and
Vietnamese learners of English to distinguish one kind of idioms from others in each
language. The work will also enable learners to tell when idioms in English and
Vietnamese are similar and different, which is likely to be useful for their study.
Language teachers will be aided to help their learners reach this communicative goal
(see Section 3 in Part C). For translation, knowledge of idioms from this work will help
translators find closest equivalents to the expressions in the source language. Idioms and
idiomatic expressions are the most culture-bound part of any language, so their transfer
is one of the most problematic issues in translation. It is because transfer of language
also involves that of culture, which is not always transferable. In this way, knowledge
from this sort of work will be of great benefit to translators, who should be able to find
the possible equivalents in the target language.
6. Methodology
6.1. Theoretical Framework
As presented in Section 4, idioms in the present study are investigated from both
structural and semantic perspectives. According to Katz & Fodor (1963: 170), ‘a full
synchronic description of a language is a grammatical and semantic characterization of
that language’. The term ‘grammatical’ refers to the description of pholology,
phonemics, morphology, and syntax. ‘Semantic’ belongs to a theory which must be
constructed ‘to have whatever properties are demanded by its role in linguistic
description’ (Katz & Fodor 1963: 171).
Structurally, idioms are generally described and analyzed according to typical

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grammarical rules. In fact, there are different kinds of grammars. Fromkin (1998)
mentions three types of grammars: descriptive, prescriptive and teaching. The
descriptive grammar involves the description of what the speakers of a language do
when they speak their language. That certain language uses are categorized as
acceptable or unacceptable according to a standard form of the language is called
prescriptive grammar. The teaching grammar is used to learn a foreign language or a

prepositional phrase, etc which can be further divided into categories such as noun,
adjective, verb, etc (Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, & Svartvik 1985). This can be shown by
taking a simple example of the idiom body and soul (completely). This idiom is divided
into two parts which are connected by a coordinator (and). The first part (body) and the
second one (soul) are both nouns.
The semantic components of idioms in the current study are analyzed according to Katz
& Fodor’s (1963) componential theory. According to Katz & Fodor (1963), ‘semantic
components may be combined in various ways in different languages yet they would be
identifiable as the ‘same’ component in the vocabularies of all languages’. Generally,
this theory determines how expressed signs, usually vocabulary items called lexemes, in
a language are related to the perceptions and thoughts of the people who speak the
language. In this theory, word meanings are broken down into semantic features and
their specifications. In other words, the meanings of lexemes are analyzed into
components, which can then be compared across lexemes or groups of lexemes.

Since
idioms are regarded as special linguistic units functioning as words (Fernando & Flavell
1981; Fernando 1996; Đức 1995; Hành 2008; etc), they can be analyzed in this way.
Finegan (2004) supposes that words are tangible. They can have one meaningful part
(e.g. car, sing, tall, etc), or more than one meaningful part (e.g. bookstore, laptop,
headset, etc) (Finegan 2004: 40). According to Fromkin (2000: 26), words which are not
the smallest units of meaning may be simple or complex. For example, the word stayed
has two parts, stay and –ed; headmaster includes two words, head and master, which
form a compound; and beautifully may be divided into beautiful and -ly. The
relationship between the form and meaning of a word is an arbitrary one (Fromkin
1998: 5). Fromkin (1998) also states that the sounds represented by the letters of a word
(in the written form of the language) signify a concept. Indeed, both words and idioms
are used to express pure concepts, and they are analyzable.
The canonical structural and semantic components of idioms in the present study are
formally established according to three types of idioms: symmetrical, similized, and

them in terms of significant generalizations’ (cited in Trào 2009: 12).
In the present inquiry, the theories of contrastive linguistics of König and Gast (2008)
and Chaturvedi (1973) are applied to the investigation of the idioms collected.
König and Gast (2008) suppose that contrastive linguistics is a branch of comparative
linguistics that is concerned with pairs of languages which are ‘socio-culturally linked’.
According to these authors, two languages can be said to be socio-culturally linked
when (i) they are used by a considerable number of bi- or multilingual speakers, and/or