VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ THÙY LINH

A CROSS- CULTURAL STUDY ON EXPRESSING
SATISFACTION IN AMERICAN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE

(NGHIÊN CỨU GIAO THOA VĂN HÓA VIỆT- MỸ
TRONG CÁCH THỨC DIỄN TẢ SỰ HÀI LÕNG)

M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60.22.15 Hanoi, 2013

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDY NGUYỄN THỊ THÙY LINH

A CROSS- CULTURAL STUDY ON EXPRESSING
SATISFACTION IN AMERICAN ENGLISH AND


ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr.
Huynh Anh Tuan, PhD, my supervisor, for his valuable guidance, his instructive
comments and his dutiful supervision, without which this thesis would be far from
completed.
I would also like to give my sincere gratitude to all of the lecturers at HULIS- VNU,
Hanoi for their scholarly knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm in their lectures.
During the process of implementing the research, they have created the favorable
conditions for me, not only in terms of accessing to essential materials but also by
the heart-warming encouragement.
I also take this opportunity to express my immense thankfulness to my friends and
classmates, who have always stayed by my side, given me constructive comments
and perked me up every time I need. Particularly I want to say a special thanks to
two friends of mine, who are all living and studying in the U.S. for their invaluable
help in distributing the survey questionnaire. They are Le Huong Ly and Nguyen
Thi Lien Huong.
I cannot forget to acknowledge the important contributions of both Vietnamese and
American informants, whose names cannot be mentioned in the thesis.

Table 5:D-ID in the situations under study (in American)
Table 6:Use of D-ID as seen from American communicating partners‟ parameters
Table 7:Use of D-ID as seen from Vietnamese informants‟ parameters
Table 8:Use of D-ID as seen from American informants‟ parameters
Table 9:Use of strategies as seen from Vietnamese communicating partners‟
parameters
Table 10:Use of strategies as seen from American communicating partners‟
parameters
Figure 1: Ferrando‟s diagram of culture
Figure 2: Nguyen Quang‟s diagram of components of communication
Figure 3: Areas of language knowledge (Bachman and Palmer, 1996:68)
Figure 4:: Bach and Harnish‟s classification of speech acts (1979)
Figure 5 : Possible strategies for doing FTAs
Figure 6: Nguyen Quang‟s schema of possible strategies for doing FTAs
Figure 7: Kaplan‟s diagram v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale 1
2. Aims of the study 2
3. Scope of the study 3
4. Methods of the study 3
5. Design of the study 3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Theoretical background and literature review 5
I. Theoretical background 5

2.2. The informants 46
3. Data collection and analysis method 47
Chapter 3: Data analysis: Findings and discussion 48
1. Data analysis of D- ID in expressing satisfaction 48
1.1. D-ID strategies in expressing satisfaction 48
1.2. Use of D- ID as seen from communicating partners’ parameters 50
1.2.1. Vietnamese findings 50
1.2.2. American findings 51
1.2.3. Similarities and differences 53
1.3. Use of D-ID as seen from informants’ parameters 55
1.3.1. Vietnamese findings 55
1.3.2. American findings 56
1.3.3. Similarities and differences 57
2. Data analysis of strategies in expressing satisfaction (SES) 59
2.1. Strategies in expressing satisfaction 59
2.2. Realization of SESs in Vietnamese 60
2.2.1. Realization of SESs in Vietnamese as seen from co- interactants’
parameters 60
2.2.2. Realization of SESs in Vietnamese as seen from informants’ parameters 71
2.3. Realization of SESs in English 76
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2.3.1. Realization of SESs in English as seen from co- interactants’ parameter 76
2.3.2. Realization of SESs in English as seen from informants’ parameters 85
2.4. Similarities and differences 90
PART C: CONCLUSION
1. Summary of the study 93
2. Limitations of the study 95
3. Suggestions for further study 96
REFERENCES 97

native speakers’ inappropriate use of cultural norms and conventions are considered
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as manifestation of “impoliteness or unfriendliness” due to “boorishness or ill will”
rather than lack of pragmatic knowledge. Accordingly, culture learning no longer
remains humble and unnecessary in the syllabus. In contrast, it needs to be taken in
great consideration and concentration. Succeeding this point of view, Nguyen
Quang (1998) came to the conclusion that, “One cannot master a language without
profound awareness of its cultural background and in both verbal and non-verbal
communication, culture makes itself strongly felt.” A learner can truly master
English only when he is able to hold a good understanding of the intertwined
relationship between culture and language.
Recognizing the intertwined relationship between culture and language, the
researcher would like to carry out a small-scale study on Expressing satisfaction as
a speech act, which is viewed in the light of Politeness (Positive politeness-
negative politeness) in English and Vietnamese. Due to the limit of the paper, she
would not be able to deal with all aspects but draw some differences and similarities
in expressing satisfaction in the two languages. It is hoped that the study may
contribute some help to learners to avoid culture shock and failures in expressing
satisfaction as well as in inter-cultural communication.
2. Aims of the study
The study focuses to achieve the following aims:
- To have a thorough examination in the similarities and differences in
directness and indirectness strategies of expressing satisfaction by
Vietnamese and English informants, whereby to find out some similarities
and differences in politeness strategies of expressing satisfaction in English
and Vietnamese.
- to find out factors that affects the choice of politeness strategies when
expressing satisfaction in English and Vietnamese.
- to raise awareness of cross-cultural factors in expressing satisfaction and


Part A: Introduction
The rationale, aims, scope of the study, methods are presented in this part.
Part B: Development
This is the main part of the study which is divided into three chapters.
Chapter 1: Theoretical background
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Data analysis: Findings and Discussions
In the first chapter, in order to lay the basis for the study, some definitions and
theories about culture, communication and speech acts will be covered. Following is
the methodology of the research in which the author has in-depth discussions about
the questionnaires and the informants. After that, the second chapter follows the
thread with the contrastive analysis of data.
Part 3: Conclusion
In this part, the major findings are summarized, conclusions drawn and suggestions
for further study made.

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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Theoretical background and literature review
I. Theoretical background
1. Culture and communication
1.1. Culture
The term “culture” has been defined by many scholars from time to time. It may
not be an exaggeration to say that there are nearly as many definitions of culture as
there are fields of inquiry into human beings.
In its simplest meaning, culture is thought to be something non-natural or ordinary-
it is the everyday life, something people think, wear, eat or speak, etc. However, the

expect of others and what others can expect of them. For example, in the
Vietnamese culture, when a compliment is given, a denial is expected. Meanwhile,
in America, a “thank you” is expected.
Within the limitation of the paper, the definition offered by Levine and Adelman
(1993) is chosen to be the most appropriate one.
Culture is a shared background (for example, national, ethnic, religious) resulting
from a common language and communication style, customs, beliefs, attitudes and
values.
As condensed and precise it turns out, this definition emphasizes the importance of
language in the way that it is the chief vehicle by which people communicate ideas
among each other and the principal means by which human beings have created
culture and transmit it from generation to generation.
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In order to gain a deeper understanding towards culture, it is useful to examine more
closely its characteristics.
1. Culture is learned
Culture is non- natural; people have to learn to get it. In other words, people are not
born with culture but become culture bearer by learning it. Children learn it from
adults; the following generation learns it from the previous one. Through exposure,
observation and imitation, they take in culture elements and internalize them.
2. Culture is transmissible
In all cultures, symbols act as the physical existence of cultural elements and they
are the means by which culture is passed along from generation to generation.
Symbols include objects, words and acts which have come to be socially accepted
as standing for something else; people use symbols to spread culture, and thanks to
this, culture is learned. Through day-to-day interaction, people learn and transmit
culture. The more people acquire knowledge of culture, the more widely and deeply
culture is transmitted. Herein, it is observable that the first characteristic of culture
leads to the second one.

changed or left behind.
5. Facets of culture are interrelated
As culture is a complex whole, cultural elements do not exist separately. They are
integrated and interdependent. Within a culture, when one thing is touched,
everything else is affected. For instance, when women in some Muslim countries
are allowed to go out with no veil, they have more chances to contact the outside
world and improve their knowledge. They can take part in social activities, thus,
their status in society is improved.
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6. Culture is ethnocentric
Ethnocentrism is the viewpoint that one’s ethnic group is the centre of everything,
against which all other groups are judged. More specifically, one group sees it as
superior and rates others based on its own measures. Ethnocentrism leads people to
reject alien ideas or things as addressed unnatural. It is normal that a group
considers its way of life the only right one and somehow unleash scorn for the
others’ ways. Take the following case as an example. Asian people find it
unacceptable for Western ones to leave their parents in old- aged institutions. In
contrast, Western people regard children upbringing in Asian countries as spoiled
and negative because it does not give children much independence to grow.
Ethnocentrism therefore is a factor of resistance to change. It maintains ethnic lines
despite transculturation. To some extent, this characteristic seems to be on the
contrary to the third one. However, conflict propels life and it is their co-existence
that ensures the equilibrium of the development of culture.
To sum it up, human life and culture are inextricably connected. Our ways of life
form culture and culture affords use a kind of map for finding our way about life.
1.2. Communication
From the dawn of human civilization till now, communication has been playing the
primary role in our lives. It takes places in almost every human action and accounts
for most of our lifetime. Recognizing that phenomenal function of communication
Communication
Verbal communication
Intralanguage
- Vocal characteristics:
pitch, volume, rate,
vocal quality, types of
vocal flow
- Vocal inferences
- silence
Extralanguage

- Postures
- Physical characteristics
- Body movement
- Touch/ haptics/ tactile
- …
Nonverbal communication
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It is undeniable that communication is the prerequisite of our lives thanks to its
various functions and implications. According to Nguyen Quang, we communicate
to satisfy the nature of double beings: the “Social being” and the “Conscious
being”. It is through communication that we gain personal identity, which meets the
Conscious being’s need. In our early years, our parents told us, “You’re so pretty”,
“You’re really smart”. Later, we interact with our friends, teachers, colleagues who
communicate their views of us. Their messages help us form and enhance our sense
of self. Also, the Social being’s need to be connected is met by communication
because “Communication is a key foundation of relationships. We build connections
with others by revealing our private identities, asking questions and listening to
answers, working out problems, remembering shared history, and planning a
future.” (Wood, 1998). Hence, no one can live as a human being without
communication. This has been proved by the case of a child brought up by wolves
in the jungle who lived and behaved as real wolves and hardly had any concept of
themselves as a human. In brief, communication is a vital part of human life.
Without communication, people would stagnate and our society would not exist
anymore.
1.3. Culture- communication correlation
As culture and communication - the two terms has been cracked thoroughly, another
issue that comes to light is the relationship between them. Needless to say, culture is
implicitly and inextricably related to communication. As Samovar and Jain (1981)
insightfully remarks:

1.4. Cross - cultural communication
As seen from the previous parts, culture shapes communication and ways of
interpreting communication. Thus, there is high likelihood that problems arise when
people from different cultures communicate with each other. That is the reason for
the terms “cross- cultural communication” comes to life.
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Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied linguistics gives the
definition of cross-cultural communication simply as “an exchange of ideas,
information, etc. between people from different background”(1992:92).
In a broader sense, Cross- cultural communication is “communication (verbal and
non-verbal) between people from different cultures; communication that is
influenced by cultural values, attitudes and behavior; the influence of culture on
people‟s reactions and responses to each other”. (Levine and Adelman, 1993).
It is understandable that when cross- cultural communication occurs, many
difficulties, misunderstandings or communication failures may happen because
people of different backgrounds have different communicating styles. They often
interpret others’ speech according to their own cultural convention and they tend to
use their own culture to value others. If the cultural values of the speakers are
widely different, misinterpretations and misunderstandings can arise and even result
in a total breakdown of communication. This can also lead to confusion, anger,
disappointment and culture shock as an inevitable consequence.
An interesting example is, in a party where there are a lot of guests from different
countries in the world. A Vietnamese lady wearing such an attractive dress enters
the room. An American man immediately notices her and as a pretext to approach
the girl, he comments, “Wow! You look so sexy in that dress. “To his surprise, her
face flushes tomato red and she tries to shun him during the party. This is a typical
example of communication breakdown due to lack of cultural knowledge. In
American culture, especially among the young, saying that someone is sexy is
merely a compliment. However, in Vietnamese culture, it is still a taboo to say so

with a different meaning. Whereby, in a nutshell, “intercultural communication
involves face-to-face communication between people from different cultures while
cross- cultural communication involves comparison of face-to-face
communication”. (Gudykunst and Mody, 2002).
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To sum it up, in order to communicate with people from different countries
successfully, people should enrich their own knowledge of other cultures and have a
receptive attitude towards cultural differences. Only then, cross- cultural
communication will be a joyful experience which provides opportunity for people to
broaden their mind to the world.
1.5. Communicative competence
For most people communication is simply talk. It is a natural event and happens
almost every single minute all over the world. Nevertheless, it is important to note
that communication does not mean to be a merely simple action, for lying beneath
every transaction of communication, a goal is attached together. When we
communicate, we transmit (as by speech, signals, writing or behavior) information
(thoughts and emotions) so that it is satisfactorily understood. Human beings do not
exchange data- we understand information. Communication, therefore, refers to the
process as “sharing meaning” and to some extent; communication is defined as “the
management of messages for the purpose of creating meaning”.
In other words, the goal of communication is shared meaning which leads to
effective decision making and problem- solving. But how does one determine the
effectiveness and appropriateness of any given interaction? And even more
important, how do we know if communication is competent?
In order to provide an answer to those questions, “communicative competence” was
coined and gradually becomes a common term.
The idea of communicative competence is originally derived from Chomsky (1965)
’s distinction between competence and performance. By competence, Chomsky
means the shared knowledge of the ideal speaker- learner set in a completely