VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
V TH SINH
A STUDY ON IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS CONTAINING
WORDS DENOTING WEATHER IN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE FROM CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
(
V TH SINH
A STUDY ON IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS CONTAINING
WORDS DENOTING WEATHER IN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE FROM CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
(
Author Vu Thi Sinh ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For the completion of this work, I have been fortunate to receive inestimable
support from many people. First of all, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude
to my supervisor, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Ngoc Tu for his indispensable assistance,
values among which idioms are mentionable. Idiomatic expressions are
undoubtedly encountered in almost every day conversations, newspapers,
magazines, TVs or radios.
Recognizing the importance of idioms as well as satisfying her own ambition, the
author tries to figure out the features of idioms, specifically the idioms containing
words denoting weather, one of the respects familiar to everyone. Moreover, it is
believed that idioms are always associated with culture; hence, a cultural view on
this type of idioms might be helpful and interesting. In this thesis, the author
focuses on the importance of cultural awareness in understanding idioms; thence
shows the necessary of cultural knowledge in learning and teaching English in
general and weather idioms in particular.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
perspectives 37
PART 3: CONCLUSION
1. Review of the study 43
2. Implications 44
3. Suggestions for further studies 45
REFERENCES 46
APPENDIX I
1
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Nowadays, English is obviously considered as the international language that is a
tool for global connection and development. Idioms, a special part of languages in
general and English in particular, seem to be the familiar element which occurs not
only in daily conversations but also in literature works. People are likely familiar
The objectives of the study are:
- Investigate Vietnamese and English idioms consisting weather words.
- Clarify the cultural intension inside the idioms
- Suggest some ideas for teaching idioms
The study will try to answer the questions bellows:
- What are similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese idioms
containing words denoting weather from the cultural perspective?
- What cultural aspects influence the similarities and differences between English
and Vietnamese idioms containing words denoting weather?
4. Scope of the study
This study focuses on English and Vietnamese idioms containing words denoting
weather from the cultural perspective. These idioms are listed in the appendix.
Because of some limitation of time, not all idioms are covered.
5. Methods of the study
In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods are used. It is carried out by
carefully collecting materials from numerous sources in both English and
Vietnamese including books, websites, newspapers and from observation in daily
life. Then, the data are analyzed and synthesized to find out the similarities and
differences in English and Vietnamese idioms containing words denoting weather.
6. Design of the study
The thesis is divided into three main parts:
- The first part is the Introduction, which includes rationale, aim, scope, methods
and design of the study
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- Part 2 is the Development, which comprises three chapters. Chapter one, as
Theoretical background
English
and Vietnamese idioms containing words denoting weather” in which syntactic
and semantic features of English and Vietnamese idioms containing words denoting
that language and to compare English idioms containing the words denoting
weather (EIWW) and Vietnamese idioms containing the words denoting weather
(VIWW) is no exception. This chapter will present a brief theoretical introduction
about culture, language, and idioms, which will lay essential foundations for what is
being analyzed in the next two chapters.
1.1. Culture and the relationship between language and culture
1.1.1. Culture and some characteristics of culture
simple to define it. Many linguists have spent a lot of efforts on working out the
definitions of culture. Hence, in this paper, the writer will introduce some in attempt
to provide a general view for the readers following easily. Following are some of
them:
Hofstede (1980, pp. 21-23) defines culture
from generation to generation, it is changing all the time because each generation
adds something of its own before passing it on. It is
for granted and assumed to be correct because it is the only one, or at least the first,
to be learned.
Samovar & Porter (2003) gives a typical definition on culture as follows:
iefs, values, attitudes, meanings,
hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the
universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the
course of generations through individual and group stri
2003, p. 8)
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Sharing the same opinion, Edward Tylor, a famous British anthropologist, notes in
knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom and any other capacities and habits
In short, culture is defined in various ways as Harrison and Huntington (2000) note,
and different cont
generally affects nearly everything people do in their society because of their ideas,
values, attitudes, and normative or expected patterns of behavior. Culture is not
genetically inherited, and cannot exist on its own, but is always shared by members
of a society (Hall 1976, p. 16).
Culture is a complex concept, and no single definition of it has achieved consensus
in the literature. Regardless of dozens of definitions, it is necessary to examine
characteristics of culture because through them, one can see the connection between
Porter, Samovar and McDaniel (2007:21-30) point out six features of culture as
follows:
learning which means that it is learned but not innate. Learning here is understood
both formal and informal. Informal learning normally takes place through
interaction, observation, and imitation. The formal learning of culture is far more
structured and often left to the institutions of the culture such as schools and
churches. Because culture influences you from the instant you are born, you are
rarely aware of many of the messages that it sends. Therefore, studying is
Secondly, culture is shared. The means of transmitting the culture can take a variety
forms (proverbs, stories, art) and can have numerous carriers (family, peers, church,
schools, media), but the key elements of culture (values, ideas, perception) must be
shared by other members of the culture.
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Thirdly, culture is transmitted from generation to generation. If a culture is to
endure, it must make certain that its crucial messages and elements are not only
another may seem to be obvious. One of the typical definitions of language is
language to convey their thoughts, feelings, intentions, and desires to others.
Language links interlocutors in a dynamic, reflexive process. We learn about people
through what they say and how they say it; we learn about ourselves through the
way that other people react to what we say; and we learn about our relationships
with others through give-and-
reflex the personality of a culture in much the same way that they reflect the
personality of an i
culture is further stressed by Saville-
however, that there is a correlation between the form and content of a language and
the beliefs, values, and needs -
Stroike, 2003:28)
Kramsch (1998) points out that when language is put in contexts of communication,
it variously and complicatedly relates to culture. He also mentions to three issues of
the relationship between language and culture as follows:
Firstly, the words people utter express facts, ideas or events that are communicable.
through words. In both cases, language expresses cultural reality.
Moreover, people use language not only for expressing but also creating experience.
They use many ways of interaction including face-to-face, writing a letter or
sending an email message, reading the newspaper or interpreting a graph or a chart
and add the meanings to communication through these spoken, written, or visual
media. The created meanings are able to understand by members of a community or
social group. Through all its verbal and non-verbal aspects, language embodies
cultural reality.
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of culture, the continuity of societies, and the effective functioning and control of
culture is a part of a language, the two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot
separate
165). Hence, with the inextricable relationship, we must know the one to understand
the other.
1.2. Idioms
1.2.1. Definition
Idioms are believed as a colorful and fascinating aspect of English and are
commonly used in all types of language, formal and informal, spoken or written.
Although idioms are thought to be used in more informal situations, learners will
become masters if they understand and use them confidently and correctly. In
addition, idioms often have a stronger meaning than non-idiomatic phrases.
Following are some definitions of idioms collected from different sources:
of special phrase whose meaning mostly differs from literal meaning of the
ated to the
literally describes an action which is physically impossible. In a few further
cases, the metaphors in the idioms are peculiar, so it is very difficult to see how or
Manser (1997) shares the sa
consist of more than one word, with a meaning that cannot be understood from
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-
one must accept them (used when something unfortunate, unpleasant)
- to enjoy
oneself, especially in a lively and expensive manner
- he
- said when you recognize that you should not risk losing something you
already have by trying to get something you think might be better
-
has already happened or been done and cannot
be changed.
Longman (1979) also indicates some types of idioms:
- Traditional idioms: traditional idioms are firstly related to full sentences in which
only subjects need to be added to make full sentences. For example, the idiom
He revealed a secret or a piece of
troubles or unwelcome events happen they do not come singly but arrive in great
quantity. Other types of idioms are not almost full sentences but rather function like
particular parts of speech. An idiomatic noun phrase, for example, will often
function in a sentence in the same way a noun would, as a subject, direct object, or a
complement. E.g. He is the salt of the earth (He is a person having the best personal
qualities, the best character).
- Idioms in which actions stand for emotions or feelings. The distinctions of culture
among regions are specially reminded in this type of idiom. It is important to note
that these actions are not literal and that the meaning associated with a particular
action in particular culture. The meaning of idioms in different communities may
mean that the speaker really performs the action but means she/he refuses to accept
any responsibility for something or someone.
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14
sp
However, some idioms whose literal meaning and figurative one is almost identical
one can guess its meaning without any difficulty.
That is the same in Vietnamese w
spoon in one's mouth). Obviously, one cannot interpret them literally but must
perceive them as separate semantic units which have figurative meanings, revealing
the reflection of things and concepts. While most of idioms are difficult to guess the
meaning from their words element, some idioms are possible for people to
Another feature related to semantics is that idioms can convey positive, neutral or
are good examples for the idioms which have positive
-weathered
considered as idioms with neutral meanings. Interestingly, some idioms can have
1.2.3.2. Structural features
It is obvious that idioms are fixed or set expressions that cannot be separated or
- Idioms as adverbial phrase
Night and day (all the time without stopping): I think of her night and day.
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- Idioms as prepositional phrase
On cloud nine (extremely happy): I was on cloud nine after hearing that I passed the
exam.
- Idioms as interjection:
Never say die! (never give up hope)
Well, I never! (used to express surprise or disbelief)
1.2.4. Idioms versus proverbs and slang
Recognizing the importance of idioms in daily life, one finds it necessary to have a
clear distinction between idioms and proverbs and slang. Actually, they have many
things in common that cause a lot of difficulties to users. This subsection attempts
to throw some light on these issues that are deemed to be the spice of language.
1.2.4.1. Idioms versus proverbs
It is necessary to spend some time distinguishing idioms from proverbs. Although
many people believe the boundary between them is very small and unclear, it is
indisputable that there should be some plausible and significant points which can
somehow tell them apart.
As was mentioned above, an idiom is a group of words which, as a whole, has a
different meaning from that of the individual items out of which it is
composed. That is, the meaning of an idiomatic expression is not the sum total of
would be unable to deduce the real meaning of the whole expression, namely to
die. Although it can refer literally to the act of striking a specific bucket, native
speakers rarely use this idiom that way. Accordingly, an idiom is learnt and used as
a single unit of language. It should not be analyzed into its constituent elements.
functions including educational function, perceptive function and finally, aesthetic
as well as the bad influence of money in the society from which people will think
about this issue and learn something. Idioms, on the other hand, mainly have the
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functions of naming, depicting things, properties or various phenomena. In general,
they do not pass judgments, offer advice or state the universal truth. In other words,
but not pointing out any moral lesson. Furthermore, we can differentiate proverbs
from idioms by examining their grammatical structures. While proverbs are
just phrases which serve as parts of
words only.
1.2.4.2. Idioms versus slang
“very informal words,
phrases, etc., commonly used in speech, especially between people from the same
social group or who work together, not considered suitable for formal contexts and
often not in use for long”. Slang can appear as a brand new word, a new meaning
for an existing word, an abbreviation for a word, or a word that becomes more
generalized than its former, narrow meaning.
Although both idioms and slangs are almost fixed expressions, they differ from each
other in some aspects. It can be inferred from the definition that slang is used by
only some specific communities whereas idioms are used more commonly. In other
words, slang terms are often known only within an in-group. Despite not being used
(great and
impr -looking) are slang
words used by variety of people from different social class.
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