The experiential structure of nominal group in
English and Vietnamese Triệu Thành Nam Trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ
Luận văn Thạc sĩ ngành: English Linguistics; Mã số: 60 22 15
Người hướng dẫn: M.A. Nguyễn Huyền Minh
Năm bảo vệ: 2010 Abstract. The Experiential Structure of Nominal Group in English and Vietnamese is an
investigation into the experiential functions of nominal groups in English and Vietnamese in the
light of Systemic Functional based on which lots of studies and researches have been done with
great achievements claimed in the teaching and learning practice.
The thesis is to reach an understanding of the experiential structure of English and
Vietnamese nominal groups. For that to be done, there are description and interpretation of
experiential functions comprising English nominal groups. Based on the description and
interpretation done on English, Vietnamese nominal groups are examined. Examples of
Vietnamese nominal groups are marked for potential functional positions, and then component
element(s) in each position is/are examined and discussed carefully. The aim of these analyses is
to build up a functional structure pattern for Vietnamese nominal groups.
The present author also tries to point out similarities and differences in the experiential
structure of English and Vietnamese nominal groups based on the description and interpretation
having been done. This is done through the analyses of lots of Vietnamese nominal groups and
their English translation ones. The study has concluded that the similarities in the experiential
structure of English and Vietnamese nominal groups are related to the functions of Numerative,
the post-Qualifier elements, and the realization of each experiential function. In both English and
Vietnamese nominal groups, the function of Numerative occurs in the pre-position, before the

2.1.1 Deictic 11
2.1.2. Numerative. 13
2.1.3. Epithet 13
2.1.4. Classifier 13
2.2. The Head: The Thing 15
2.3. The Postmodifier – the Qualifier 16
3. Summary on the experiential structure of the nominal group in English 16
CHAPTER 2: NOMINAL GROUP IN VIETNAMESE
I. An overview of studies on Vietnamese Nominal Group 18
II. Nominal Group in Vietnamese 19
2.1 The Head: the Thing 20
2. 2. Premodifier 23
2.2.1. Position (-1) 24
2.2.2 Position (-2): Cái 24
2.2.3. Position (- 3) 25
2.2.4. Position (- 4) 26
2.3. Postmodifier 26
2.3.1. The Postmodifier is a word 26
2.3.1.1. Position (1): Classifier 26
2.3.1.2 Position (2): Epithet 27
2.3.1.3 Position (3): Deictic 27
2.3.2. The postmodifier is a phrase or clause 28
CHAPTER 3: STRUCTURAL SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
OF THE NOMINAL GROUP IN VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH
I. Similarities. 29
1.1. NGs in English and Vietnamese have the same logical structure 29
1.2. The similar realization of the experiential functions 30
1.3. The Numerative occurs before the Head 30
1.4. The structural similarity in the post-position phrases and clauses 30
II. Differences 31

groups be clearly determined based on the systemic functional grammar? One debate that has not
been solved completely is about the determination of the component element(s) of the Head and
Thing in Vietnamese nominal groups.
Furthermore, for Vietnamese learners of English, the full understanding of nominal
groups in English and Vietnamese has been proved to be of the great importance, especially,
when they want to develop skills of high proficiency, such as translation. As a matter of fact,
dense scientific terms, expressions of complicated abstract issues, etc. are in the forms of
nominalization, and their meanings are not easy to be grasped. The understanding of the
experiential functional components and the effects that each component can have on the whole
meaning of the nominal group in the two languages can help much in this case.
Those discussed above are the reasons for doing this thesis which is titled: The
Experiential Structure of Nominal Groups in English and Vietnamese.

II. Research Questions
The aims of the study are stated in the following research questions:
1. How are Nominal Groups in English and Vietnamese constructed in the light of Systemic
Functional Grammar?
2. What are the similarities and differences in the functional construction of the Nominal
Group in English and Vietnamese?

III. Scope of the study
As can be inferred from the research questions, the study focused on the experiential
functions of nominal groups in the two languages. The study is to describe the experiential
functional components of which the nominal group is comprised. Based on the descriptions, the
comparison between English and Vietnamese nominal groups will be made. Due to limited time,
the issue of reference of nominal group/noun phrase is put out of the study. That will lead to the
fact that some relevant structural features of the nominal group will not be discussed fully.
The study is within the nominal group structure and the relations of its functional
components. Nominal groups that are used for the description and demonstration tend to be of
the standard ones.

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