1

2

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The study has been completed at College of Foreign

DA NANG UNIVERSITY

Languages, University of Danang

LÊ THỊ THÙY DƯƠNG
AN INVESTIGATION INTO LINGUISTIC

Supervisor : Assoc. Pro. Dr. Phan Văn Hoà
Examiner 1: Assoc. Pro. Dr. Ngô Đình Phương
Examiner 2 : Dr. Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa

FEATURES OF REPETITION IN BUSINESS
SPEECHES IN ENGLISH AND
VIETNAMESE
Subject area : THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Code

: 60.22.15

The Thesis was defended at the Examination Council
for the M.A theses, University of Danang.
Time



Vietnamese”. I hope that the research result will provide certain

1.1. RATIONALE

linguistically useful practical knowledge for teachers and learners of

Since ancient times, and in cultures broader around the world,

English, especially for those

who are not very good at making

oral communication has played a central role in establishing cohesive

speech.

and honorable human relations in villages, cities and societies. This

1.2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

tradition provides important resources for men and women of today

1.2.1.

who want greater skills in speech communication [31, p.6].

- setting off

Speeches are especially important to businessmen because their

- Providing an in-depth analysis of

linguistic features of

repetition in EBSs and VBSs.

speech in improving the ideas of a speech. The style can advance and

- Analýing the similarities and differences of linguistic features

strengthen ideas and arguments in a speech and it helps the speaker

of repetition in business speeches under the light of the own socio-

build a close relationship with their listeners. And some useful tactics

cultures, economies of two nations- The U.S.A and Vietnam.

of good styles are the stylistic devices – also called rhetorical devices

- Suggesting some implications for languages users in creation

or figures of speech which make speeches more interesting and

and appreciation of speeches containing stylistic devices.

lively and help speakers get and keep their readers and listeners’

1.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY



LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL

speeches in English and Vietnamese ?
2. What are the similarities and differences of linguistic
features of repetition in business speeches in English and
Vietnamese?

BACKGROUND
2.1. LITERATURE REVIEW
The study of repetition, a stylistic device has been done by
many researchers. It is appeared in a series of works including Clean

3. What are some implications for languages users in creation

Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, Modern Rhetoric (1961); Donald

and appreciation of speeches containing stylistic devices, namely

Freeman,ed., Linguistic and Literary Style (1970) ; Galperin, IR ,

repetition ?

Stylistics (1971) ; V.A Maltzew Minks, Stylistics (1984); Connor, U.,

1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Contractive Rhetoric (1996), Victoria A. Fromkin, Linguistics

The fact is that, most of Vietnamese people are not very good


of usages of repetition in business speeches in English and

(2005) ect. However, these do not clearly mention on repetition.

Vietnamese in order that they are able to apply these in their work

Some works relating to speeches has been done to date such as

selectively.

Sproule, J.M, Speechmaking (1997), Tedford, T.T, Public Speaking

1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

in a Free Society (1991), Dania Carlin, Public Speaking Today..., and

Chapter 1, Introduction

some researches by Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hải (2007) and Lê Thị Hoàng

Chapter 2, Literature review and theoretical background

Vân (2008) . Again, there is no research on repetition, specially the

Chapter 3, Research design and methodology

linguistic features of repetition in business speeches being done.

Chapter 4, Findings and discussion


or for a special effect” is taken as lodestar.

delivered to an audience whether prepared or impromptu” [40]. In

2.2.2.2. Classification of Repetition

addition, Đỗ Hữu Châu [7, p.9] stresses that lectures, speeches are
written discourse made to be spoken..

The classification of repetition is various, it is
categorized by linguists, Đinh Trọng Lạc [3] , Trần Ngọc Thêm [8],

There are various viewpoints of business speeches, in short,

Galperin [20]... and from the linguists having the articles from

business speeches can be considered as a formal public discourse

wikipedia ... [41]. However, it needs stressing that there is a

concerning business issue, presentations at work such as the speeches

distinction between sound, syntactic and semantic repetitions. So that

relating to politics or culture, diplomacy, ect...

in this thesis, the classification of repetition are based on mains

2.2.1.2. Classification of Business Speech

syllables of adjacent words. [28]
2.

Repetition of syntax (Repetition of words, phrases,

clauses, and sentences)
a. Epizeuxis or palilogia is the repetition of words in
immediate succession, for vehemence or emphasis.
b. Conduplicatio is the repetition of a word in various places
throughout a paragraph.


9

10

c. Anadiplosis is the repetition of the last word of a preceding

work I stick to the opinion of I. Galperin [20, p.212-214]. Repetition

clause. The word is used at the end of a sentence and then used again

as a stylistic device is the typical generalization of linguistic means

at the beginning of the next sentence.

of expressing excited condition, which could be expressed by

d. Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or group of


functions in speech, most common of which is the function of adding

beginning and the end are the two positions of stronger emphasis in a

expressiveness to the utterance.

sentence.
i. Diacope is a rhetorical term meaning uninterrupted repetition

2.2.3. Stylistic features of repetition
2.2.3.1. Stylistic devices (rhetoric)

of a word, or repetition with only one or two words between each

2.2.3.2. Repetition and other stylistic devices

repeated phrase.

a. Climax

3. Repetition of lexis

b. Antithesis

a. Pleonasm is the use of more words in the sentence then

c. Parallel construction

necessary to express the meaning; redundancy of expression.
b. Tautology is the repetition of the same word/phrase or the


faces of Smoot and Hawley, today we run the risk of sliding

speech.

down a slippery slope of tit-for-tat measures”.[56]
In a sort paragraph, the speaker used a number of
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

“alliteration”- run the risk; sliding down a slippery slope; tit-for-tat
in order to increase the risk and difficulty of the problem.
b. Assonance

3.1. RESEARCH METHODS

(2) “... in which mercantile pursuits have precedence over

3.2. RESEARCH PROCEDURES

human beings, the market over individuals, and might over

3.3. INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION

right?”[49]

3.4. DATA COLLECTION

4.1.2. Repetition of Sounds in VBSs



shows the distribution of these kinds in 230 samples in EBSs.

4.1.1. Repetition of Sounds in EBSs
We have two types – they are alliteration and assonance. The
power of this type is often expressed in literature, especially in poetry.

1. Anaphora
Anaphora can start with a word or phrases. Anaphora can also
repeat clauses at the beginning of sentences. For example:

Thus, we rarely see this type in speeches, especially in business

(9) “Provided each of us recognizes that we need to belong as

speeches.

much as we needoourafreedom. Provided we accept that such

a. Alliteration

belonging and such freedom are exercised in a universal and
collective framework, ....Provided we endorse the idea that the


13

14

democratic principle needs renewal if it is to go beyond the


we” were repeated four times makes the audiences pay their attention

5. Conduplicatio

into the speech . However, these sentences were between the first

In example (20), the phrase “one or two” was repeated several

“Provided each of us” and the last “Provided all..” which creates

times although they were not the same; they are “a word or two”,

stronger effect of repetition in the speech.

“one or two comments”, “one or two favorable reactions”, “one or

Especially, the speakers used not only repetition in their
speeches but also enumeration. We had the general structure

two unfavorable reactions” or “one or two papers”. However, the
repeated phrase gave strong impression and effect.

“Provided we +V+ that +...”. This made their utterances richer in

(20) “Now, may I just have a word or two about this year's

descriptive detail and created the deep impression on the hearers.

Budget for next year. I did notice you referred to indirectly, .....