MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

M.A. THESIS

A STUDY ON ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
GREETINGS FROM A CROSS- CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE
(NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ LỜI CHÀO TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT
TỪ PHỐI CẢNH GIAO TIẾP GIAO VĂN HÓA)

NGUYEN THI PHUONG THANH

Hanoi, 2016


MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

M.A. THESIS

A STUDY ON ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
GREETINGS FROM A CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE
(NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ LỜI CHÀO TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT
TỪ PHỐI CẢNH GIAO TIẾP GIAO VĂN HÓA)

NGUYEN THI PHUONG THANH

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60220201

constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose
stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly
through my growth as an academic researcher.
A special word of thanks goes to all the teachers of the Post Graduate
Department of Hanoi Open University for their valuable lectures on many
aspects of my concern which laid the foundation for this thesis and many
others, without whose support and encouragement it would never have been
possible for me to have this thesis accomplished.
Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my family, my friends for
the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work.

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ABSTRACT
Mastering a new language does not only consist of the ability to
master its system of form but also the ability to use its linguistic units
appropriately. This is because languages differ from one another not only in
their systems of phonology, syntax and lexicon but also in their speakers’
manners of pattering their discourse and relating speech act. Therefore,
people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds come into
contact; there always exists the possibility for misunderstanding. This thesis
is an attempt to provide a cross-cultural comparison of greeting categories in
English and Vietnamese. The greeting categories are analyzed with data
taken from the questionnaires for the Vietnamese and English informants.
Utilizing contrastive analysis, the author analyzed the greeting categories in
English and Vietnamese. Results of the study showed that greeting is a
socially significant even in universal terms. Especially in Vietnamese,
greeting is an important part in cultural life. Some issues considered as “a
taboo” in English are used popularly in Vietnamese. These are the specific

1.3. Objectives of the study ...................................................................... 2
1.4. Scope of the study ............................................................................. 2
1.5. Significance of the study ................................................................... 3
1.6. Structural organization of the study ................................................... 3
Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................... 5
2.1. Review of previous studies ................................................................ 5
2.2. Review of theoretical background ..................................................... 7
2.2.1. Language and communication .................................................... 7
2.2.2. Cultural traits in greeting ............................................................ 8
2.2.3. Overview of speech acts ........................................................... 10
2.2.3.1. Definition of speech acts .................................................... 10
2.2.3.2. Components of Speech acts................................................ 11
2.2.3.3. Classification of Speech Act .............................................. 12
2.2.3.4. Politeness Theory. .............................................................. 14
2.2.4. Cross-cultural communication .................................................. 18
2.2.5. Overview of Greetings .............................................................. 19
2.2.5.1. Greeting as a speech act. .................................................... 19
2.2.5.2. Definition of Greetings ...................................................... 19
2.2.5.3. The pragmatic functions of Greetings ................................ 20
2.2.5.4. Types of greetings.............................................................. 24
2.2.6. Summary .................................................................................. 30
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Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 31
3.1. Research-governing orientations...................................................... 31
3.1.1. Research questions.................................................................... 31
3.1.2. Research setting ........................................................................ 31
3.1.3. Research approach. ................................................................... 32
3.1.4. Principles for data collection and data analysis ......................... 33

greeting categories .......................................................................... 52
4.3. Implication in using greeting categories for Vietnamese learners of
English. .................................................................................................. 60
Chapter 5: CONCLUSION...................................................................... 62
5.1. Recapitulation.................................................................................. 62
5.2. Concluding remarks......................................................................... 63
5.3. Limitation of the research ................................................................ 63
5.4. Suggestion for further studies .......................................................... 64

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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1.

Rationale for the study
In recent years, English has become an international language

used widely all over the world. It is not only the language of communication
and media but also the language of knowledge and culture. Mastering
English is considered an obligated condition for everyone in Vietnam
and it is implied to be a “passport” for a good job because English serves
their job and their promotion. Therefore, people pay more and more
attention to learning English. They no longer do grammar and translation
exercises only but listening skill and speaking skill have been invested
more time and better attention as well. As a result, English has been
learnt more properly and used more effectively.
However, in reality, Vietnamese learners of English often make
mistakes in communicating with English speakers. This is mostly caused

knowledge and skills in greetings.
1.3. Objectives of the study
To achieve the aims above, the following objectives can be put forward:
- Pointing out the categories of greeting in English and Vietnamese.
- Identifying the similarities and differences of greeting categories in English
and Vietnamese from a cross-cultural perspective.
- Providing the Vietnamese learners of English some implications in using
greeting categories.
1.4. Scope of the study
Academically, the greeting categories which are analyzed in this study
are English and Vietnamese in spoken form. The models of greeting
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categorized and analyzed in this study include only the greetings that are
commonly found in daily communication and expressed to other(s) orally.
Moreover, greeting is one important part of language, especially is the
initiator of conservation. How greeting is used in different cultures,
particularly between English and Vietnamese is my great concern.
Therefore, the study focused on the cultural similarities and differences
between English and Vietnamese greetings; greetings in different social
encounters.
1.5. Significance of the study
Theoretically, major similarities and differences between the English
and Vietnamese speakers when greeting someone will be highlighted and
analyzed in great detail to add some certain theoretical background to study
English.
Practically, the findings of the study will increase readers’ awareness
of cross-cultural differences in order to avoid culture shock and to guarantee
successful communication. As a teacher of English, the author feels dutybound to raise her students’ awareness of conventional behaviors in common


Chapter 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Review of previous studies
Greeting is really an interesting issue in our daily life. It plays an
important role in communicative competence necessary for being a member
of any speech community. There are many famous Vietnamese and foreign
linguist and scholars having done researches on this linguistic field.
Ebsworth (1992) also indicated that greeting can be seen in the different
ways which cultures choose to perform these speech acts. Greetings in
American or British English are often produced by a serial turn taking of the
communicative partners. It was recognized that American greetings have a
greater variety because Americans make use of more creative language. It lies
in the fact that greetings as part of cross-cultural communication may vary
from lexical choices to substantial differences in cultural norms and values.
Greetings in American English consist of a range of linguistic and non-verbal
choices which may include a simple wave or smile, a single utterance, or a
lengthy a series of conservational turns.
Nodoushan (2007) provided some examples and explanations for the
most common used greetings in American English. He divided the greetings
in to two different types based on time: in time-free and time-bound.
Nodoushan (2007) also claimed that Americans tends to be more informal in
their daily life greetings. Except on official occasions such as reception of
distinguished guests, American society has a certain amount of informality in
introductions and greetings. On most occasions one need not be ‘particularly
conscious of social status, Americans generally ignore it’ (p.359). In spite of
the informality, however, there are rules of good manners and social patterns
that should be followed. There are rules of introducing people to each other.

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and a comparison between Vietnamese and English greetings” studies on
greeting and greeting culture in English and Vietnamese. He also points out
the similarities and differences between them. However, his research is rather
wide. He infers both verbal and non-verbal greeting.
However, it seems there is a lack of a research which deals with the
differences between English and Vietnamese from a cross-cultural
communication perspective. That is the reason for this research to be done.
2.2. Review of theoretical background
2.2.1. Language and communication
Language is the remarkable system that allows people to communicate
an unlimited combination of ideas using a highly structured stream of sounds.
Or “language is the system of special signals which people use to
communicate and it is the basic means of communication and developing
thought of people. People use language to impart tradition, culture, history
and experiences from the old generation to the young generation”. It is the
method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the
use of words in an agreed way. And there is no doubt that language is a
system for communicating.
When people want to tell each other something, language appears.
Apparently, language is the means of communication. Without language,
people cannot exchange information, experiences and share feelings, thought
with each other. People use language to express their thought, feelings, ideas,
experience. It is the reality of thought.
Communication is a process by which information is exchanged
between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior.
It is the activity or the process of expressing ideas, feelings or exchanging the
ideas, information with someone. It is clearly seen that the way we

a society. Culture includes all knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and
any other tradition and habits acquired by man as a member of society.
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Culture is also a historically transmitted, socially constructed system of
beliefs, premises, symbols and their meanings that pertain to a group of
people. So we can consider culture a tool that our families and societies instill
in us to get through life. In Vietnamese, cross cultural is defined as the
contact, the affective exchange, the interaction among cultural aspects of
different ethnics. In English, culture is like an iceberg, most of which is deep
within the ocean just much of culture is deep within people. The tip of the
iceberg is easy to see. This includes the visible aspects and taboo of
communication on other cultures; the remaining huge chuck of the iceberg
hidden below the surface includes the invisible aspects of a culture such as the
values, traditions, experience and behaviors that define each culture.
The connection between the human capacities for culture and language
has been notes as far as classical antiquity, the relation between language and
culture is more complex than the coordinate title language and culture would
suggest. Language is, of course, an integral part of culture, defined
simplistically as the totality of beliefs and practices of a society.
Furthermore, the semantic content of language is always related to the
entities, events, states, processes, characteristics and relations within culture,
and culture depends in large measure on language in order to function and to
perpetuate itself. It is not strange, therefore, that most of the serious mistakes
in translation are the result of not recognizing the intimate relations between
language and culture.
Greeting expression is a phenomenon of language. And as language is
believed to be woven into every fabric of every human culture, it can be said
that greeting expression is an element of culture.

actions. They are “words that do things” in the world and in saying
something the speaker does something. Besides, Austin originally (1960:52)
used the term “speech acts to refer to an utterance” and the “total situation
in which the utterance is issued”. (Thomas,1996:51).
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Sharing with Austin’s ideas, Richards, Platt, J. and Platt, H.
(1992:342) defines, “speech acts is an utterance as a functional unit in
communication”. Also, Yule (1996:47) states, “Actions performed via
utterances are generally called speech acts”. These speech acts are
commonly given such specific labels as apologizing, complaining,
complimenting, inviting, promising or requesting etc.
Thus, their common assumption is that when conversing people use
grammatical and lexical units not only to produce utterances, but also to
perform actions. These speech acts, considered as minimal units of human
communication, are performed in actual situations of language use – as
Searle (1969:16) says, “…. Speech acts…are the basic or minimal units of
linguistic communication”.
2.2.3.2. Components of Speech acts
According to Austin’s theory (1962), the act is performed under any
of the three forces; what we say has three kinds of meaning which Trung
(2013:105) called three components namely locutionary, illocutionary, and
perlocutionary.


Locutionary Force : is what produces the act of “saying something”,

i.e., the act of uttering a certain sentence with a meaning.


According to Austin’s classification (1962:151), Illocutionary act are
classified into five functions namely:
Speech act

Functions

Examples

types
Verdictives

acts that consist of delivering acquit, hold (as a matter of
a finding

Exercitives

law), read something as, etc.

acts of giving a decision for appoint,
or against a course of action

dismiss,

order,

sentence, etc.

Commissives acts whose point is to commit contract, give one’s word,
the speaker to a course of declare one’s
action

directives, and commissives.
Speech act types

Functions

Representatives

Commit the speaker to the truth
of the expressed proposition.
 Asserting, concluding

Examples
- “The

Moon

goes round the
Earth"
- "It is windy
today."

Directives

Attempts by the speaker to get
the addressee to do something.
 Requesting, questioning

- "Stand up,
please!"
- "Could you

precondition of human cooperation ... any theory which provides an
understanding of this phenomenon at the same time goes to the foundation of
human social life.
(Brown and Levinson, 1987)
 Concept of politeness
Many linguists share their understanding and their concern on the
concept of politeness. Brown and Levinson (1990:2), in their introduction to
“Politeness- Some Universal in Language Usage”, emphasize that “the issues
of politeness raise sociological speculations of this scale; they also touch on
many other interests and many other fields”.

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Hill et al (1986:349) define politeness as “one of the constraints on
human interaction, whose purpose is to consider other’s feelings establish
levels of mutual comfort, and promote rapport”.
The notion of politeness has been largely discussed. Lakoff (1975:64)
sees politeness as “a system of interpersonal relational designed to facilitate
interaction by minimizing the potential for conflict and confrontation inherent
in all human interchange”.
According to Nguyen Quang (2005:185), “Politeness refers to any
communicative act (verbal and / or non-verbal) which is intentionally and
appropriately meant to make others feel better or less bad”.
 Politeness strategies
Linguists have stated different ways of expressing politeness strategies.
Among them, the most influential theory of politeness is put forward by
Brown & Levinson. According to Thomas the Brown and Levinson’s “has
been extraordinarily influential and very widely discussed” (Thomas, 1995).
Although there might be some criticism, such as a few overlaps and

countries, people are more inclined to employ negative politeness strategies.
However, what politeness strategy is preferred by what culture suggests a
problem. In many Oriental Languages, including Vietnamese, negative
politeness is not always put in a high place. Vietnamese people tend to use
positive politeness to show concern to others and narrow the distance between
the speaker and the hearer.
Strategies
Strategy 1

Positive politeness
Notice, attend to H (his

Negative politeness
Be conventionally indirect

interests, wants, needs,
goods)
Strategy 2

Exaggerate (interest,

Question/ hedge

approval, sympathy with H)
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