MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

M.A. THESIS

FEATURE OF SET EXPRESSIONS CONTAINING WORDS
“BLACK” AND “WHITE” IN ENGLISH AND “ĐEN” AND
“TRẮNG” IN VIETNAMESE FROM THE CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVES
(ĐẶC ĐIỂM CỦA NHỮNG CỤM TỪ CỐ ĐỊNH CÓ CHỨA TỪ “BLACK”
VÀ “WHITE” TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ “ĐEN” VÀ “TRẮNG” TRONG
TIẾNG VIỆT NHÌN TỪ GÓC ĐỘ VĂN HÓA)

VŨ THỊ BÌNH

Hanoi, 2016
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Front hard cover
Back hard cover

VŨ THỊ BÌNH

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2014 - 2016

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Abstract

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Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION

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1.1.

Rationale

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1.2.

Aims of the study

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1.3.

Objectives of the study

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1.4.


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2.2.1. Definition of set expressions

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2.2.2. Types of set expressions

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2.2.2.1. Idioms

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2.2.2.2. Proverbs

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2.3. Cultural and language

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2.3.1. Definition of culture

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2.3.2. Characteristics of culture

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2.4.5. Đen and trắng in Vietnamese culture

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2.5. Summary

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Chapter 3. METHODOLOGY

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3.1.

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Research orientations

3.1.1. Research questions

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3.1.2. Research approaches

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white in English
4.2. Cultural features of set expressions containing words đen and

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trắng in Vietnamese
4.3. A comparison cultural features of set expressions containing words

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black and white in English and đen and trắng in Vietnamese
4.4. Implications and suggestions for teaching and learning set

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expressions containing words black and white
4.5. Summary

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Chapter 5. CONCLUSION

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5.1. Summary and concluding remarks

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5.2. Limitations of the study

Approved by
SUPERVISOR

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoàng Tuyết Minh
Date:……………………

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from
a number of people.
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Hoang Tuyet Minh, my supervisor, who has patiently and 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 my friends 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 husband for the
sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work.

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ABSTRACT
Language and culture are intimately connected to each other. Language
generally reflects culture and vice versa, culture has a strong influence on language.
Two countries with different cultures will surely have many dissimilarities in

one, there stand challenges existing for foreign learners to overcome. Those
difficulties derived from special factors such as culture, context or even speaker’s
implication. They affect to foreign learners’ understanding as much as possible.
In studying English, especially for the Vietnamese, it is really a
shortcoming if we do not take into consideration of set expressions in English,
especially set expressions contaning words colour. English expressions are not only
a part of language, but also one of the components creating traditional culture of
each nation. Through expressions, we can learn more clearly and deeply about
English people, their country as well as their culture. As we know, because of
specific characteristics of culture, so each colour English expression has its own
features. It lies in the fact that, colours have taken an important role in the living
and each colour also has its own meaning.
Colors are always interesting and challenging topic for linguists to explore,
color results from the way in which things reflect light. It not only makes us see but
also makes us feel and think. Colors also vary in the way that appears to reflect
specific cultural differences, especially with white and black color. They are two
opposite colors, and the most basic color in the color table. It is clear that set
expressions related to black and white have a variety of meanings that make
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foreigners learning Vietnamese meet many difficulties and they are not sure how to
make similarities and differences when using set expressions related to black and
white in English and in Vietnamese. So, clarifying these cultural perspectives will
help learners of English and Vietnamese to understand them effectively in order to
achieve their communication goals. So far, many relevant studies on colors in
English and Vietnamese have been carried out. However, researches on crosscultural with set expressions containing words black and white in English and
Vietnamese have not been done.
For these reasons, we decided to choose the topic “Features of set
expressions containing words “black” and “white” in English and “đen” and

corpus sources, our study has based on the following documents:
- Thành ngữ, tục ngữ, ca dao Việt Nam (Việt Chương, 2003)
- Từ điển thành ngữ - tục ngữ Việt Nam (Nguyễn Lân, 1993)
- Từ điển thành ngữ tiếng Việt phổ thông (Nguyễn Như Ý, 2002)
- Tuyển chọn thành ngữ tục ngữ Việt Nam (Du Yên, 2004)
- Thành ngữ trong tiếng Anh (Lê Thành Tâm, Lê Ngọc Phương Tâm, 2004)
- Oxford dictionary of English idioms (Cowie A.P, Mackin R, Mc Caig
I.R, 1994)
- English idioms in use (Michael McCarthy, Felicity O&Dell, 2003)
This study focuses mainly on the cultural perspectives in English and
Vietnamese equally. Comparison and contrasting cultural features are to point out
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the similarities and differences between English culture in using set expressions
containing words black and white and Vietnamese culture in using set expressions
containing words đen and trắng.
1.5. Significance of the study
- Theoretically, the study supplies a deeper understanding of set expressions
containing words black and white in English, đen and trắng in Vietnamese in
particular in terms of their cultural features.
- Practically, the study points out the similarities and differences about the
cultural features of set expressions containing words black and white to learners to
improve their usage of language skills when using set expressions containing words
black and white, particularly communicative skills and avoid culture shocks.
1.6. Design of the study
The thesis consists of five chapters as below:
Chapter 1, Introductions, presents the overview of the thesis including
rationale, aims, objectives, scope, research methods, significance,


semantic universals about color terms. Wierzbicka (1996) and Goddard (1998)
maintain that visual and environmental things should be referred to as common
reference points for color meanings. Guimei He (2009) mentions the cultural
connotation in the color words between Chinese and English languages is very
abundant. Francis M. Adams and Charles E. Osgood (2011), also studies the
affective meanings of color in cross cultural. It is also another study, Huei-ling Lai
and Shu-chen Lu (2012), mentions and shows the similarities and variations in the
meaning extensions of black and white, and further to find the cultural factors
behind them but it only mentions in in Taiwanese Languages. Hui-Chih Yu (2014),
shows the differences and similarities of symbolic meanings of colour in English
and Chinese in his study.
In Vietnamese, there have also been many authors carrying out studies on
color, culture in using of colors, set experession such as: Trương Thanh Ngọc
(2003), she mentions semantic features of word denoting colors in English and
Vietnamese: black, white, green, red, yellow, blue, brown, grey, orange, pink and
purple. However, in other study by Nguyễn Mai Diệu Khoa (2003), she focuses her
attention on the study of metaphoric meaning of words denoting colour which
includes six main colours. Nguyễn Thị Diệu Hảo (2005) finds that people tend to
use idioms denoting colour words in daily communication. Lê Thị Thanh Thủy
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(2009), points out connotation meanings of white, red, blue in both languges
English and Vietnamese. Phan Lê Thị Huyền (2011) bases on new trend with
contrastive analysis on both semantic and pragmatic features of the adjective Black
in English and Đen in Vietnamese in compound words, collocation and idiomatic
phrases. Bùi Thị Thanh Hiền (2011), studies the metaphor related to Red in English
and Vietnamese in her study. Phạm Thị Kim Chuyên (2012), shows similarities
and differences of semantic features of the word Green in English and Xanh (lá
cây) in Vietnamese.

different from the meanings of the individual words”
J. Seidl and W. McMordie (1998) concept "An idioms can be defined as a
number of words which, when taken together, have a different meaning from the
individual meanings of each ".
The number of idioms in English is considerable. Some interesting examples
are: It was for the birds (means: It’s is really meaningless and uninteresting), or to
bury the hatchet (to make peace), to call it a day (to stop doing something), to paint
the town red (to carouse and have a good time), ...
For the Vietnamese, it also carries the same basic point English particular
idioms and idiomatic language of the world in general. Hồ Lê (1976) refers an
idiom is a word combination which has stable structure and figurative meaning and
is used to describe an image, a phenomenon, a characteristic, or a state. Đái Xuân

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Ninh (1978) defines an idiom is a set expression whose constituents lose their
independence to some extend and combine into a rather complete and stable units.
According to Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (1985), Idiom is a phrase whose meaning it
is not made up of the meaning of the words composing it. Even if the meaning of
all words which can not yet guess idiom meaning of that phrase. Idioms with
completeness of meaning but secluded nature of the elements in the structure, so it
activities in question as equivalent to an individual from.
Hoàng Văn Thành (1997), idiom is a combination of fixed and sustainability
of the morphology, structure, complete and polished on the meaning to be widely
used in daily communication, especially in the oral.
To build a foundational definition for the study, we base on the above
features as well as our own observation, then apply the following definition as the
mafor concept for our research working: An idiom is a fixed phrase which has
integrity of meaning, making a complete referential unit whose meaning is different

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Hornby, 2006) has
given a definition proverb is a well-known phrase or sentence that gives advice or
says something that is generally true, for example: Waste not, want not.
Or according to Linda and Roger Flavell (1993), proverb is a concise
sentence, often metaphorical or alliterative in form, which is held to express some
truth ascertained by experience or observation and familiar to all.

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Paul Hermadi and Francis Steen (1999) make it clearly by considering
proverbs brief, memorable, and intuitively convincing formulations of socially
sanctioned advice. The concept of proverb is, however, a bit different in
Vietnamese.
Alan Dundes (1978) standing on the concept defined structure: A proverb is
a traditional propositional statement consisting of at least one descriptive element, a
descriptive element consisting of a topic and a comment.
However, in Vietnamese, the concept of proverb is a bit different.
Vietnamese dictionary defines proverb as short statements, often expressed with
rhythm, which sum up knowledge, life experience and moral lessons of people.
According to Phạm Văn Bình (1993), A proverb is a complete sentence expressing
an idea of comment, of experience, of morality, of justice or of criticism draw from
the human life.
Vũ Ngọc Phan (2000), particularly considered a proverb as a complete
saying expressing one idea of comment, experience, morality, justice or
criticism.
Nguyễn Thái Hòa (2009) was conceived: A proverb is the mouthpiece
formed in everyday speech. Those are the words but units exist in the memories of
the community as a unit of language.
For example: Ngọt mật chết ruồi, con có cha như nhà có nóc, phép vua thua



The term “culture” derives from the Latin cultura. The original meaning is
agriculture, referring to the practice of tilling the soil, growing crops and raising
animals.
Until 1871, in his enormously influential and classic book PrimitiveCulture
,British anthropologist Edward Taylor became the first to give a full definition of
culture which is widely quoted: “Culture…is that complex whole which includes
knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom and any other capacities and habits
acquired by man as a member of society.”
In book “Intercultural communication” Nguyễn Quang also claims that:
Culture is a shared background (for example, national, ethnic, religious)
resulting from a common language and communication style, customs, beliefs,
attitudes, and values.” The nature of culture is aptly compared to an iceberg, most
of which is hidden under water. Just as an iceberg has a visible section above the
waterline, and a larger, invisible section below the waterline, culture has some
aspects that are observable such as literature, gestures, foods and eating habits
and others that can onlybe suspected, existing only in the realms of thought,
feeling, and belief. “Like the iceberg most of the influence of culture on an
individual cannot beseen. The part of culture that is exposed is not always that
which creates ross-cultural difficulties; the hidden aspects of culture have
significant effects on behavior and on interactions with others.
(Nguyễn Quang, 1996)
In 2000, a Japanese anthropologist, Matsumoto, delivered another definition
of culture as many characteristics of a group of people, including attitudes,
behaviors, customs and values that are transmitted from one generation to the next.
His point is supported by Edward T. Hall, who wrote that “culture is a way of life
of a people, the sum of their learned behavior patterns, attitudes, and materials
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hidden fact that some people feel the need to follow the beliefs and traditions of
their own culture, even though they might be not subscribing to certain ideologies
within.
Culture is a complex tool which every individual has to learn to survive in a
society. It is the means through which people interact with others in the society. It
acts in a subconscious way and whatever we see and perceive, seems to be normal
and natural. Sometimes, other societies and people seem to be a little odd because
they have a different culture from ours. We must remember that every society has a
distinct culture that forms the backbone of the society. Culture does not remain
stagnant; on the other hand, it is evolving constantly and is in fact somewhat
influenced by the other cultures and societies. Every society has a different culture,
where people share a specific language, traditions, behavior, perceptions and
beliefs. Culture gives them an identity that makes them unique and different from
people of other cultures. When people of different cultures migrate and settle in
another society, the culture of that society becomes the dominant culture and those
of the immigrants form the subculture of the community. Usually, people who
settle in other nations imbibe the new culture; while at the same time strive to
preserve their own. Although every society has a specific culture, there are certain
elements of culture that are universal. They are known as cultural universals, in
which there are certain behavioral traits and patterns that are shared by all cultures
around the world. For instance, classifying relations based on blood relations and
marriage, differentiating between good and bad, having some form of art, use of
jewelry, classifying people according to gender and age, etc., are common in all
cultures of the world. Some people believe that humans are the only living beings
who have a culture. Nevertheless, there is a group of people who believe in the
existence of culture even in animals. It is said that animals have certain social rules
that they teach their young ones as a medium for survival.
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through interaction, observation, and imitation. We start to learn the culture when
we are very young, and this process seemsto never finish.
Culture is transmissible
“Culture is described as a very large pool of information passed alongfrom
generation to generation, composed of “learned programs” for actionand
understanding” (RGD Andrade, 1981). The symbols of a culture enableus to pass
on the content and patterns of a culture. We can spread our culture through the
spoken words or written scripts. Vietnamese folklore, is a kind of culture vocally
handed down to present from the past. We also can use nonverbal actions as
symbols, for example, showing others that we usually shake hands to greet one
another. The portability of symbols allows us to package and store them as well as
transmits them. The mind, books, pictures, films, video, and so on, enables
a culture to preserve what is important and worthy of transmission. “Each
individual, regardless of his or her generation, is heir to a massive “library of
information” that has been collected in anticipation of his or her entry into the
culture” (RG D. Andrade,1981).
Culture is selective
Every culture represents a limited choice of behavior patterns from the
infinite patterns of human experience. “Culture is selective in that among the gamut
of human possibilities it chooses some options rather then others for its bearers”
(Charles Tabor - quoted by Dr. Curt Watke, 2003). This selection is made
according to the basic assumption and values that are meaningful to each culture.
Therefore, culture helps to defines the boundaries of different groups.
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