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M.A. THESIS

SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF BEGINNING
VERB GROUP IN ENGLISH AND THEIR VIETNAMESE
EQUIVALENTS

(ĐẶC ĐIỂM CÚ PHÁP VÀ NGỮ NGHĨA CỦA NHÓM ĐỘNG
TỪ BEGINNING TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG
TRONG TIẾNG VIỆT)

PHẠM THỊ NHUNG
Field: English Language
Code: 60220201
Supervisor: Assoc. Pro. Dr. LE VAN THANH

Hanoi,2017


Contents
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................... 4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................. 5
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... 6
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................... 7
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 8
1.1

Rationale ..................................................................................................... 8

4.2. Common errors made by students at Tong Duy Tan High School when
using BEGINNING verb group in English ......................................................... 53
4.3. Suggestions for teaching and learning BEGINNING verb group in English
............................................................................................................................. 57
4.4 Summary ....................................................................................................... 61
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ............................................................................ 62
5.1 Concluding remark ........................................................................................ 62
5.2 Limitations .................................................................................................... 63
5.3. Suggestions for further researches ............................................................... 63
REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 64
APPENDIX ......................................................................................................... 66


CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report
entitled “Syntactic and semantic features of BEGINNING verb group
and their Vietnamese equivalents” submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Master in English Language. Except where the
reference is indicated, no other person’s work has been used without due
acknowledgement in the text of the thesis.

Hanoi, 2017

Pham Thi Nhung

Approved by
SUPERVISOR

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Thanh

features. We also present the implications for teaching and learning the
BEGINNING verb group as well as for further study and understanding the
meaning of the BEGINNING verb group in general and the usages of them in
particular is the first difficulty of learners and the second one is the way of using
the BEGINNING verb group in each specific context. The BEGINNING verb
group includes 7 verbs: begin, start, continue, keep (on), stop, finish and
complete. The thesis is expected to help Vietnamese learners of English learn,
translate and use the BEGINNING verb group in English effectively.


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

A

Adverbial

C

Complement

E

English

NP

Noun phrase

O


There have been a lot of researchers conducting investigations into BEGINNING
verb group in both English and Vietnamese. In English, there are different researchers
with books such as: Anna Wierzbicka (1972) studied about the semantic features of
verbs such as: start, continue, finish; R. M. W. Dixon (1991), A new approach to
English grammar on semantic principles; Gilbert Ryle (2009); Susanna Karlsson
(2008). In Vietnam with studies: Hoàng Tuệ (1962), Giáo trình Việt Ngữ; Nguyễn
Kim Thản( 1997), Động từ trong tiếng Việt; Hoàng Phê (1998), Vietnamese
dictionary. These studies thoroughly describe about the semantic features of the
BEGINNING verb group but they have not been exploited in terms of their syntactic
features yet. Moreover, the equivalents between two languages English and
Vietnamese have not been implemented yet.
In the process of teaching English verbs in general, there is a fact that my
learners have faced many problems when they use this group of verbs. They are often
confused to choose the right verb and make errors in using them. Therefore, a study
has been carried out to find out how to use these verbs accurately and correctly from
the analysis of their syntactic and semantic features with reference to their equivalents
in Vietnamese. As there are a lot of BEGINNING verb group, learners can use
numerous words to express their ideas. However, a great number of people make
mistakes when they use the BEGINNING verb group in different situations to
communicate. To compare the syntactic and semantic features of the BEGINNING
verb group are important to learners, so that they can have good knowledge to use the
BEGINNING verb group effectively.
A great numbers of studies on verbs with certain linguistic units has been
researched; however, there is no study of BEGINNING verb group. For the above


reasons, the topic “Syntactic and semantic features of BEGINNING verb group in
English and their Vietnamese equivalents” is chosen with the purpose of finding out
the equivalents of English and Vietnamese BEGINNING verb group. The study only
focuses on seven English BEGINNING verbs begin, start, continue, keep (on), finish,

3. What are the suggestions for teaching and learning English BEGINNING verb
group?
1.4 Methods of the study
This study is designed and investigated the syntactic and semantic features of the
BEGINNING verb group in English with reference to the Vietnamese equivalents, so
the qualitative, descriptive and contrastive methods are chosen. This study analyzes


and synthesis to some syntactic, semantic features of the BEGINNING verb group in
English and their Vietnamese equivalents. Therefore, in the process of this study, the
BEGINNING verb group is main resources for the research making English the source
language and Vietnamese the target one.
First of all, the qualitative method is referred the meaning as well as the
definitions or the concepts of the BEGINNING verb group in English and in
Vietnamese. Then, the descriptive method is used to describe the characteristics and
equivalents of semantic and syntactic structures of the English BEGINNING verb
group in English and Vietnamese. Additionally, the contrastive method is used to
compare the syntactic and semantic features of the BEGINNING verb group in
English and Vietnamese to make clear the similarities and differences between them.
Moreover, analysis and synthesize are also utilized as supporting methods.
Though analysis method, the similarities and differences of the BEGINNING verb
group are analyzed and with synthesize method, some verbs belong to the
BEGINNING verb group are synthesized to illustrate from different sources such as
books, dictionaries, literary works, newspapers, magazines and websites. As a matter
of fact, to investigate the structures of the BEGINNING verb group with their different
components and semantic features. Analytical method and synthetic method is also
used for grouping them on the basic of certain criteria according to structural and
semantic features. Finally, in the conducting of the investigation, setting up a regular
consultancy with supervisor for a guidance and academic exchange is critical techique
to find out a right direction for doing the research successfully.

are engaged in teaching English as well as those who want to learn English as a
foreign language.
1.7 Design of the study
This thesis is organized into five chapters named as follows: Introduction, Literature
Review, Syntactic and semantic features of BEGINNING verb group in English and
their Vietnamese equivalents, Common errors made by students at Tong Duy Tan
High school when using BEGINNING verb group in English and Conclusion.
Chapter1, Introduction, gives the reason why this topic has been chosen for the
research as well as its aims and objectives, methods, scope, significance and structure
of the thesis.
Chapter 2, Literature review, presents the previous studies on different kinds of verb
in English and Vietnamese along with the theoretical background employed for
conducting the thesis
Chapter 3, Syntactic and semantic features of BEGINNING verb group in
English and their Vietnamese equivalents, presents the syntactic and semantic
features of the BEGINNING verb group in English and Vietnamese, and then finds out
the similarities and differences between them.
Chapter 4, Common errors made by students at Tong Duy Tan High school when
using BEGINNING verb group in English, shows the research implications for


teaching and learning English and common errors made by students as a foreign
language.
Chapter 5, Conclusion, makes a brief summary of the whole thesis, points out some
limitations and give recommendation as well as suggestions for a further study.
References are presented at the end of the study.


Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical background as well as relevant

distinction between factive verbs and non- factive verbs in English and Vietnamese
translational equivalents.
Although all the studies above thoroughly describe about the semantic or the
meaning features of the BEGINNING verb group, they have not been exploited in
terms of their syntactic features yet. Especially, the equivalents between two languages
English and Vietnamese have not been implemented. Moreover, the implications for
teaching and learning the BEGINNING verb group from English into Vietnamese
have not carried out yet.
As a result, that is why this research studies about the BEGINNING verb group.
The BEGINNING verb group of this study consists of seven verbs as begin, start,
continue, keep (on), finish, stop and complete. In this paper, the features of syntactic
along with semantic of the BEGINNING verb group will be analyzed clearly from
many different resources.
2.2. Overview of syntax and semantics
2.2.1. Theory of syntax
Within traditional grammar, the syntax of a language is described in term of
taxonomy of the range of different types of syntactic structures found in the language.
The central assumption underpinning syntactic analysis in traditional grammar is that
phrases and sentences are built up a series of constituents, each of which belongs to a
specific grammatical category and serves a specific grammatical function.
Syntax is a set of rules in language. It dictates how words from different parts
of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought According to R.M.W.
Dixon (1991), syntax deals with the way in which words are combined together. Verbs
have different grammatical properties from language to language but there is always a
major class verb, which includes word referring to motion, rest, BEGINNING, giving
and speaking Syntax is understood to be the theory of the structure of sentences in a
language. This view has its direct antecedents in the theory of immediate constituents,
in which the function of syntax is to mediate between the observed forms of a sentence
and its meaning.



Semantics is the study of meaning in

Lobner (2002)

Communicated through language


Linguistic semantics is the study of literal,

Frawley(1992)

decontextuallized, grammatical meaning
Linguistic semantics is the study of how languages

Kreidler (1998)

organize and express meanings
Table 2.1: Some definitions of semantics
Table 2.1provides a selection of definitions. Something that can be noticed is
that there is no complete agreement. For some, semantics concerns the study of
meaning as communicated through language, while for some others, semantics studies
all aspects of meaning and they have to add the label ‘linguistic’’ to arrive at a more
precise definition. This distinction, however, is not generally given much importance
and leaving aside special formulation, probably all authors would agree with
Kreidler’s definition (to choose just one of them):
Linguistic semantics is the study of how languages organize and express
meanings.
Nowadays, there are two ways of approaching semantics. The formal semantics
approach connects with classical philosophical semantics, that is, logic. It should not

According to R.M.W.Dixon (1991) defines that “a verb is the center of a
clause”. A verb refers to some activity and there must be a number of participants who
have roles in that activity as: Sinbad carried the old man; or it may refer to a state, and
there must be a participant to experience the state as: My leg aches.
A set of verbs is grouped together as one semantic type partly because they
require the same set of participant roles. All giving verbs require a Donor, a Gift and a
Recipient, as in:
John gave a bouquet to Mary, Jane lent the Saab to Bill.
Or:
The women’s Institutes supplied the soldiers with socks.
(R.M.W.Dixon,1991: 9)
All BEGINNING verbs take a Perceiver and an Impression (that which is seen
or heard), as in:
I heard the crash, I witnessed the accident, I recognized the driver’s face.
(R.M.W.Dixon,1991: 9)
Affect verbs are likely to involve an Agent, a Target, and something which is
manipulated by the Agent to come into contact with the target which I call manip. A
manip can always be stated, although it often does not have to be. For examples:
John rubbed the glass (with a soft cloth).
Mary sliced the tomato (with her new knife).
Tom punched Bill (with his left fist).
(R.M.W.Dixon,1991: 9)


We are here working at the semantic level, and it should be stressed that each
type has a quite distinct set of roles. There is nothing in common between Gift (that
which is transferred from one owner to another) and Impression (an object or activity
that is seen or heard) or Perceiver (a person who receives visual or auditory sense
impressions) or Agent (a person who wields a Manip to come into contact with a
Target), and so on.


Verbs require both a direct object and another object complement is complex transitive
verbs. Complex transitive verbs appear in the structure “SVOC’’ or ‘SVOA’’. In a
complex- transitive construction, the object complement identifies a quality or
attributes pertaining to the direct object. Let’s consider the following examples:
Most students have found her reasonably helpful. (SVOC)
You can put the dish on the table. (SVOA)
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 721)
The verb is perhaps the most important part of the sentence. A verb states what
is happening in the sentence. Finite verbs locate the condition or action of the verb in a
specific time frame: past, present or future and have a specific tense and a subject with
which they grammatically agree. A complete sentence must contain a finite verb.
Verbs create the relationship between the subject and the object of the verb.
In a command, there is still this relationship with the subject and object
understood. “Go!” (Subject –you- understood, verb “go!” object away– understood.)
The form of the verb must agree with the number of its subject, which will be a
noun or noun group, for example 'They were not home' (as opposed to 'They was not
home'). Confusion can arise when deciding whether the subject is singular or plural,
for example 'This group of students is very clever', or when there are two subjects, for
example 'Ice cream and strawberries are delicious' (not 'is delicious').
Intensive verbs are also called copular verbs, and they are usually followed by a
noun, or noun phrase, and adjective or prepositional phrase. Intensive verbs are used to
describe the subject. It means that the focus is on one thing- the subject only. Intensive
verbs appear in the structure SVC or SVA words or phrases, which are followed by an
intensive verb work as the subject compliment and they apply to the subject, not the
verb. Let’s consider the following examples:
Your dinner seem ready. (SVC)
My office is in the next building. (SVA)
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 721)
Intensive verbs do not take any object. It presents the relationship between the

SVA
Type

The
country
I

My
mother

Mary

was
laughing
enjoys

Most

SVOC people
Type
You
SVOA

[1a]
parties

became

[2a]
totally

garden

the [4a]

upstairs

[7a]

Table 2.1: Sentence patterns (Quirk, Randolph, 1985)
Each clause type is associated with a set of verbs. The seven fall naturally into
three main types. There are:
1. A two-element pattern: SV
They are talking.
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 721)
2. Three three-element patterns: SV + {O}
That lecture bored me. (SVO)
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 721)
3. Three four-element patterns: SVO + {O, C}


I must send my parents an anniversary card. (SVOO)
Most students have found her reasonably helpful. (SVOC)
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 721)
This set of patterns is the most general classification that can be usefully
applied to the classification of sentence patterns of the BEGINNING verb group in
English.
2.4.2. In terms of sentence elements
2.4.2.1 Syntactic features of sentence elements
Subject is the most important element of the clause elements other than the verb
according to Quirk, Randolph (1985). It is the element that is most often present. It is

[3a]


And the type of complement found in the SVOC pattern; ie: rather expensive in:
Most people consider these books rather expensive.

[6a]

The distinction is effectively made by noting that in [3a] the country is
understood to have become a totally independent country, while in [6a] the books are
understood to be considered rather expensive books. In other words, in SVC clauses
the complement applies some attribute or definition to the subject, whereas in SVOC
clauses it applies an attribute or definition to the object. This distinction is usually
denoted by the terms subject complement and object complement respectively. In these
cases, the complement is an adjective phrase, but elsewhere, where the complement is
a noun phrase, the same kind of distinction holds:
Type SVC: The country became a separate nation.
Type SVOC: Most people considered Picasso a genius.
2.4.2.2. Semantic features of sentence elements
Quirk, Randolph (1985)shows that the most typical semantic role of a subject in
a clause that has a direct object is that of the agentive participant: that is, the animate
being instigating or causing the happening denoted by the verb:
Margaret is mowing the grass.
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 741)
The subject sometimes has the role of external causer; that is it expresses the
unwitting (generally inanimate) cause of an event:
The electric shock killed him.
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 743)
It may also have the role of instrument; that is, the entity (generally inanimate)
which an agent uses to perform an action or instigate a process:

(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 742)
Complement is also a very important element in sentences. The typical semantic
role of a subject complement and an object complement is that of attribute. We can
distinguish two Subgroups of role for the attribute: identification and characterization.
We can further subdivide attributes into current or existing attributes (normally with
verbs used stativity) and resulting attributes, resulting from the event described by the
verb (with verbs used dynamically).
Branda became their accountant.
(Identification)
Dwight is an honest man.
(Characterization)
(Quirk, Randolph, 1985: 728)
2.5Overview of BEGINNING verb group
BEGINNING verb group are founded in English as R.M.W DIXON who studied about
the semantic features of verbs such as begin, start, continue, keep (on), finish, stop and
complete in A new approach to English on semantic principles(1991). In other words,
A new approach to English grammar on semantic principles is one of the study to
discuss the definition and semantic features of BEGINNING verb group. The book
show three group: (i) begin, start(ii)continue (with), keep ((on) with),(iii) finish, stop,
complete.


In Vietnam, the BEGINNING verb group was founded by some authors such as Hoang
Tue(1992), Giáo trình việt ngữ Động từ trong Tiếng Việt was written by Nguyen Kim
Than (1997), these authors studied about of words in Vietnamese including
BEGINNING verb group. Moreover, some authors of Journal of Science of Hue
University: (2011), sự khác nhau giữa động từ thực hữu trên cứ liệu Tiếng Anh và đối
dịch tiếng. These authors studies about the distinction between factive verbs non
factive verbs in English and Vietnamese translation. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha (2012), ngữ
nghĩa của động từ trong tiếng Việt. The author has only mentioned the meanings of