LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 Noun Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs 26 Table 4.2 Verb Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs 28 Table 4.3 Adjective Phrases of the idioms containing Tp
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Idioms play a pivotal role in the linguistic development of a nation and are closely linked to folk verses and proverbs They constitute a substantial portion of vocabulary across many countries, particularly in Vietnam and England, and for a long time have served as a common means of daily communication Poets and writers also use a wide variety of idioms in literature to clarify and enrich the content of their works Recently, idioms have frequently appeared in English tests, yet many students do not fully understand their meanings in context or only recognize them as sets of individual words Summers (2001) defines an idiom as a phrase whose meaning differs from the meanings of its parts, a distinction that explains why translating idioms across languages often changes their sense or usage.
Exploring different cultures through language reveals how idioms use animal imagery to convey meaning and cultural nuance Judith Siefring (2005) notes that every idiom carries a story or cultural feature beyond its surface sense For example, the idiom "in the catbird seat" is said to have originated in baseball, signaling a fortunate position with no strikes and therefore three balls still to play, a detail referenced in James Thurber's short story The Catbird Seat.
Vietnamese culture uses distinctive idioms that fuse animal imagery with everyday life, showing how pets like dogs and cats symbolize social meanings A well-known example is 'Mèo đến nhà thì khó, chó đến nhà thì sang,' which suggests that inviting a cat into the home is difficult while a dog’s arrival signals welcome or prosperity At the same time, expressions such as 'thằng chó chết' reveal harsher, negative uses of animal terms as insults By contrast, English draws on a different animal image: 'a lucky dog' portrays affection and praise rather than contempt Together, these idioms illuminate how Vietnamese and English encode attitudes toward animals and family life, revealing cross-cultural ways of expressing status, luck, and social sentiment through animal imagery.
Although numerous theses analyze idioms that feature animal imagery, idioms built from animal body parts have not been thoroughly examined for their structure and meaning in both English and Vietnamese This gap in the literature limits our understanding of how such expressions function across languages, including their syntactic formation, semantic interpretation, and cultural nuance A cross-linguistic study of English and Vietnamese animal-body-part idioms can reveal shared patterns and key differences in metaphor usage, enriching linguistic theory and language pedagogy The aim is to map current research, identify methodological approaches, and outline directions for future investigation.
In this thesis, I have decided to choose the topic “A contrastive analysis of the parts of animal idioms in English and Vietnamese”.
Significance of the study
Our thesis on study idioms containing the parts of animals has the following importance:
This study provides deeper insights into the semantic and syntactic features of English and Vietnamese idioms, highlighting how idiomatic expressions function in each language and across languages Its findings contribute to explaining the linguistic similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese, offering a solid foundation for comparative idiom research and a clearer understanding of cross-language patterns.
Based on this study, Vietnamese learners can reliably use idioms containing animal parts in English and Vietnamese, while gaining insight into native speakers' customs and social behavior in both languages The findings also enable learners to master a rich repertoire of animal-part idioms (TpsOAs) and apply them effectively in real-world communication.
Aim and objectives of the study
This study conducts a comparative analysis of English and Vietnamese idioms that incorporate animal body parts, examining their semantic and syntactic features to identify similarities and differences across the two languages By coding idioms for metaphorical mappings, syntactic structure, and usage contexts, the research uncovers shared cognitive patterns in animal-body-part expressions and reveals distinct cultural nuances shaping idiom formation The findings contribute to linguistics, second language acquisition, and lexicography by clarifying how animal-part idioms convey meaning, constrain grammar, and vary in frequency across English and Vietnamese.
3 differences ones between the two languages
To achieve the aim of the study, the researcher tried to fulfill two following objectives:
+ To study the semantic and syntactic features of idioms containing the parts of animals in both English and Vietnamese
+ To compare and contrast the semantic and syntactic features of idioms containing the parts of animals in both English and Vietnamese.
Research questions
To achieve the aim and objectives mentioned above, this study addresses the following research questions:
1 What are the syntactic and semantic features of English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals?
2 What are similarities and differences in syntactic and semantic features of idioms containing the parts of animals in English and Vietnamese?
Scope of the study
Idioms have become a fertile research topic across languages, with studies comparing the syntactic and semantic features of animal-part idioms to explain how culture shapes language In semantic terms, the work does not seek equivalents for every English animal idiom in Vietnamese but concentrates on idioms that involve animal parts, whether they carry human implications or not Animal-part idioms with human implications often reflect human characteristics, emotions, or appearances, while those without human implications tend to express notions such as quantity, size, or opinion.
Finally, this study focuses specifically on idioms and proverbs that feature animal body parts, rather than all animal-related expressions, since earlier theses have already covered animal imagery in a general sense; by concentrating on this subset, the research aims to reveal linguistic patterns and cultural meanings embedded in animal-part idioms and proverbs.
Organization of study
The thesis is divided into five chapters
Chapter 1, the Introduction, lays out the study’s rationale and sets the stage for the research by detailing the aims and objectives, articulating the research questions, and defining the scope of the study It also explains the organization of the study, guiding readers through the overall structure and flow of the research.
Chapter 2, The Literature Review, surveys the theory and empirical findings on the syntactic and semantic features of idioms containing animal-part components, reviews prior research related to this study, and identifies gaps in the existing literature to guide the current investigation.
Chapter 3, RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY, is the description of the research method, the data collection and data analysis
Chapter 4, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION, is related to our Findings and Discussion on the similarities and differences about syntactic and semantic features expressed in idioms containing the parts of animal between English and Vietnamese
Chapter 5, CONCLUSION, summarizes the conclusions drawn out from the study and some suggestions for further study
LITERATURE REVIEW
PREVIOUS STUDIES
Idiom is considered as a scientific language because it is used as an object to study Idiomaticity appeared at the beginning of the 20 th century with the famous Swiss linguist, Charle Bally, who establish a scientific base for the necessity to research the fixed phrases in language Therefore, there are many dictionaries of idioms produced to serve the purpose of learn and study such as Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms by Cowie, A.Petal, NTC‟s American Idioms Dictionary by Spears, R.A, The Cassell Dictionary of English Idioms by Fergusson, R., From the Horse‟s Mouse: Oxford
Dictionary of English Idioms by Ayto, J Besides, there are a lot of works on it such as “Essential Idioms in English Phrasal Verbs and Collocations by
Robert J Dixson”, or “Idioms for Everyday Use” by Broukai, M etc…
Vietnamese linguists regard idiomaticity as a key component in studying and developing the Vietnamese language The field’s early pioneers include Nguyễn Lực and Lương Văn Đang, who laid the groundwork for idiom research in Vietnamese In particular, Nguyễn Lực published the useful reference book Thành Ngữ Việt Nam, which remains a valuable resource for scholars and students seeking to understand Vietnamese idioms and expressions.
There have been numerous contrastive studies on idioms in Vietnamese and other languages, exploring a wide range of idioms and their connotations Notable studies in this field include “A Contrastive Study of Connotation of Vietnamese Zodiac Animals in English and Vietnamese Idioms and Proverbs”; “Thành ngữ chứa từ gọi tên Động vật trong tiếng Việt”; “Đối chiếu thành ngữ trên báo chí Tiếng Trung và Tiếng Việt”; “Attitudes toward idioms and idiom learning strategies”; and “Ngữ nghĩa của từ ngữ chỉ động vật trong thành ngữ Tiếng Việt so sánh với thành ngữ Tiếng Anh.”
Nguyen Quoc Toan (2011) focused on researching connotation of
This article uses a contrastive methodology to examine the Vietnamese zodiac through language, focusing on the twelve animals that anchor its folklore: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig By aligning English and Vietnamese idioms and proverbs that invoke these animals, the analysis reveals both similarities and differences in figurative meaning, metaphor, and cultural value across the two languages The approach maps shared motifs—such as cunning for the rat, diligence for the ox, bravery for the tiger, gentleness for the rabbit, auspicious power for the dragon, wisdom for the snake, freedom for the horse, resilience for the goat, cleverness for the monkey, punctuality and order for the rooster, loyalty for the dog, and prosperity for the pig—while also highlighting divergent usages, tonal shifts, and context-driven interpretations The goal is to provide SEO-friendly insights that help readers understand how language encodes cultural knowledge about animals, zodiac signs, and everyday expressions in English and Vietnamese.
Nguyen Thi Trung Anh's 2019 contrastive analysis compares English and Vietnamese dog idioms through syntactic and semantic aspects Analyzing 110 dog-related idioms from both languages, the study reveals a range of phrasal and sentence structures in English and Vietnamese dog idioms, while semantically the data convey positive, negative, and neutral meanings about human character, luck, and life conditions.
Ho Thi Thuc Nhi (2020) showed the metaphorical meaning of animal idioms in relation between human beings and animals
Current research largely concentrates on the meaning of animal idioms or on statistical counts of idioms that include animal names There is a notable gap in studies that analyze animal idioms and proverbs—particularly idioms built from the body parts of animals—from semantic and syntactic perspectives This gap underpins the author's choice of topic The study proposes a contrastive analysis of the semantic and syntactic characteristics of English and Vietnamese idioms that incorporate animal body parts.
Theoretical background
2.2.1 Definitions of idioms and proverbs
Langacker (1987) argues that treating idioms as opaque units or merely fixed phrases is an oversimplification Instead, idioms emerge from a complex web of semantic and symbolic relationships that have become conventionalized and coalesced into established expressions carrying nuanced meaning beyond their literal parts.
7 configuration.” For example: Vietnamese idiom has a sentence “Mẹ tròn con vuông”, but we cannot turn it into “Mẹ vuông con tròn”
According to the Oxford English Dictionary and the Longman Dictionary of Idioms, the idiom “kick the bucket” originates from an ancient slaughtering method in which a pig’s feet were tied to a beam—the bucket—to prevent kicking and to hang the carcass by the heels after death; at the moment of killing the pig literally kicked the bucket for a final time, which gave rise to the figurative sense of dying (cited in Langlotz, 2006, p.134).
Many Vietnamese linguists share similar concepts of idioms Hoang Van Hanh (2004) defines idioms as a fixed sequence of words that expresses distinctive structural characteristics and complete figurative meanings, widely used in daily communication, especially in spoken language.
Nguyễn Đức Dân (1986) states that idiom is an element in a fixed form and it reflects the notions, the ways of speech, the ways of thought and people‟s specific characteristics
Mai Ngọc Chừ, Vũ Đức Nghiệu and Hoàng Trọng Phiến (1997, p.153 –
165) give the following definition “idioms are groups of words which are syntactically restricted and have particular meanings Their meanings are often imaginative and figurative”
In short, most of the linguists abroad and at home proposed that idiom is a fixed phrase which is used commonly
2.2.1.2 Proverb in relation to idiom
According to Mieder (1993), a proverb is a short, widely known folk sentence that conveys wisdom, truth, morals, and traditional views in a metaphorical, fixed, and memorable form, and is transmitted from generation to generation.
According to Hornby (1995), proverb is defined as “a short well-known sentence or phrase that states a general truth about life or giving advice, ie:
Proverbs such as “Better safe than sorry” and “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” embody timeless cautions about risk and prudence According to Vu Ngoc Phan (2000), a proverb is a complete saying that expresses one idea of comment, experience, morality, justice, or criticism These expressions teach people to consider potential consequences before acting and to distribute risk rather than relying on a single plan In SEO-friendly terms, proverbs function as concise, memorable wisdom that clarifies complex choices in everyday life, from financial decisions to personal safety Recognizing the intent behind a proverb reveals how cultural wisdom uses compact language to convey deep lessons.
Researchers note that idioms and proverbs share many characteristics, which is why scholars often study them together Both are ready-made expressions rooted in human thought and culture, passed down orally from generation to generation and widely accepted by the public In terms of structure, they are fixed expressions whose components cannot be substituted, so their meaning must be understood as a whole rather than derived from individual words Additionally, many idioms and proverbs are best understood metaphorically, especially when changes to their overall meaning would render them nonsensical This combination of cultural origin, fixed form, and metaphorical interpretation explains why idioms and proverbs are treated as closely related in linguistic study.
There are clear differences between idioms and proverbs A proverb is a complete sentence with a fixed structure built on an enduring foundation, whereas idioms are not syntactically independent and typically function as part of a larger sentence rather than as standalone statements Consequently, the differences between idioms and proverbs revolve around structure, form, and function.
2.2.2 Idioms and Other Language Units
People often confuse idioms with ordinary phrases, and the reverse happens too Fromkin, Rodman, Collins and Blair note that idioms resemble everyday phrases but are typically fixed in form and do not readily enter productive syntactic constructions, meaning their figurative meaning cannot be inferred from the individual words alone This mismatch between form and meaning makes idioms a common source of misunderstanding for learners and editors, highlighting the need to treat idioms as fixed expressions with their own semantic values rather than transparent word-for-word phrases.
9 into other combinations or allow the other to change”
Cruse (1986, p.40) defines collocation as sequences of lexical items that habitually co-occur, yet these sequences are not entirely transparent because each lexical constituent also carries semantic content.
Cambridge Dictionary defines a saying as a well-known, wise statement whose meaning often goes beyond the literal interpretation of its words Within this framework, all proverbs are sayings, but idioms are neither proverbs nor sayings.
A cliché is a phrase or idea that has been used so often that it loses its meaning and becomes uninteresting (Hornby, 2000, p.218) Although clichés relate to idioms, they are not idioms themselves.
2.2.3 Idiom relation to Language and Culture
Idiomatic expressions provide a gateway to the vocabulary richness of the target language and reveal the cultural aspects embedded in fixed expressions Every culture has developed its own set of idioms, and second language (SL) and foreign language (FL) learners should acquire these expressions to demonstrate a native-like command of the language Incorporating idioms into study and practice enhances linguistic creativity, cultural understanding, and overall fluency, aligning with Wray's view (2000, as cited in Asl, 2013).
Idioms dominate daily English conversation, making them a core feature of the language As a result, idioms aren’t mere phrases; they’re integral parts of everyday communication that enrich both English and Vietnamese vocabulary, supporting language learning and cross-cultural comprehension.
Richards (1992) identifies three primary functions of language: descriptive, expressive, and social Idioms and proverbs encapsulate these functions, as a proverb not only conveys factual information (descriptive) but also expresses speakers’ preferences, feelings, and character (expressive), often implying experience and morality Additionally, proverbs and idioms serve a social function by signaling relationships, norms, and shared expectations within a community Together, these points show how language, culture, and the use of proverbs and idioms are closely intertwined, with idioms and proverbs reflecting values and beliefs across cultures.
Vietnam is a country rich in ethnic diversity, with many ethnic minority groups contributing to its vibrant culture While each community adds its own unique customs, Vietnamese culture remains united through shared beliefs, traditions, and family values Through periods of hardship and war, the Vietnamese people have become determined, hardworking, and united in preserving their heritage This enduring spirit has forged a distinctive Vietnamese cultural identity that honors both the variety of its people and the common values that bind them.
Research Methods
In order to achieve the aim and objectives of the study, the researcher uses some following methods:
Using a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative analysis, this study classifies and describes materials while identifying the semantic and syntactic features of idioms containing animal parts in English and Vietnamese The quantitative component uses statistical techniques to count and analyze the collected data, and the integration of both methods improves the study's rigor and efficiency in uncovering cross-language patterns of animal-part idioms.
- Contrastive analysis is applied to compare and contrast semantic and syntactic features of idioms containing the parts of animals in both languages
- Descriptive and Interpretive methods: Descriptive and interpretive methods are highly required to characterize and interpret the findings.
Data collection
This study analyzes 50 samples in both English and Vietnamese, focusing on idioms that incorporate animal body parts The animal-part idioms were collected from a range of sources in each language, including dictionaries, books, and online resources, with key references such as the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms by Judith Siefring and Nguyễn Lân’s Từ điển thành ngữ và tục ngữ Việt Nam.
Data analysis
After collecting the idioms containing the parts of animals from bilingual dictionaries or materials of websites, the author analyses them semantically and syntactically
Semantically, the classification of idioms containing animal parts in English and Vietnamese rests on distinctive features The author then presents a two-part table that divides meanings into human and non-human categories, with each category further organized into specific sense groups For example, idioms and proverbs with human implications express traits, appearance, and behavior.
Syntactic classification hinges on core structural categories—noun phrases, verb phrases, adjective phrases, prepositional phrases, and sentences—providing a clear framework for data organization Building on the theory of syntactic features, the author creates five tables to categorize each phrase type and its subtypes, enabling precise analysis of their smaller categories.
Finally, the analysis results of syntactic and semantic peculiarities were examined and compared in each category in an attempt to find out the similarities and differences in two languages.
Procedures
The steps were carried out according to the below procedures:
- Idioms containing the parts of animals from books, dictionaries and the Internet were collected
- The analysis of the syntactic and semantic features of idioms containing the parts of animals in English and Vietnamese was made
- The similarities and differences between the two languages concerning idioms containing the parts of animals with regard to syntactic and semantic features were highlighted.
Validity and Reliability
The research data were collected from prestigious books and
25 dictionaries which are totally authentic sources of data, not invented examples, the quality of the data is quite reliable
The researcher was carried out with the author having a close study of relevant theories related to semantic and syntactic features to build a proper theoretical framework for the research contents
What is more, all the research methods utilized in this study are appropriate for a study on syntactic and semantic features
All of the above-mentioned elements ensure that the findings of this study are reliable and valid.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
SYNTACTIC FEATURES OF IDIOMS CONTAINING THE
4.1.1.1 English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals of Noun Phrase Patterns
Phrase structures consist of noun phrases, verb phrases, adjective phrases, and prepositional phrases, and a number of noun phrase patterns appear in idioms containing TpsOAs in both English and Vietnamese—15 patterns in English and 16 in Vietnamese A table of analysis then presents the distribution of these noun phrase patterns.
Table 4.1 Noun Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs
(Article) + Adjective – Past Participle + Noun (N) (1)
Table 4.1 shows that the first two structures, which consist of only one noun phrase idiom (2%) for each type, make up a quite small part of the
This article analyzes 27 idioms derived from animal parts and organizes them into two patterns In Pattern 1, the head noun denotes the animal, and the modifier is a compound adjective in which the animal part functions as a past participle, producing compact, vivid expressions There is no Vietnamese idiom that matches Pattern 1 In Pattern 2, only one idiom appears in Vietnamese, and it has no English counterpart The discussion highlights how cross-language patterns shape the use and translation of animal-part idioms in English and Vietnamese. -**Support Pollinations.AI:** -🌸 **Ad** 🌸Powered by Pollinations.AI free text APIs [Support our mission](https://pollinations.ai/redirect/kofi) to keep AI accessible for everyone.
(1) In English In Vietnamese the green-eyed monster
Đầu gà hơn đuôi trâu
In this pattern, while only 2 % idioms containing TpsOAs (N = 1) are used by English people, 28% idioms (N = 14) are preferred by native Vietnamese
(a) Bird brain gan rồng trứng trâu, mồm chó vó ngựa, đầu gà má lợn, miệng hùm gan sứa
Three English idioms featuring animal-body part patterns were identified, accounting for 6% of the set In this construction, the prepositional phrase has a noun as its head and functions as a postmodifier of the noun However, in Vietnamese idioms of this form, the modifying prepositional phrase usually begins with the comparative word “như,” and only one idiom of this pattern (about 2%) is found, as in:
A flea in one‘s ear Mặt dài như mặt ngựa
Bird of a feather flock together…
In the structures (5) and (6), we only find in English idioms: 6 and 4 respectively, and no Vietnamese idiom are available
Tail that wag the dog, straw that breaks the camel‘s back…
4.1.1.2 English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals of verb phrase patterns
Verb phrases are a popular linguistic feature in the data analyzed for both English and Vietnamese Eight distinct structures are represented under verb phrases, and English has more idioms that incorporate verb phrase patterns than Vietnamese Moreover, the number of idioms containing TpsOAs differs between the two languages, as shown in the table below.
Table 4.2 Verb Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs
V + Noun/Np (1) The structure (1) of pattern is not quite popular in English idioms containing TpsOAs (4%) whereas Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs under this structure are more common (14%)
(1) In English In Vietnamese cast the sheep‘s eyes, twist the nói toạc móng heo, lion‘s tail vuốt râu hùm, …
V + Np + Sub Clause (2) There are only 4 English idioms of this type containing TpsOAs (4%) while none of Vietnamese idioms was found
Sell the bear‘s skin before one
V + N + Prep.P (3) Table 4.2 shows that there is only one Vietnamese idiom containing TpsOAs of this pattern (2%) Meanwhile, a number of English idioms in this form account for 34% (N = 17)
(3) In English In Vietnamese hold the wolf by the ears, Bắt ngựa đằng đuôi, throw sb to the lion‘s mouth, look a gift-horse in the mouth…
Within the verb phrase structure, the verb functions as the central element and is modified by a prepositional phrase that can include a subordinate clause The studied sample shows that this structure contains only one Vietnamese idiom (2%), highlighting the sparse idiomatic usage within this pattern The rest of the data illustrate how prepositional modifiers and subordinate clauses interact to shape the overall meaning of sentences in this syntax.
English idioms (8%) containing TpsOAs can be found
(4) In English In Vietnamese rush into/to the lion's mouth, ngồi trên lưng cọp
Jest with an ass he will flap you in the face with his tail
Within the V + N + V + N (5) structure, Table 4.2 reveals that no English idioms containing TpsOAs are found in this structure based on my data collection, while three Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs exist under the same parallel structure, accounting for 6% This indicates that in this configuration a noun can follow a verb and function as a direct object that modifies the verb.
(5) In English In Vietnamese được đầu voi đòi đầu ngựa, treo đầu dê bán thịt chó…
In the three patterns, there is only one English idiom containing TpsOAs (2%) for each form and no corresponding Vietnamese idiom
Let‟s consider the English idioms containing TpsOAs below
(6) In English In Vietnamese take a bear by the tooth
(7) In English In Vietnamese flay a flea the hide and tallow
(8) In English In Vietnamese has the cat got one‘s tongue
4.1.1.3 English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals of Adjective Phrase Patterns
There are only two adjective Phrase patterns found in 9 idioms containing TpsOAs in Vietnamese Therefore, we would like to go to the detail of these two patterns
Table 4.3 Adjective Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs
Table 4.3 shows that adjective phrase patterns are predominantly realized within the Vietnamese comparative structure, especially in forms such as Adj + CW + Nph and Adj + CW + Nph + Clause Conversely, there are no English idioms containing TpsOAs in adjective-phrase form The results indicate that English uses alternative constructions for expressing comparatives and lacks direct equivalents to the Vietnamese adjective phrase patterns described above.
Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs under this structure are more popular
(10%) Following are some examples of adjective phrase patterns:
rối như ruột tằm, thẳng như ruột ngựa…
Lôi thôi như cá trôi xổ ruột, tiu nghỉu như chó cụp đuôi…
4.1.1.4 English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals of
The final phrase structure is prepositional one, which mostly appears in
English idioms containing TpsOAs Therefore, there is only a kind of prepositional phrase pattern found in the analyzed data
Table4.4 Preposition Phrases of the idioms containing TpsOAs
Syntactically, the prepositional phrase pattern of English idioms containing TpsOAs has the form of Prep + Noun/Np Table 4.4 indicates that the number of English idioms related to this structure is 6 (12%) while in this research, no Vietnamese idioms under the prepositional phrase pattern can be found
From the horse‘s mouth, in a pig‘s eye, like water off a duck's back…
Table 4.5 gives the summary of firm syntactic features of both English and Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs namely, noun phrases, verb phrases, adjective phrases and prepositional phrases
Table4.5 Phrase structures of the idioms containing TpsOAs
(2) V + Nph + Sub Clause (2) V + Nph + Sub Clause
(4) V+ PrepP + (Sub Clause) (4) V+ PrepP + (Sub
4.1.2 English and Vietnamese idioms containing the parts of animals of Sentence and clause Patterns
Besides phrase structures, sentence and clause patterns are found to be ultilized in some idioms containing TpsOAs in both English and Vietnamese
It can be clearly described in Table 4.6
Table4.6 Sentences of the idioms containing TpsOAs
Table 4.6 shows that in comparison with English idioms of sentence pattern, Vietnamese owns more typical idioms containing TpsOAs under this form: 0 and 8 respectively Nevertheless, they cannot be used like an independent sentence but like a clause in a complex sentence
Interestingly, there are two idioms in the structure (2) in Vietnamese (N = 2; 4%), but no English idiom can be found under this one
4.1.2.3 Subject + Verb + Object + Verb past participle + Adjunct
There‘s more than one way to skin a cat
4.1.2.4 Subject + Verbal Predicate + Subject + Verbal Predicate
Parallel structure tied to the verb phrase pattern is a feature unique to Vietnamese and does not occur in English Only one Vietnamese idiom uses this form with TpsOAs, representing about 2% of all occurrences.
chim có cánh cá có vây,
Across comparison clauses, English idioms do not appear in the comparative form By contrast, Vietnamese idioms in this context typically begin with the comparative word "như" functioning as a conjunction, followed by a clause This pattern accounts for 12% of Vietnamese idioms in this form, with N = 6 instances observed.
như hổ thêm nanh, như rắn mất đầu
Overview of general semantic mechanisms of idioms containing the
This section offers an overview of the general semantic mechanisms governing idioms that contain TpsOAs in both English and Vietnamese Because the analysis centers on idioms featuring TpsOAs, the researcher catalogs the animal parts that appear in English and Vietnamese idioms, explaining how these animal components shape meaning and reflect cultural nuances in each language.
Table4.7 Frequency of the Parts of animals in English and Vietnamese Idioms
Order Parts of animals English Vietnamese
Order Parts of animals English Vietnamese
Table 4.7 shows that idioms involving animal body parts are relatively scarce in both English and Vietnamese The study compiled 100 idioms in each language, covering 30 animal parts such as belly, back, beard, bray, ear, feather, feet, gut, hair, head, horn, leg, mouth, skin (hide), tail, thump, tooth, wing, and others According to the data, 50 English idioms involve 20 animal parts, while 50 Vietnamese idioms involve 22 animal parts, indicating that English idioms typically contain a single animal part, whereas several Vietnamese idioms feature multiple parts Nevertheless, both languages express distinctive meanings through these expressions.
4.2.1 Overview of general semantic mechanisms of idioms containing the parts of animals in English
English idioms have 32 animals sticking with their parts, and more than
50% these animals have their typical parts such as: bear > skin; bird > feather; bull > horn; camel > back; cat > paw; dog > tail; eagle > eye; lion > mouth; toad
Idioms are expressions whose overall sense is usually figurative, even though each word has a literal dictionary meaning The literal meaning is the strict dictionary definition of a word, while the figurative or idiomatic meaning is what the expression conveys as a whole In many idioms, parts of speech or animal-related terms contribute literal senses, but the full expression delivers a figurative meaning For example, if you look up the word “mouth” in a dictionary, you’ll find its literal senses, while its idiomatic uses show how the word can participate in phrases with non-literal, figurative meaning.
An opening can be the mouth of a person or animal or the entrance to a place In the idiom "the lion's mouth," "mouth" carries a literal sense of an opening, while "lion" conveys a figurative sense of danger, signaling a perilous location This shows that English idioms often carry metaphorical meanings beyond their literal words, enriching language with nuance and vivid imagery.
Across cultures, animal imagery in idioms carries similar messages, showing how universal themes like wisdom, loyalty, and cunning travel through language In English-speaking contexts, people often anthropomorphize animals, treating them as if they have human traits, which helps explain why certain animals assume important symbolic roles in everyday life, literature, and folklore These patterns—animal idioms, anthropomorphism, and cultural symbols—reveal how animals remain deeply connected to human values and experiences worldwide.
English cognition Here are some examples for this meaning
METAPHOR SOURCE ……… TARGET dog ……… human being fox ……… clever person
… e.g “Lucy will be like a dog with two tails if she gets into the team”
Idioms containing TpsOAs are frequently used in similes to convey vivid emotion through figurative language For example, the idiom "like a dog with two tails" compares a person’s happiness to a dog wagging its tail, signaling excitement when their host comes home Because a dog's tail wagging is a universal sign of delight, this expression communicates warmth and exuberance clearly, helping language learners or readers grasp how everyday imagery enhances meaning.
Some idioms incorporate animal parts in ways that are uncharacteristic of the animals themselves These expressions express hyperbole, reflecting Galperin’s idea that such language exaggerates an emotional experience or intensifies a feature of an object People use these idioms to imply something unreal or not happening.
4.2.2 Overview of general semantic mechanisms of idioms containing the parts of animals in Vietnamese
In 50 collected Vietnamese idioms, there are more 42 animals sticking with their many diverse parts such as beard, ear, eye, feather, foot, gut, hair, head, horn, leg, mouth, skin, tail, tear, tooth, wing Vietnamese idioms are very colourful, so many idioms contain both two animals and two parts such as “đầu voi đuôi chuột”, “Mồm chó vó ngựa”, etc The animals which have many parts in idioms are popular in Vietnamese life such as: cow, dog, horse, buffalo, mouse, and elephant
Vietnamese idioms rarely rely on animal body parts to express a creature’s traits, but when they do, examples include a dog's tail, a fish's fin, a dog's mouth, and a chicken's head; these parts often carry literal meanings while also bearing figurative nuances in both Vietnamese and English usage As Dr Duong Ky Duc (2003) explains, a word's meaning encompasses not only its literal sense but also its figurative sense, and these meanings exist together as a single, integrated whole.
What is more, most Vietnamese idioms and proverbs have metaphorical meaning Here are some examples to describe this meaning:
Vietnamese idioms frequently use the comparative word như to link human traits with animal imagery, creating vivid expressions that reflect shared cultural associations For example, "Tiu nghỉu như chó cụp đuôi" conveys sadness by likening a person's posture to a dog with a drooped tail This pattern shows how animal imagery serves as a concise, memorable device in Vietnamese, allowing speakers to convey mood and character through familiar, culturally resonant metaphors.
“thẳng như ruột ngựa” (frank as a horse‟s gut) Therefore, many Vietnamese idioms are idioms of comparison
Vietnamese idioms often display symmetry between their two parts, as in “Đầu voi đuôi chuột” (the mountain has brought forth a mouse) and “Lòng lan dạ sói” (a wolf's heart and a beast's bowel), where contrasting images fuse into a single meaning In addition to this parallel structure, many idioms feature recurring animal pairings such as cow–buffalo, buffalo–horse, chicken–buffalo, and fish–bird, reflecting familiar visual combinations used to convey judgment or situations These patterns illustrate how Vietnamese expressions rely on paired imagery and animal coupling to communicate nuanced ideas, making them rich sources for linguistic and cultural insight.
Vietnamese idioms frequently rely on exaggerated, impossible body parts to convey figurative meaning For example, a toad with armpit hair or a snake with feet are impossible images, yet they are paired to express irony and a critical attitude toward behavior or social norms This use of hyperbolic visuals makes these idioms distinctive and memorable, offering a vivid window into Vietnamese linguistic culture.
Vietnamese idioms are filled with fantastical creatures, revealing that many images come from human imagination For Vietnamese people, who have a generalizing mindset, the phoenix is the most beautiful emblem, a view supported by the abundance of idioms that reference its appearance (lông lân, gót phượng) This emphasis reflects a broader Vietnamese tendency to value harmony among things.
SEMANTIC FEATURES OF IDIOMS CONTAINING THE
Relating to meaning, idioms containing TpsOAs can be divided into two types according to the study‟ results:
+ Idioms with Human Implication (76% in English versus 82% in Vietnamese)
+ Idioms with Non-human Implication (24% in English versus 18% in Vietnamese)
In Vietnamese: thẳng như ruột ngựa; nói toạc móng heo
In Vietnamese: miệng hùm gan sứa
In the Vietnamese idiom "miệng hùm gan sứa," "miệng hùm" signals a fierce, intimidating appearance, while "gan sứa" points to inner weakness and timidity; together they describe someone who looks formidable but actually feels frightened and worried The equivalent English idiom carrying the same meaning is "lion's skin," which likewise conveys outward bravado masking inner fear.
In Vietnamese : khẩu phật tâm xà; lòng lan dạ sói; vẽ rắn thêm chân; cháy nhà ra mặt chuột; đầu trâu mặt ngựa;cá vàng bụng bọ
Within Vietnamese culture, snakes are often viewed as symbols of poison, danger, and cruelty, shaping a cautious attitude toward them This perception is reflected in the idiom “vẽ rắn thêm chân” (to draw a snake and add feet), used to describe someone who deliberately embellishes or fabricates misinformation to worsen a situation The expression suggests that such a person hides their true feelings behind a veneer of goodness, presenting a harmful intention as if it were well-meaning.
“Khẩu phật tâm xà‖ Similarly, Vietnamese people use the parts such as face, head and, belly of animals (wolf, fish, and buffalo,) to illustrate human characteristic slyness
Or in “cá vàng bụng bọ‖, “cá vàng‖ is a kind of very beautiful fish and
Cá vàng bụng bọ is a Vietnamese idiom that denotes a rotten inner nature or bad soul The closely related phrase bụng dạ is used to signal cruelty or ill will, and together they describe someone as hypocritical or cruel.
In Vietnamese: Được đầu voi đòi đầu ngựa
The Vietnamese idiom 'Được đầu voi đòi đầu ngựa' expresses insatiable greed, describing a mindset that cannot rest after a big gain and keeps demanding more It shows how ambition can become boundless, pushing a person to chase rewards far beyond what they already possess A similar expression, 'được voi đòi tiên,' conveys the same idea of relentless desire Together, these idioms illustrate how unchecked greed can drive people to overreach and pursue increasingly unattainable goals.
In Vietnamese: chó chê mèo lắm lông; cóc mọc lông nách
The Vietnamese idiom "chó chê mèo lắm lông" literally means a dog despising a cat for having too much fur, but its figurative meaning points to arrogant people who constantly criticize others and think they are the best It captures the behavior of self-appointed critics who nitpick others’ flaws while exaggerating their own virtues People use this expression to call out vanity, pretentious judgment, and hypocritical superiority in social or workplace interactions In everyday speech, saying someone is "chó chê mèo lắm lông" signals that their criticisms reveal more about their insecurities than about the people they critique.
In English: to skin a flea for its hide; to flay a flea the hide and tallow
Idioms such as 'to skin a flea for its hide' and 'to flay a flea, the hide and tallow' express the same idea: extreme meanness in someone who won't pay yet expects to receive a lot Although they share meaning, they use different verbs—skin and flay—showing a nuance in British colloquial speech In British English, these expressions emphasize a very mean person who refuses to pay anything but wants to take much, capturing a familiar stereotype of petty stinginess in everyday conversation.
In English: like water off a duck's back, a bird-brain
In Vietnamese: như nước đổ đầu vịt (Like water off a duck‘s back)
To express someone‟s stubbornness, both English and Vietnamese use the part of duck‟s back in the idiom (like water off a duck's back, như nước đổ đầu vịt)
The idiom "a bird-brain" taps into the idea that brain size is related to intelligence, noting that birds have relatively tiny brains compared to humans Because of this, the figurative meaning of "a bird-brain" is that a person makes stupid or foolish decisions The expression relies on a simple, humorous contrast between brain size and judgment to convey a negative stereotype quickly In everyday language, calling someone a bird-brain suggests they lack sound judgment in a light-hearted, sometimes harsh way.
For example: He's just a bird-brain - he can't get anything right
(Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com)
In English: the green-eyed monster
In the idiom “the green-eyed monster”, green color implies “envy” Therefore, this idiom implicates “jealousy personified”
In English: run around like a chicken with its head cut off
In Vietnamese: lôi thôi như cá trôi xổ ruột
Cá trôi is a fish known for its long, flabby intestine, a detail Vietnamese people use as a vivid metaphor for untidiness The image implies that a messy person is as disordered as Cá trôi with its intestine exposed In English, a parallel expression is the phrase "chicken’s neck," used to describe slovenliness Together, these idioms illustrate how cultures use body imagery in language to convey judgments about cleanliness and organization.
In English: talk the hind leg off a donkey
In Vietnamese: chân gà lại bới ruột gà
Vietnamese idioms frequently feature chickens, and the image of the chicken’s leg embodies a rule of discretion within families and nations: people who share the same circle should not gossip or speak ill of one another This cultural metaphor underscores unity and sensitivity in interpersonal relationships In English, a comparable expression exists with the image of a donkey’s leg, offering a cross-cultural glimpse at how different languages convey social caution through animal imagery.
4.3.1.2 Idioms expressing human moods or attitudes
In English: like a dog with two tails
The image of a dog wagging its tail is a widely recognized symbol of happiness in both Vietnamese and English culture, making it a natural basis for the idiom “like a dog with two tails.” This expression describes someone whose joy is so great that it feels doubled, as if their own mood is wagging like a dog's tail Used to describe reactions to good news, celebrations, or exciting events, the idiom highlights how both cultures use animal imagery to convey strong positive emotion in everyday language.
English idioms use simile with the words “like” or “as” to make comparison between human and animals
For example: Lucy will be like a dog with two tails if she gets into the team
(Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/vi/dictionary/english)
(2) Anxiety/ Embarrassment/ Loss of direction
In English: have butterflies in one's stomach
In Vietnamese: rối như ruột tằm; lo bò trắng răng; như rắn mất đầu
“rối như ruột tằm‖ means that someone is so worried that they cannot know
Item 45 explains Vietnamese idioms that capture how people begin tasks with confusion and unnecessary anxiety The phrase 'lo bò trắng răng' signals worry about something that is already obvious, while 'như rắn mất đầu' depicts a loss of direction in the absence of clear leadership Together, these expressions illustrate how language conveys initial uncertainty, needless fear, and the crucial role of guidance in maintaining momentum.
English also has the idiom “Having butterflies in one‟s stomach” to make clear a situation where a person is in extremely nervous or excited feeling about something in contrast
Example: Daniel: Hey, Ann How did your presentation go yesterday?
Anna: Oh, it went well But I had butterflies in my stomach the whole time ”
(Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com)
In Vietnamese: tiu nghỉu như chó cụp đuôi
Contrast with the image in above English idiom ―like a dog with two tail‖ expressing human‟s happiness, Vietnamese people also use the image “chó cụp đuôi‖ to indicate human‟s disappointment
In English: like a bear with a sore head
'Bear with a sore head' is an English idiom that uses the image of a large, strong animal to describe someone who is in a grumpy mood or irritable, especially first thing in the morning The expression signals irritability without overt anger, suggesting it's best to steer clear until the mood brightens For example: 'John is like a bear with a sore head first thing in the morning—it's best not to talk to him until he's had his coffee.'
(Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com)
(5) Appreciation for sth to be recieved
In English: don‘t look a gift-horse in the mouth
The whole meaning of the idiom “don‘t look a gift-horse in the mouth‖ is that someone said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered
The idiom “eagle‘ eye‖ implicates someone who has eagle eyes or notices thing more easily than other
In Vietnamese: mắt dơi mày chuột
The image of “bat‟s eyes” is very ugly, so the idiom “mắt dơi mày chuột‖ indicates someone who has an ugly appearance and nasty mind
4.3.1.4 Idioms expressing human actions, behaviors and activities
English risk-taking idioms capture the bold act of facing danger and pursuing opportunities Phrases like "put your head in the lion's mouth" and "rush into the lion's mouth" describe confronting peril directly, while "take the bull by the horns" and "grab the bull by the horns" mean taking control of a difficult situation "Take a bear by the tooth" and "beard the lion in his den" convey challenging powerful threats or authority at its core And "the hair of the dog that bit you" reminds us that sometimes recovery or action follows a past setback, albeit with caution learned.
In Vietnamese: bắt ngựa đằng đuôi
Idioms express venturesome action because they reference dangerous animal parts, such as the lion's mouth, the hair of the dog, and the horse's tail, which people might attempt to take, run with, or grab The origin of the idiom "the hair of the dog that bit you" comes from a historical practice: burnt hair from the same dog was used as protection against infection after a dog bite This etymology illustrates how perilous imagery becomes a figure of speech for risky behavior or remedies in everyday language.
(Retrieved from Oxford Idioms Dictionary for learners of English, page 151)
In English: catch the bear before you sell its skin; sell the bear‘s skin before one has caught the bear
Two English idioms, "catch the bear before you sell its skin" and "sell the bear's skin before one has caught the bear," convey the same caution: avoid over-optimism and plan prudently by securing the outcome before counting on it These expressions warn against betting on future gains, urging careful decision‑making and risk management rather than premature confidence.
In English: twist the lion‘s tail; throw sb to the lion‘s mouth
In Vietnamese: chuột gặm chân mèo; vuốt râu hùm; mó dái ngựa,
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN SYNTACTIC AND
Idioms having Huma n Impli ca ti ons
Human behaviors, actions and activities 20 40 11 22
Idioms having Non-Human Implications 12 24 9 18
4.4 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF IDIOMS CONTAINING TPSOAS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
Based on the analyses presented above and the statistics in Table 4.6, similarities emerge in the syntactic features of idioms containing TpsOAs in English and Vietnamese Both languages exhibit a structured system of TpsOAs across key phrase structures, including noun phrases and verb phrases, as well as within sentence and clause constructions.
Idioms in both English and Vietnamese arise from a few common noun-phrase structures, notably Noun + Noun and Noun/NP + PrepP Yet the distribution of idioms across these structures differs markedly between the languages In Vietnamese, most idiomatic noun phrases belong to the form Noun + Noun, reflecting a structural preference that sets Vietnamese idioms apart from their English counterparts.
“Noun + Noun”, whereas those used in English idioms are Noun/ Np + PrepP
Secondly, idioms in the pattern of verb phrases are more popular in both languages, especially in English Therefore, there are many samples which are collected under this form in this paper Some similar structures in English and Vietnamese are Verb + Np, Verb + N + PrepP, Verb + PrepP + (Sub.Clause) In the structure of verb phrases, verb is the main component; noun phrase and prepositional phrase are modifiers
Last but not least, both languages including idioms containing TpsOAs have a similar form in sentence and clause patterns: S + V + O
Firstly, from Table 4.8, we see that Vietnamese and English idioms containing TpsOAs are employed with the same semantic features related to human such as characteristics, moods or attitudes, actions, behaviors and activities, appearance, social status and human relationship, etc
English and Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs function as fixed expressions, though they are relatively flexible In some cases, changing the word order or substituting another word within the same semantic field does not break their meaning For example, in English, “grab the bull by the horns” and “take the bull by the horns” carry the same idea In Vietnamese, there are idioms that can be used with different nouns, such as mặt người dạ sói / lòng lan dạ sói and đầu voi đuôi chuột / đầu rồng đuôi rắn, illustrating this flexibility.
Thirdly, there are some English and Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs conveying more than one semantic feature For instance, in Vietnamese, “head” is a part of animal which refers to human‟s
Idioms often use vivid imagery to convey how appearance, power, or a small component can shape outcomes In Vietnamese, "đầu trâu mặt ngựa" evokes aggressive bravado—a fearsome front that masks actual substance—whereas "đầu voi đuôi chuột" warns that a spectacular start can yield only a meager finish In English, the metaphor of the "tail" describes a small part that controls or determines the whole, highlighting how a tiny element can steer a larger system Together, these expressions reveal common storytelling devices: surface intensity versus real impact, and the outsized influence of a single detail on overall results.
“the tail wagging the dog‖, and also denotes human‘s happiness in an idiom
Although we have no plan to catalogue every English–Vietnamese idiom and proverb, we nonetheless notice intriguing parallels, including expressions like 'like a dog with two tails,' and English equivalents such as 'like water off a duck's back' (như nước đổ đầu vịt) and 'better an egg today than a hen tomorrow' (đầu gà hơn đuôi trâu).
Fourthly, the literal and transparent meaning of English and Vietnamese idioms containing TpsOAs is often easy to grasp because their sense can be reconstructed from the meanings of their individual words within well-known comparative structures, such as “thẳng như ruột ngựa” and “like water off a duck's back.” By aligning each idiom’s components with familiar concepts—straightness in the Vietnamese phrase and effortless resilience in the English one—learners can decode the figurative sense quickly and apply it accurately in real-life communication.
Idioms, including those containing TpsOAs, were created by native speakers and reflect their daily life and culture To decode the semantic mechanisms of English and Vietnamese idioms with TpsOAs, we rely on real-world situations, historical allusions, and cultural background Both English and Vietnamese idioms use characters, objects, and concrete events to describe abstract ideas or phenomena through metaphor and metonymy The analysis shows that metaphor and metonymy are common devices in both languages, underscoring how idioms encode cultural meaning across English and Vietnamese.
Besides some similarities mentioned above, idioms containing TpsOAs in both languages have a few differences in syntactic features based on the samples analysed
There are structures in the set of English and Vietnamese idioms that are unique to one language and involve TpsOAs Specifically, English idioms built on noun phrase patterns include forms that Vietnamese idioms do not share, such as (Art) + Vpp+ This structural divergence explains why certain idioms with TpsOAs appear in English but not in Vietnamese, and it underscores the need to consider language-specific patterns when analyzing idiom usage across these two languages.
English noun phrases typically follow patterns such as N, (Art) + N’s + N/Np, or (Art) + N/Np + Subordinate clause In contrast, Vietnamese idioms with noun-phrase patterns often express possession with the form N + CW + N, a structure without a direct English counterpart Vietnamese idioms also feature unique comparison structures that English does not replicate For example, both languages use a word like "like" for comparison, but their parts of speech differ: in English "like" is a preposition (as in "Like a dog with two tails"), while in Vietnamese "như" functions as a conjunction (Như hổ thêm nanh) or as a comparison word (thẳng như ruột ngựa).
Secondly, it can be seen from Table 4.5 that idioms containing TpsOAs of verb phrase patterns in English are more common than those in Vietnamese, 28 and 12 respectively
Thirdly, Vietnamese has no idioms containing TpsOAs in the form of prepositional phrases, whereas English has six idioms in the form Preposition + NP, a difference that explains why Vietnamese uses prepositions more restrictively By contrast, Vietnamese has five idioms containing TpsOAs with adjective-phrase structures, but English has no idioms containing TpsOAs.
Vietnamese idioms that rely on parallel structures frequently contain TpsOAs that do not have direct English equivalents This linguistic feature not only lends rhythm and coherence to the idioms but also helps speakers convey a powerful message to listeners.
Finally, there are more kinds of sentence and clause structures in Vietnamese than those in English For example, comparison clause only exists in Vietnamese idioms but not in English
Vietnamese and English idioms share many semantic features, but English idioms containing TpsOAs convey distinct meanings tied to human success or failure, understanding, belief, or perspective, reflecting the different customs, historical and cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and geographical environments of Vietnam and English-speaking countries Consequently, idiom formation and the ways meanings are conveyed differ between the languages For example, symmetry in structure is rare in English idioms, whereas Vietnamese idioms often employ symmetrical imagery such as đầu/đuôi (head and tail) and voi/chuột (elephant and mouse) as in đầu voi đuôi chuột; lòng/dạ, lan/sói (heart and wolf).
Vietnamese idioms often feature mythical creatures like the phoenix and the dragon, animals that do not exist in the real world and are rarely found in English idioms, highlighting that these symbols come from human imagination In Vietnamese culture, people are described as “con rồng cháu tiên” (children of the dragon and grandchildren of the fairy), a poetic expression that reflects heritage, folklore, and shared identity.