Báo cáo "Cultural Identify Comparison In Idioms on Animals (IOA) Between Vietnamese Language and Dai - Thai Language Family in Vietnam " pdf

117 Some Reflections on the Influence of Tourism and Economic Development on Theravada Buddhism in Sipsongpanna Roger Casas 126 Poy Luang Lanna: A Healing Tradition of “Individualism

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

ON THAI-DAI CULTURAL STUDIES

Co-hosted by Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences Yunnan University of the Nationalities

Kunming, China December 9" ~ 11", 2004

Ad

Contents Strengthening Thai-Dai Cultural Studies and Promoting Regional

Cooperation and Exchanges A Yunnan Provincial Leader (1) New Chapters in Thai-Dai Cultural Studies Chuai Zhenyu (4) Historical and Cultural Development of the Thai and the Dai and the

Challenges they are faced with: A Macro Comparison He Shengda (7) Thai-Dai Ethnic Groups: The Traits of Cultural Diversity and its

Ethnic Relationship between Zhuang, Dai, Lao and Shan: From a

Customs Perspective - Fan Honggui (24)

A New Probe into the Origin of Thai-Dai Ethnic Group and

' Establishment of Thai-Dai Cultural Ring Zheng Xiaoyun (38) Adoption of the Ten Celestial Steam and Twelve Branches by

Thai and Dai and Ahom of Assam State - Yang Guangyuan (45)

The Dai in Xishuangbanna of China and the Thai in Lannan of

Thailand: A Historical and Cultural Comparison ` Gao Lishi (58)

On the Pattra-leaf Culture and the Policy of Building the Prefecture

on the Culture” / Li Zixian (68) Pattra-works of Dai People: World Precious Heritage Yang Shouchuan (73)

Towards an Approach of “Integrated Tai Studies: “Baan-Miiang

Complex Studies” after 10 Years Oliver Raendchen (81)

Tay-Thai And Viet-Muong Cultural Contact in Vietnam:

through the Analysis of Some Vocabulary Related to

Water Paddy civilization Tran Tri Doi (94) Tai (Dai) Nationality and Cultural in Meander

Daw Khin Hla Htay & DawTin Ye (98)

Clan Society and Local identity of Dai and Lua in Keng Tung

Rangsan Chanta (112)

LAP

Some Cultural Distinctions between the Tay and

the Nung in Lang Son of Vietnam Vuong Toun (117) Some Reflections on the Influence of Tourism and Economic

Development on Theravada Buddhism in Sipsongpanna Roger Casas (126)

Poy Luang Lanna: A Healing Tradition of “Individualism

In a Consumer Culture Porntip Komdi(143) Lawa, Lua, Kha and Loi: their Hidden Histories in the Tai Tamnan

Ratanapom Sethakul (151)

Cultural Identify Comparison in Idioms on Animals Between

Vietnamese Luaguage & Dai-Thai Luaguange Family in Vietnam

Nguyen Van Hieu & Do Quang Son (174)

Cultural Identify Comparison In Idioms On Animals (IOA) Between

Vietnamese Language And Dai-Thai Language Family In Vietnam

Dr Nguyen Van Hieu —Do Quang Son Department of Linguistics

University of Social Sciences & Humanities Vietnam National University, Ha Noi

Email: hieunv_2002@yahoo.com -

It is widely known that Vietnamese people and other ethnic minorities residents

(including Dai-Thai ethnic groups) have been co-living in the same area and having

old-aged contact in many fields, especially culture There exist many evidences of

similarities in cultures belonging to those residents as we have found out some culture

identify of each resident group One of the most prominent evidences ever found in

culture in language that must be mentioned as these people s' various folklore idioms

This special nominal unit, by its necessary mechanism which is to symbolize, was

linked with some particular semantic values corresponding to things and phenomena in

life The tink was based on the feelings ways of thinking and "The own observing

prism" of each native community Therefore, when comparing idioms in genera) and

IOA between Vietnamese and Dai-Thai language family in Vietnam in particular, the

typical cultural peculiarities of each nationality will be manifested

According to a survey of 994 IOA units, in which Vietnamese language accounts for

- 705 and Dai-Thai 289, we have following remarks:

1 There are animals that both communities have chosen in IOA with high appearing

frequency, especially the familiar domestic animals (see table)

° i 0 °

8 u r

n

idioms

6

languag

Among 10 animals with the most frequent in appearance, there are 6 familiar ones, such

as, dog, cat, hen/cock, buffalo, horse, cow This shows how important a role agriculture

plays in life of these 2 inhabitant groups In other words, the cultures of both

Vietnamese people and Dai-Thai minorities derived from wet rice agriculture Hence,

all animals with many times of appearance in IOA have had a great impact on social

and spiritual life and have been the earliest perceived ones in the 2 comunities,

Among domestic animals of agricultural inhabitants, cattle used for pulling power like

buffalo, cow and horse are the most important ones Therefore, both peoples use them

as symbols of valuables and wealth - :

Vietnamese language Dai-Thai language

1 Ba bo, chin trau Khau tem canh vai tem lang

(Three cows, nine buffaloes) - (Full of rice in yard, buffalo in stable)

2 Len xe xuong ngua Vai lam lang giang khoen kho

(Get in cariage, dismount from horse) (Buffalo tethered in

stable, sword hung on a hook)

It can be seen that when nomad people mention wealth they often remind us

of gold and silver, silks, jewels, delicate dishes, etc However, wealth is compared to

entire agricultural animals and things by agricultural inhabitants: buffalo, hen/cock, fish,

large grain baskets, and so on

Such familiar domestic animals as dog, cat and hen/cock are also the ones serving

agricultural life Dogs help keeping house, cats help catching mice and cocks help

Waking people up, etc Therefore, these animals also appear in IOA of agricutural

inhabitants to express symbolically phenomena and daily life

With the same animal chosen as an observing objective, each people has ots own way

io express different contents While Vietnamese people choose dog as a symbol of stubborness & mistake rectifying refusal, Dai-Thai minorities consider dog a symbol of

the indifference in work (e.g.1) Similarly, Vietnamese people refer cat-mouse

relationship to the Suitablity between ability and work while Dai-Thai minorities refer

to disordered and undisciplined actions (¢.g.2) However, in €.g.3, both Vietnamese and

Dai-Thai peoples use hen/cock ag asymbol of future evil omens

1.Cho ®en giu muc 1 Ma han bo lo thua

(Black dogs don't turn white) (Dogs bark without lifting head)

2 Meo nho bat chuot nho 2 Meo coc tu nu hat xuong

(A little kitten caught a little mouse) (Cats go out, mice dance)

3 Ga mai gay 3.Cay khan khan

(Hens CrOW) — _ (Cocks crow at unsual time) ,

The other four animals used the most commonly in IOA of the two languages are all

wild animal: tiger, elephant, mouse and fish Fish is the main animal source of the food

in meals of agricultural inhabitants so it is a symbol of Prosperity Mouse offen

damages crops, it symbolizes evil people as a result, Elephant and tiger are savage, big

and strong animals, therefore, they refer to danger in IOA of both languages,

1 Com ga ca goi 1 Thom pia, na khau

(Rice with chicken and raw fish (delicate dish)) (Fish pond, paddy field)

2.Chuot ®oi vo trung 2 Nu tham ga

(A mouse wears an eggshell on its head) (A mouse carries hay)

3.Tranh voi chang xau mat nao 3.Slua bac slua lac

(Avoiding elephants is of no shame) (Tigers grab and catch)

(Elephants mean powerful opponents)

The above examble show that there is a cultural resemblance between Vietnamese and Dai-Thai peoples In IOA, both communities choose animals regarding agricultural production to symbolize all life fields However, there is still difference under some circumstances In terms of level of usage, among the ten most frequently appearing, Vietnamese people use delta animals more often: dog, hen/cock, fish, buffalo, elephant,

176

c2

cat, cow, tiger, horse (in sequence of decreasing frequency) In contracst, Dai-Thai

minorities prefer to use animals being able to adapt to mountainous conditions and

familiar to them: buffalo, dog, hen/cock, tiger, horse, fish, cow, elephant, cat, mouse The difference of level of use of these animals partly indicates that apart from resemblance,’ Vietnamese and Dai-Thai peoples have their own ‘cultural features

regulated by different geopraphical conditions it is easily seen that for each inhabitant

group, an animal expresses different contents,

2 On the other hand, some animals only appear in Vietnamese idioms They are water birds and other species living on coastal deltas: cormorant, teal, bittern, crane, pelican,

etc and leech, tortoise, turtle, mussel, sea slug, little crab, jellyfish, oyster, stergeon,

salmon, etc These are typical animals of delta culture: "these documents of Vietnamses fixed expressions (idioms) make it impossible to be mistaken for animals which only appear in Dai-Thai 's IOA, such as, jungle leech, ape, wild pig, fox, etc these are representative animals of valey eco-area Hence, it can be said that natural and social cultural conditions have impacted on the establishment and development of language thingking, making a specific (prism) for each people in reflexing the world Therefore, besides the common universal and regional characteristics, each people has its own _ ways of observing intuitive subjects with clear cultural seal, which is proved by the fact

~ that each people often chooses its most familiar animals to use in idioms

3 The survey also shows that in IOA of Vietnamese and Dai-Thai languages, 12 animals of (chinese era) (system of 10 heaven's stems and 12 earth branches, consisting

2 serials of words used for indicating serial order or reckoning years, hours, etc.): mouse (nu), buffalo (vai), tiger (slua), cat (meo), dragon (luong), snake (ngu), horse (ma), goat (be), monkey (linh), hen/cock (cay), dog (ma), pig (mu) In terms of

vocabulary, all the words indicating the 12 animals are single words in both languages, -

which proves that these animals was recognised very early in the past On the other

hand, we have found out that many wods naming animals of both languages are related

to each other For instance, the word "ma" ("cho"-dog) in Dai-Thai language has been

intruded into Vietnamese language to build the word "cho ma", the cat is called "meo"

in both languages, the word "luong” (dragon) of Dai-Thai also appears in "thuong

luong" (an old word refering to dragon) of Vietnamese language This is the evidence

" for the fact that both Vietnamese and Dai-Thai cultures have ancient origins, local common background and early cultural exchange Therefore, it is believed by an author that studying Dai-Thai culture can help imagining the cultural motive of ancient

Vietnamese people

4.Cultural seals are also manifested by concrete animals in idioms of many peoples That is the phenomenum in which an animal is used in idioms by different communities but each community only focuses on one characteristic of the animal and considers it to

LL 177

be typical for that species For example, Vietnamese people offen think of buffalo as an animal which is strong and eat a lot, but Dai-Thai minorities suppose that the incapability of making sound by mouth and the big body shape are typical features of this animal,

1.Khoe nhu trau 1.Vai kin lin

(As strong as a buffalo) (Buffalo eats tounge)

2.an nhu trau 2.Vai cai khi cai

(Eat like a buffalo) (Big buffaloes have big excrement)

Based on all IOA of Vietnamese and Dai-Thai languages, we find out that Vietnamese people do not explore those two features of the buffalo as Dai-Thai

minorities do because they think that the mussel itself, not the buffalo, is typical for the

ability to make sound badly (As big as an elephant) According to Phan Van Que, 71%

of Vietnamese idioms related to elephant use this animal's big body as a symbol In our Source of material, there is a unique IOA involving the mussel in which its ability to

make sound badly and the reaction by closing its mouth when being stimulated is used

as a symbol In contrast, in Dai-Thai minorities’ awareness, tiger is the strongest and most-eating animal: "Kin bAng sl-a" (Eating like a tiger) (a strong deer cannot be

compared to a sick tiger) Then we can see that the awareness of each people about

buffalo in Vietnamese IOA, is affected by the knowledge of delta animals like mussels;

however, in Dai-Thai's IOA the effect derives from knowledge of wild animals like ˆ tigers hence, an animal can symbolize different things in different People's IOA,

Undoubtedly, the "obvious features" of animals these peoples use to symbolize in IOA: may not be very sensible and scientific It is just a common impulsive and "contractual" impression for the whole community As a result, that impression is often subjective and created by features of the animal being observed and by the background knowledge

of that animal,

examples involving dogs:

1 Ngon nhu xao cho 1.Ma chun ny

(As delicious as dog soup) (A dog is caught by the hedgerow)

2.Du nhu cho 2.Ma lan khi lung

(As savage as a dog) (A dog rushes in a fox's excrement)

3.Ngu nhu cho 3.Ma ban quen nang tang

(As stupid as a dog) (Dogs are not used to sitting on a chair)

By analysing these examples, we can sée that in Vietnamese IOA dog is the symbol of

"dainty fish" (e.g.1), "savageness" (e.g.2) and "idiocy" (e.g.3) Nonetheless, Dai-Thai

minorities consider dog a symbol of “embarrassment" (e.g.l), "passion" (e.g.2) and

"preposterously prumming” (¢.g.3) The phenomena symbolized in the above idiom

units are evidently not of resemblance (that is, their contents are different) but they

" have a reminiscent relation with the common symbol that is dog We can modelize this

as follows:

B is the symbol; Al, A2, ., An are the symbolized social things and phenomena To

_ be more specific, B corresponds to the animal image and Al, A2, .,An correspond to

different semantic contents in idiom units related to B It is easily seen that language law differs widely from mathematics law and logic A phenomenum can only be explained by language thinking attached to each community's "contract", which is the manifestation of the "economical and flexible" law in language and communication culture of language communities

6 To create some specific semantic nuances, peoples symbolize life phenomena by

different images in IOA Researchers consider this to be the synonymous phenomenum

of i dioms, which shows a variaty of ways of expression There are many synonymous Vietnamese IOA, for instance:

1 an nh- gau an trang (Eat as a bear eats the moon)

2 an nhu meo (Eat like a cat)

3 an nh- tam an roi (Eat as silkworms eat mulberry leaves)

All these examples refer to eating actions, however, in example 1 the nuance of meaning is "to eat a lot and quickly", in example 2 "to eat a little" and in example 3 "to

eat voraciously" This shows that the information about different animals has made a Specific semantic nuance for each IOA, which can be modelized as follows:

Bl A=B2

A is a symbolized phenomsocial life Specifically, in those above examples, A is the phenomenum of "eating", BI, B2, Bn are different animals symbolizing A BI= "a bear eats the moon", B2="a cat", Bn=B3="silkworms eat mulberry leaves" between synonymous idioms and the number of idioms, the number of animals used in idioms &

the number of times of their appearance in IOA are in concordance Hence, in

comparison with Dai-Thai IOA, the number of Vietnamese Synonymous idioms is far

bigger: slow (snail, tortoise), to speak (pamot), high (worshiped cinonia, crane), to run (duck, mouse), fat (quail, distended buffalo), to abuse (a dog eats salted fish

only"stingy"; to lose chickens), verbose (leech, urinating cow), Savage (tiger, dog), to squirm (leech in lime, in beehive, fish beaten on head), fetid (rat, owl), to learn (parrot, cock kicking partition), to make noise (cow lowing, bittern, eagle), strong (buffalo,

tiger, elephant), etc This shows that Vietnamese communication culture has reached a

sophisticated level for Synonymous lexicon in general and IOA in particular "are both results and means of requirements of expression and communication by language"

(2,216)

7 There are also many cases in which the 2 peoples choose an animal to symbolize the same phenomenum in 1OA This is sensible as it is the result of a process in which each people has a different awareness of an animal (the first process of symbolization) and

each people has a way of linking the animal with fife (the second process of

symbolization), The second process of symbolization in idioms is established on the basis of the resemblance between characteristics of that animal and phenomena of social life, which is based on "the attachment, repitition and habitual way of life of the native locals" (2,257)

: e.g:

1 Ngu nhu lon 1 Dam bang be bot

(As stupid as a pig) (As dark as a blind goat)

180