INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Beginners learning English as a foreign language often seek direct one-to-one equivalence between their native language and English However, both teaching and learning experiences reveal that while such equivalence can occur, it is not universally applicable.
The verbs "love" in English and "yêu" in Vietnamese illustrate the complexities of translation, as they are not always interchangeable For instance, English speakers seek equivalents for Vietnamese proverbs such as "Yêu nhau củ ấu cũng tròn" and "Yêu nhau mấy núi cũng trèo," while Vietnamese speakers translate English idioms like "Love me little, love me long" and "Whom the gods love die young." This highlights the cultural nuances and linguistic challenges in expressing love across different languages.
The study titled “A Contrastive Analysis of the Verb ‘Love’ in English and the Verb ‘Yêu’ in Vietnamese” explores the similarities and differences between the English verb "love" and the Vietnamese verb "yêu."
Objectives of the Study
The study is designed to:
Describe the grammatical and semantic features of the verb “Love” in English
Describe the grammatical and semantic features of the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese
Find the similarities and differences between the verb “Love” in
English and the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese in terms of Microlinguistic Contrastive Analysis (MiCA)
Research Questions
To achieve these objectives, the study is intended to answer the following questions:
1.What are the grammatical features of the verb “Love” in English and
2.What are the semantic features of the verb “Love” in English and
3 What are the similarities and differences between the two verbs in terms of these features?
Scope of the Study
This study analyzes and contrasts the English verb "Love" and the Vietnamese verb "Yêu" through the lens of MiCA, focusing on their grammatical and semantic features It discusses the syntactic and morphological characteristics of both verbs, while also examining their general meanings, as well as their interpretations in various idioms and proverbs.
Methods of the Study
The study has employed the following methods:
− To describe, analyze and contrast
− To collect and synthesize statistics
− First step: To synthesize meanings of “Love” and “Yêu” and examples to illustrate from different sources such as dictionaries, literary works, newspapers, magazines, native speakers and websites
− Second step: To analyze and contrast two verbs in terms of MiCA to identify the similarities and differences between them.
Design of the Study
This study consists of three main parts They are:
Part I: “Introduction”, which gives in brief general information about the study such as the Rationale, Objectives, Research Questions, Scope, Methods and Design of the Study
Part II: “Development”, which is subdivided into 3 chapters
Chapter 1: “Theoretical background”, which provides the general fundamental and essential theoretical concepts as a foundation of the subject under consideration It covers a series of concepts ranging from
CA, guiding principles for contrastive study, MiCA, verbs in English and in Vietnamese, a brief introduction of idioms/ proverbs involving the verb
“Love” in English and “Yêu” in Vietnamese
Chapter 2: “Research Methodology”, which deals with the subjects, the materials, and the procedures of the study
Chapter 3: “Findings and discussions” of the two verbs in terms of MiCA The similarities and differences are drawn out
Part III: “Conclusion”, which includes the recapitulation of main ideas, the limitations of the study, and suggestions for further studies.
DEVELOPMENT
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Contrastive analysis is a systematic approach that compares and highlights the differences and similarities between languages, typically focusing on two languages The term "Contrastive linguistics," introduced by Whorf in 1941, emphasizes the importance of linguistic differences, and the field has since evolved to encompass a broader understanding of these distinctions.
“a subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the comparison of two or more languages or subsystems of languages in order to determine both the differences and similarities between them” (Fisiak, 1981: 1)
According to Richards, J.C et al (1992), contrastive analysis is “the comparison of the linguistic systems of two languages, for example the sound system or the grammatical system,”
Carl James (1980:2) stated that contrastive analysis occupies a middle ground between generalist and particularistic approaches It focuses more on the differences between languages rather than their similarities and is considered to have a diachronic rather than synchronic perspective He defined contrastive analysis as a method that emphasizes these distinctions.
This linguistic initiative focuses on creating inverted two-value typologies through contrastive analysis, which examines pairs of languages It is based on the premise that languages are comparable.
From 1940s to 1960s before the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) field as we know it was established, Charles Fries (1945:9) wrote:
The most effective learning materials are grounded in a scientific understanding of the target language, which is meticulously compared to a parallel analysis of the learner's native language.
Individuals often project the structures and significance of their native language and culture onto a foreign language and culture This transfer occurs both when they actively engage in speaking and participating in the new culture, as well as when they try to comprehend and interpret the language and cultural practices of native speakers.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, contrastive analysis played a significant role in Second Language Acquisition The Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis suggested that analyzing the differences between two languages could predict errors, with the likelihood of such errors linked to the similarities between the language systems Robert Lado emphasized this connection in his work.
“… those elements that are similar to this native language will be simple for him, and those elements that are different will be difficult.”
Learning a second language is easier when there are similarities with the mother tongue, while significant differences can lead to interference The main challenges faced by learners often stem from mother tongue interference, which can be effectively predicted through contrastive analysis This analytical approach serves as a valuable tool for understanding errors caused by the first language Consequently, teaching materials can leverage contrastive analysis to mitigate interference effects, highlighting its importance in language teaching and learning.
Carl James defines contrastive analysis as a branch of both pure and applied linguistics, though it plays a peripheral role in pure linguistics In contrast, it is a central focus within applied linguistics Therefore, in this study, the term "contrastive analysis" specifically refers to "applied contrastive analysis."
Contrastive analysis is an extensive area of linguistics that encompasses key levels such as phonology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics This includes the study of texts as well as elements of sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.
1.1.2 Guiding Principles for Contrastive Studies
Contrastive analysis emphasizes on the influence of the mother tongue in learning a second language in phonological, morphological and syntactic levels Chaturvedi (1973:56) suggests the following guiding principles for contrastive study:
(1) To analyze the mother tongue and the target language independently and completely
(2) To compare the two languages item-wise-item at all levels of their structure
(3) To arrive at the categories of:
(c) dissimilar features – for the target language
These principles coincide with what Carl James presented in Contrastive analysis (1980:64) to some extent
MiCA, or 'code-oriented' contrastive analysis, focuses on key linguistic areas such as phonology, morphology, and syntax, as noted by Carl James (1980) This approach emphasizes analyzing languages independently, without considering their social functions, acquisition processes, psychological mechanisms, or literary and communicative roles Consequently, MiCA typically involves comparisons of phonology, grammar, and lexis between languages For instance, such studies may examine the consonant phonemes of languages X and Y, exploring their differences in inventory, realization, and distribution, as well as analyzing the tense systems of both languages.
MiCA aims to formally describe a language system by focusing on the interrelationships and independencies of its elements, excluding external factors Notably, the transition involving equivalent messages between two different languages falls outside the scope of either language's system and is not analyzed within the framework of microlinguistics.
MaCA is the term that Yngve (1975) calls ‘broad’ or ‘human’ linguistics aiming at achieving a scientific understanding of how people communicate
Hymes (1974) identifies six variables which he suggests the ethnographer of speaking must refer to in characterizing any particular event as follow:
− Setting: The time and place of speech determine its form
− Participants: Addressor, speakers, addressee and audience
− Purpose: Persuasion, command, advice, greeting, etc
− Key: Tone, manner or spirit in which the speech act is performed
− Content: What one is talking about —the topic-codetermines the language forms selected
− Channel: There are two primary channels for verbal communication: speech and writing
This study does not compare the English verb "Love" with the Vietnamese verb "Yêu" due to time constraints and the researcher’s limited background knowledge.
The verb is the most crucial part of speech in English, serving as the foundation of every sentence It represents an action or a state of being, highlighting what someone or something is doing Even the simplest sentences can consist of a single verb, such as "Stop!" or "Eat!"
According to Jack C Richards et al (1992:398), in English, a word is a verb when it satisfies these following criteria:
- Carries markers of grammatical categories such as tense, aspect, person, number, and mood;
- Refers to an action or state
Almost verbs in English change in form in accordance with the grammatical features e.g She likes cat, they went to the beach, I enjoy reading short stories
Verbs serve as the central element of verb phrases in sentences, as noted by Quirk et al (1972:820) While some verbs can take complements, others do not The four types of verbs that allow for complementation are identified.
- Intensive: e.g be in John is very happy
- Monotransitive: e.g catch in He caught a big fish yesterday
- Ditransitive: e.g give in He gave Mary a doll
- Complex transitive: e.g call in she called him a hero
Three other verb types where no complementation occurs are:
- Intransitive verbs (never taking an object): e.g arrive in Our friends have arrived
- Verbs which can be transitive or intransitive with little or no difference in meaning or in subject-verb relationship e.g smoke in He smokes (cigarettes) every day
Verbs can be classified as transitive or intransitive, significantly affecting their meaning and the subject-verb relationship For example, in the sentence "He grew rapidly during that period," the verb "grew" is used intransitively, while in "He grew flowers as a hobby," it is used transitively.
Võ Đại Quang (2006:18) states that there are many ways to classify English verbs which are:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The subjects of this study are the verb “Love” in English, the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese, and their meanings got through collecting from sources
The data for this study is sourced from reputable English and Vietnamese dictionaries of idioms and proverbs, such as the "Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs," "Oxford Dictionary of Idioms," and "Longman Idioms Dictionary," among others Additionally, information has been gathered from various novels, books, magazines, newspapers, and websites, ensuring a comprehensive collection of well-known and reliable idiomatic expressions.
The study uses the two methods: Qualitative and Contrastive Analysis
This study employs a quantitative method to gather data on English and Vietnamese idioms and proverbs related to the verbs "Love" and "Yêu." Additionally, it is qualitative in nature, as the data primarily consists of words These methodologies are selected to effectively describe the functions of "Love" in English and "Yêu" in Vietnamese The research follows specific steps to ensure comprehensive analysis.
“Yêu” in Vietnamese from books, magazines, novels, short stories, and the websites
− Analyzing the grammatical and semantic features of two words
− Identifying the similarities and differences between the two verbs in the two languages with regard to grammatical and semantic features
− Suggesting some recommendations for further research.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
3.1 A Contrastive Analysis of the Verb “Love” in English and the Verb
“Yêu” in Vietnamese in terms of Microlinguistics
3.1.1 An investigation into the verb “Love” in English
In microlinguistics, the verb "Love" is analyzed through two key features: grammatical features, which encompass both syntactic and morphological aspects, and semantic features that highlight its meaning.
“Love” is a typical verb, so it shares the same syntactic functions of verbs:
(1) Occurs as part of the predicate of a sentence For example:
Love is a complex and enigmatic emotion, and your intense feelings for Clive reflect more about your own desires than about him It’s possible that he may have feelings for someone else, as he has never truly loved anyone before.
− He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much
(2) Derivatives of “Love” have different grammatical functions such as subjects, objects, or complements, etc as in:
− There is more pleasure in loving than in being beloved
(George Latimer Apperson, Martin H Manser, Stephen J Curtis,
− Through this trial and error, I discovered that by loving my children,
I could recover my own lost childhood
− Henry Drummond said “ to love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever”
Loving someone means deriving joy from their happiness This act of love is rooted in benevolence, where we genuinely desire the well-being of others, not for personal gain, but simply because it brings us satisfaction.
− Love the heart that hurts you, but never hurt the heart that loves you
− To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides
(3) Carries markers of grammatical categories such as tense, aspect, person, number and mood as in:
− The disciples looked at each other, at a lost to know which of them he meant One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him
− Do not love the world or the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him
− What we have once enjoyed we can never lose All that we love deeply becomes a part of us
Hellen Keller (Cited in Mary Kathleen Glavich, Snd Glavich, 2010:4)
True love is intertwined with laughter; without it, genuine connections are hard to form The Lord Jesus Christ does not tolerate irreverence If you find humor in sacred concepts like the virgin birth, you may face serious consequences.
− The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves
Victor Hugo(cited in G.kleiser, 2005:178)
(4) “Love” is a transitive verb This means that “Love” must occur with objects
− Humorist and philosopher Don Marquis once quipped “I love you as New Englanders love pie!”
− Don't forget to love yourself
Soren Kierkegaard (Cited in Karen Casey, 2013:1)
− If you love me let me know
− If you don't then let me go
Of a day without you in it
(Olivia Newton-John - If You Love Me (let Me Know) Lyrics | Metro Lyrics )
(5) “Love” is also an intransitive verb This means that “Love” can occur without an object
− What we have once enjoyed we can never lose All that we love deeply becomes a part of us
Thomas Fuller (cited in George Latimer Apperson, Martin H Manser,
− Women wish to be loved not because they are pretty, or good, or well bred, or graceful, or intelligent, but because they are themselves
Henri Frederic Amiel(cited in Jilian Chantal, 2012:172)
The verb “Love” consists of one morpheme as a root According to Quirk et al (1987), like many other English verbs, it has five forms: the base
“Love”, the –s form “loves”, the past form “loved”, the past participate
“loved”, the –ing participle “loving”
By means of derivation, the verb “Love” itself is also a noun as in
− Love is fire But whether it’s gonna warm your heart or burn your house done you can never tell
Jason Jordan (cited in Hawwah Nofeeyah, 2010:39)
− Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence
− It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters
Mother Teresa (cited in Marci Shimoff, 2010:283)
− Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it
Thomas Fuller (cited in Wolfgang Mieder, Stewart A Kingsbury,
− Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love
Albert Einstein (cited in Daniel A Bochner, 2011:165) Besides, it has some derivatives as follows:
Loved (adjective): held dear; "his loved companion of many years" as in:
It is with great sadness that we report to the MTS community the untimely death of much-loved teacher Paul Overton
(http://www.mtsn.org.uk/news/passing-of-a-much-loved-colleague/) Lovely (adjective):
− very kind, generous and friendly as in “Her mother was a lovely woman”
− beautiful; attractive as in “He has a lovely voice.”;
− very enjoyable and pleasant; wonderful as in “We've had a lovely time.” http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/lovely1
Beloved (adjective): dearly loved, for example
− They were glad to be back in their beloved Ireland
Lovable (adjective): having qualities that people find attractive and easy to love, often despite any faults, for instance:
Loving (adjective): Feeling love; affectionate; Indicative of or exhibiting love as in
− A loving heart has no equal - Swahili proverb
− A loving heart is not argued with - Swahili proverb
Love-struck (adjective): so in love with someone that it is difficult to behave as usual or even think of anything else except the person you love
Love-making (noun): sexual activity
In this section, we will attempt to discuss different senses of “Love” in general as well as its idioms Like many other emotion verbs, “Love” refers to a state
− Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer
La Fontaine (cited in Henry Southgate, 1862:236)
− There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved
− A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love Max Muller
− Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies - Aristotle 3.1.1.2.1 General Meanings
In accordance with http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/love,
Love is originated from an Old English lufu, of Germanic origin; from an
Indo-European root shared by Sanskit lubhyati ‘desires’, Latin libet ‘it is pleasing’, libido ‘desire’
The verb "love" in English encompasses several fundamental meanings, as outlined by various reputable sources, including the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2000), Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture (1992), Lac Viet Mtd 2002-EVA dictionary, and yourdictionary.com.
(1) A strong feeling of affection for somebody that you are sexually attracted to a person
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and the Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture, the primary definition of "love" refers to a strong affection for someone with whom one is sexually attracted In Vietnamese, this concept can be expressed with terms such as "yêu," "cảm," "phải lòng," "trồng cây si," "chết," and "ái."
“si mờ”, “cuồng dại”, “mờ tớt”, “mờ ủắm”, “say” , “say ủắm”, etc
− "So dear I love him that with him, all deaths I could endure Without him, live no life
− "A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears."
Woodrow Wyatt (cited in Therapy, 2011:64)
I love you not just for who you are, but for how you inspire me to be my best self Your influence shapes not only your own identity but also transforms mine in beautiful ways It's the essence of our connection that brings out the best in me.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (cited in Jonathan Lockwood Huie, 2009:69)
− "I love you more and each day passing and it eases me to know as tomorrow approaches that I will love you more than yesterday
− I love you as New Englanders love pie
Don Marquis (cited in Ellen J Diffin Wangner, 1944:57)
(2) To have a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person
"Love" is defined as a profound emotional connection or deep affection towards someone or something, particularly for family members or friends In Vietnamese, expressions of love include "Yêu," "yêu mến," "yêu quý," and "yêu thương."
“thương”, “quý trọng”, “trân trọng” Below are some examples:
It is remarkable how much effort kind individuals invest in combating evil If they directed that same energy towards loving their fellow humans, the forces of darkness would be rendered powerless by their own boredom.
Hellen Keller (quoted in John W Casperson, 2008:140)
− A mother loves her children even when they least deserve to be loved
Kate Samperi (cited in Herb Galewitz, 2002:43)
− Her students love her and they love all the fun projects she does
(3) To consider that something is important and you want to protect or support it In Vietnamese, it can be translated into “kính yêu”, “tôn kính”,
“kính trọng”, “yêu mến”, “quý trọng”, “tôn sùng”, “sùng bái”, “tôn thờ”, for examples:
− I love my country as you love yours
− In the letter she says that even though she loves her father, she is ready to sacrifice him for his fatherland
(Bulent Diken, Carsten Bagge Laustsen, Carsten B Laustsen, 2005:142)
(4) To have sexual intercourse with
“Love” is also used as to express love- making activity In Vietnamese, it is called “ái ân”, “quan hệ”, “quan hệ tình dục”, “sinh hoạt” Below are examples:
She embraced him tightly, showering his face with passionate kisses that alleviated his distress, while her hands explored his back as he moved restlessly Moments later, he was fully devoted to her, their connection deepening with each thrust.
(cited in Bc Jana Dráčková, 2011:27)
− “But once that drink was in their bodies, they loved each other so well that their love never departed for weal nor woe”
(5) To embrace and kiss (someone) or fondle with sexual passion
In the website http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/love, the verb “Love” has the meaning of embracing, kissing or caressing In Vietnamese, it means
“mơn trớn”, “vuốt ve”, “âu yếm”
The couple's affection for each other was evident in the backseat of the car, as they held hands discreetly, reminiscent of the excitement of a second date.
− He often loves his wife’s hair, kissing her neck then falls asleep
The next meaning is to need or require; benefit greatly from In Vietnamese, it means “cần”, “ưa”, “chuộng”
− The cactus loves hot, dry air
− For example, morning sunlight can be just as intense as afternoon sun, but plants that love shade will do better with morning rather than afternoon sun
(7) To like or desire enthusiastically
“Love” also means to like, to be keen on or, desire something or doing something enthusiastically In Vietnamese is equivalents may be “khoái”,
“mê”, “hứng thú”, “hào hứng”, “thích thú”, “thích”, “yêu chuộng”, “yêu thích” For exrample:
− Dick Shoulberg is a walking bundle of enthusiasm He loves swimming and the swimmers who are willing to do the work to be successful
(Edited by Dick Hannula, Nort Thornton, 2001:13)
− Although she had never come by my house before even to chat, she was hanging out in my yard telling me her problems
(8) To want to have something or to do something very much
According to the Collins Dictionary (1979), the verb "love" signifies a strong desire to have or do something In Vietnamese, this can be expressed with terms like "thích" or "mong."
− I would love a hot bath and clean clothes
− His wife would love him to give up his job
− “After I invited her to attend our wedding ceremony tomorrow evening with her parents, she said she would love to come”
3.1.1.2.2 Meanings of the word “Love” in some Idioms and Proverbs
Idioms and proverbs are invaluable assets of any language, frequently appearing in both daily communication and written texts Notably, the verb "Love" features prominently in over 39 idioms and proverbs, highlighting its significance in expressing emotions and relationships The grid below presents a selection of these common expressions.
One cannot love and be wise
People often fall in love with someone with whom they are not compatible or behave foolishly when they are in love
My son and his girlfriend plan to marry in the spring, but I believe it's unwise due to their insufficient savings for starting a household However, love often overshadows practical considerations.
People who are unhappy may get some consolation from knowing that others are unhappy too
Jill: Why is Linda criticizing everybody today?
Jane: Her boss criticized her this morning, and misery loves company
4 Love me, love my dog
If you love someone, you should accept everything and
Most of Alice's friends didn't like her sister, but
Proverbs Meanings Examples because Alice insisted,
"love me, love my dog."
5 Love to bits To like or to love someone or something a lot
Clive's the nicest person I know I love him to bits
My goodness! (An exclamation of surprise.)
Lord love a duck! Did you see that cat chasing that dog?
A marriage for love without sufficient means to maintain one's social status
Ours has been love in a cottage since my husband lost his job
A face only a mother could love
Persons so ugly that only the mother would love them no girl will date them because they are hideous and only the love of a mother will be with them
The poor baby has a face only a mother could love
Pity is akin to love
If you begin to feel sorry for someone, you may start to love them (him or her)
They say that Pity is akin to Love, though only a Poor Relation; but Amy
Proverbs Meanings Examples did not even pity me
Virtuous or gifted people die at an early age, because the gods want those people to be with them in the after life
So many brilliant authors and artists died before the age of fifty that it's easy to believe that whom the gods love die young
Tale 2: Idoms/ Proverbs with the verb “ love”
3.1.2.An Investigation into the verb “Yêu” in Vietnamese
(a) In a verb phrase, like other verbs in Vietnamese, “Yêu” can function as the central component and combine with other auxiliary components as follow:
With auxiliary components before verbs For example:
− Ta chỉ có thể yêu người khác vì người khác khác ta Chính vì thế, ta không thể yêu nổi chính mình
− Chán thật, con sẽ chẳng yêu ai! Nhưng nếu lỡ yêu…
Thì cứ yêu Để rồi hết yêu và….ly dị
Hay Hạnh là một "chuyên gia rót mật" vào tai các cô gái, có thể anh ta sở hữu tài năng đặc biệt khiến nhiều người say mê Tuy nhiên, khi đã trót yêu, tại sao không giữ bí mật khi thấy dư luận xung quanh phản đối mạnh mẽ?
(Trong Dang Dan Tran, 2003:277) With auxiliary components after verbs, they may be nouns, adjectives, numbers, adjuncts or conjuncts as in:
− " Dường như người ta vẫn yờu, ủến mức khụng thể giằn dỗi, nặng lời
Và mỡnh thỡ chưa bao giờ yờu ai ủến như vậy?!!!"
− Tụi yờu em: ủến nay chừng cú thể
Ngọn lửa tỡnh chưa hẳn ủó tàn phai
Nhưng khụng ủể em bận lũng thờm nữa,
Hay hồn em phải gợn bóng u hoài
Tôi yêu em âm thầm, không hy vọng,
Lúc rụt rè, khi hậm hực lòng ghen,
Tụi yờu em, yờu chõn thành, ủằm thắm,
Cầu em ủược người tỡnh như tụi ủó yờu em