Luận văn phân tích Đối chiếu các thành ngữ chỉ nỗi sợ hãi trong tiếng anh và tiếng việt

Tl can be seen from the definitions mentioned above, the linguists have defined idioms just in terms of their semantics and syntax In fact, idioms arc mar’s ercation and originated from

NGUYEN THI THUY

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF IDIOMS DENOTING FEAR UN

ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE

{Phân tích đổi chiéu các thành ngữ chỉ nỗ: sơ hãi trong

Tiếng Anh và Tiếng ViệO

M.A Miinor Pregramante 1 hesis

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 602215

Hanoi, 2010

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTIES OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYEN THI THUY

7 FEAR IN

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF IDIOMS DENOT

ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE

(Phân tích dối chiếu các thành ngữ chỉ nổ: sợ Adi trong

Tiếng Anh và Tiếng ViệO

M.A Minor Programme Thesis

Field: English Linguistics Code: 602215

Supervisor: Trần Bá Tiến, M.A

Hanoi, 2010

1.2.1.1, Syntactic features of English idioms 5

1.1.3 Distinetion between idioms, proverbs and some other terms 14

sayings, phrasal verbs, colloqpialisirs

1.2.1 Concepts of Human Feelings 17

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

Chapter 1: Thewlicnl background

Ld Idioms

1.1.1 Definitions of Idioms

Idioms are a broad and crucial field of any languages Usage of idioms is integral in human interaction, Be aware of this, recently, much work on idioms has been cartied oul Hence, a great number of definitions of idioms is understandable Every linguist who specializes in different branches will have different way to understand and describe idioms

Jackson & Amvela and Palmer share the similar viewpoint on idiom definition According to Jackson & Amvcla (2000, p.66), “en idiom may be defined as a please the meaning of which cannot be predicted from the individual meanings of the morphenes it comprises” Palmer (1990) states that an idiom i

“Metaphorical’ could be referred to figurative and non-literal characteristics of idioms In the meanwhile, ‘fossilized’ implics unchangeable properly of idioms Tl can be seen from the definitions mentioned above, the linguists have defined idioms just in terms of their

semantics and syntax

In fact, idioms arc mar’s ercation and originated from human cornmunication, (us usage of idioms is integral in haman interaction Idioms have a deep interrelation with the human beings” thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and attitude, which means the speaker’s culture Therefore, it would be a shorleorming in the atlempl to define idioms without regarding their cultural aspect As for her viewpoint on idioms, Fernando (1997, pp.1-30) describes idioms as “conventionalized multiword expressions [ ] individual units whose

PARI A: INERODUCLION

1 Rationale

Even having becn living in England for a Jong time, a non-native spcaker who has a

gteat command of English could be easily realized that his English is not mother-tongue language when he is in conversation with an Bnglish speaker Explanation for (his could be his way of using language

Anyone who has already been put in a real communication of the language finds it casy to recognize that tative-speukers” conversations arc far morc interssting and variod

than that with non-native speakers The answer to this is that in their talk native speakers apply several idioms because of their convenience ‘ast, these idioms not only have brief and extraordinary forms, containing key words but they also hold profound meanings They manifest much what the speakers want to say and do not want to say in words The means that can express speakers’ viewpoints, feelings, attitudes and even personality and culttre is their ways of idioms usage Take this example to consider “pull someone's leg” The phrase pudl my leg would causc a lot of difficultics for non-native speakers because it has nothing to do with the description of the action of pulling someone’s leg but just means

“to play a joke on somebody, usually by making them believe something thal is nol Irưe” (Oxford Advanced Learnar’s Dictionary, 7 edition) or simply “to fool somebody”,

Therefore, knowing how to use a language is a completely dittzrent category fom mastering a language Mastery of a language not only needs speakers’ acquisition of several aspocis of language such as

The combination of all he facts mentioned above is the reason for Ihe thesis, In the thesis the author has made an attempt to investigate into English idioms from different aspects ‘Chen there will be a comparison between English idioms and Vietnamese idioms denoting fear

2 s of the study

“The study is carried out for the following aims

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

irst of all, it demonstrates some general knowledge about idioms in terms of

3 Scope of the study

English idioms have a great mumber of idioms denoting Inman feelings A few of

One human emotion that appears daily, therefore has several idioms, but has not been received mueh study is fear lence, in the study ths author concentrates on English idioms denoting fear and put it them in comparison with Vietnamese idioms

4, Methods of the study

‘The approaches and procedures employed to achieve the research goals are as

follows

- To establish a theretical framework for the study, both domestic and foreign publications are critically reviewed and referred to

+ The quantitative method is dominantly uxed for the data statiscties Tn addition, the

contastive analysis approach is employed to compare the two language and cultures

‘Nam (2008), Tử Điển Thành Ngữ và Tục Ngữ Việt Nam (2008)

other kinds in a language Llaving the same idea, Iravel (1992) also atates that iđioms are anomalies of language

Idioms exist in various forms, containing different number of words According to Fernando (1997), English idioms fluctuate hetween ‘Avo-ward compound structure’ and ‘a complex clause with no more than tvo subordinate clauses’ On ice (set aside for fulure

use), fork over (hand over), or wet blanket (dull or boring person who spoils the happiness

of others) are some examples of the smallest structure of idioms Or i the shoe fits, wear it (ađmil the trulh), people who live in glass houses shontda't throw stones (one should not criticize when one is equally at fault) are dlustration for the maximum limit of idioms

In fact, there are idioms that have only one word “Lemon? (denoting something defective) is an idiom with only one word Or “fisky” is in Ihe same case

Seidl and Mordie (1978) discover syntactic properties of idioms when syntactic features and semantic features are put info correlation According to them, an idiom can have a regularly, irregularly or even wrongly grammatical structure Idiom spill the beans

reveal a scerct) is a regular structure with the form Verb_ Direct Object, fill somebody's

boots/shoes (do somebody’s job ina satisfactory way when they are not there), give me five (hil the inside of somebody’s hand with the inside of your hand as a greeting or Lo

celebrate a victory) are in the case, or as free as (the) air us a bird (completely fiee)

possesses the normal form, the comparative form However, consider sell him short, it is easy lo see that the form of the idiom self somebody short (underestiuale somebody) is grammatically incorrect The last element short must be an adverb to modify sell Conversely, adjective short which is used to describe height of a person or to measure length or distance is applied to do the job instead Do something on the aff chance (to do something even though you think thal there is only a small possibility of i Leing successful), fight shy of something’ of doing something (avoid something or doing

something, not want to do) are the instances of the extraordinary structure

Some idioms that may have regular forms but the meaning is ambiguous The

idiom dressed to kill (wear one’s finest clothing) takes the regular form but has obscure ineariing Tl could make sense thal someone prepares for an action of killing someone by wearing clothes if il is nol recognized as an idiom There arc some same instances such as different strokes for different folky (everyone has different interests and tastes), ealing someone (bothering or worrying someone), bite the bullet (enchre in a difficult situation) ,

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

other kinds in a language Llaving the same idea, Iravel (1992) also atates that iđioms are anomalies of language

Idioms exist in various forms, containing different number of words According to Fernando (1997), English idioms fluctuate hetween ‘Avo-ward compound structure’ and ‘a complex clause with no more than tvo subordinate clauses’ On ice (set aside for fulure

use), fork over (hand over), or wet blanket (dull or boring person who spoils the happiness

of others) are some examples of the smallest structure of idioms Or i the shoe fits, wear it (ađmil the trulh), people who live in glass houses shontda't throw stones (one should not criticize when one is equally at fault) are dlustration for the maximum limit of idioms

In fact, there are idioms that have only one word “Lemon? (denoting something defective) is an idiom with only one word Or “fisky” is in Ihe same case

Seidl and Mordie (1978) discover syntactic properties of idioms when syntactic features and semantic features are put info correlation According to them, an idiom can have a regularly, irregularly or even wrongly grammatical structure Idiom spill the beans

reveal a scerct) is a regular structure with the form Verb_ Direct Object, fill somebody's

boots/shoes (do somebody’s job ina satisfactory way when they are not there), give me five (hil the inside of somebody’s hand with the inside of your hand as a greeting or Lo

celebrate a victory) are in the case, or as free as (the) air us a bird (completely fiee)

possesses the normal form, the comparative form However, consider sell him short, it is easy lo see that the form of the idiom self somebody short (underestiuale somebody) is grammatically incorrect The last element short must be an adverb to modify sell Conversely, adjective short which is used to describe height of a person or to measure length or distance is applied to do the job instead Do something on the aff chance (to do something even though you think thal there is only a small possibility of i Leing successful), fight shy of something’ of doing something (avoid something or doing

something, not want to do) are the instances of the extraordinary structure

Some idioms that may have regular forms but the meaning is ambiguous The

idiom dressed to kill (wear one’s finest clothing) takes the regular form but has obscure ineariing Tl could make sense thal someone prepares for an action of killing someone by wearing clothes if il is nol recognized as an idiom There arc some same instances such as different strokes for different folky (everyone has different interests and tastes), ealing someone (bothering or worrying someone), bite the bullet (enchre in a difficult situation) ,

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

irst of all, it demonstrates some general knowledge about idioms in terms of

3 Scope of the study

English idioms have a great mumber of idioms denoting Inman feelings A few of

One human emotion that appears daily, therefore has several idioms, but has not been received mueh study is fear lence, in the study ths author concentrates on English idioms denoting fear and put it them in comparison with Vietnamese idioms

4, Methods of the study

‘The approaches and procedures employed to achieve the research goals are as

follows

- To establish a theretical framework for the study, both domestic and foreign publications are critically reviewed and referred to

+ The quantitative method is dominantly uxed for the data statiscties Tn addition, the

contastive analysis approach is employed to compare the two language and cultures

‘Nam (2008), Tử Điển Thành Ngữ và Tục Ngữ Việt Nam (2008)

other kinds in a language Llaving the same idea, Iravel (1992) also atates that iđioms are anomalies of language

Idioms exist in various forms, containing different number of words According to Fernando (1997), English idioms fluctuate hetween ‘Avo-ward compound structure’ and ‘a complex clause with no more than tvo subordinate clauses’ On ice (set aside for fulure

use), fork over (hand over), or wet blanket (dull or boring person who spoils the happiness

of others) are some examples of the smallest structure of idioms Or i the shoe fits, wear it (ađmil the trulh), people who live in glass houses shontda't throw stones (one should not criticize when one is equally at fault) are dlustration for the maximum limit of idioms

In fact, there are idioms that have only one word “Lemon? (denoting something defective) is an idiom with only one word Or “fisky” is in Ihe same case

Seidl and Mordie (1978) discover syntactic properties of idioms when syntactic features and semantic features are put info correlation According to them, an idiom can have a regularly, irregularly or even wrongly grammatical structure Idiom spill the beans

reveal a scerct) is a regular structure with the form Verb_ Direct Object, fill somebody's

boots/shoes (do somebody’s job ina satisfactory way when they are not there), give me five (hil the inside of somebody’s hand with the inside of your hand as a greeting or Lo

celebrate a victory) are in the case, or as free as (the) air us a bird (completely fiee)

possesses the normal form, the comparative form However, consider sell him short, it is easy lo see that the form of the idiom self somebody short (underestiuale somebody) is grammatically incorrect The last element short must be an adverb to modify sell Conversely, adjective short which is used to describe height of a person or to measure length or distance is applied to do the job instead Do something on the aff chance (to do something even though you think thal there is only a small possibility of i Leing successful), fight shy of something’ of doing something (avoid something or doing

something, not want to do) are the instances of the extraordinary structure

Some idioms that may have regular forms but the meaning is ambiguous The

idiom dressed to kill (wear one’s finest clothing) takes the regular form but has obscure ineariing Tl could make sense thal someone prepares for an action of killing someone by wearing clothes if il is nol recognized as an idiom There arc some same instances such as different strokes for different folky (everyone has different interests and tastes), ealing someone (bothering or worrying someone), bite the bullet (enchre in a difficult situation) ,

Chapter 1: Thewlicnl background

Ld Idioms

1.1.1 Definitions of Idioms

Idioms are a broad and crucial field of any languages Usage of idioms is integral in human interaction, Be aware of this, recently, much work on idioms has been cartied oul Hence, a great number of definitions of idioms is understandable Every linguist who specializes in different branches will have different way to understand and describe idioms

Jackson & Amvela and Palmer share the similar viewpoint on idiom definition According to Jackson & Amvcla (2000, p.66), “en idiom may be defined as a please the meaning of which cannot be predicted from the individual meanings of the morphenes it comprises” Palmer (1990) states that an idiom i

“Metaphorical’ could be referred to figurative and non-literal characteristics of idioms In the meanwhile, ‘fossilized’ implics unchangeable properly of idioms Tl can be seen from the definitions mentioned above, the linguists have defined idioms just in terms of their

semantics and syntax

In fact, idioms arc mar’s ercation and originated from human cornmunication, (us usage of idioms is integral in haman interaction Idioms have a deep interrelation with the human beings” thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and attitude, which means the speaker’s culture Therefore, it would be a shorleorming in the atlempl to define idioms without regarding their cultural aspect As for her viewpoint on idioms, Fernando (1997, pp.1-30) describes idioms as “conventionalized multiword expressions [ ] individual units whose

components cannot be varied or varied only within definable limits [ ] Nor are the wards

is a two-word compound structure and the maximum limit is a complex clause with no more than two subordinate clauses In terms of institutionalization, idioms are the product

of socially interaction expressions which have conventionstized, therefore, idioms are conventionalized expressions Semantic opacity could be understood as figurativaness and nomtliteralness of idioms In accordance with Fernando, an idiom is made up ftom at least

two words and ils meaning is not inferred from the weaning of cach eonstitusnt or of both

1.1.2 Distinctive features of English idioms

Analysis of the idioms in terms of definition simultaneously demonstrates some features of idioms Idioms should be treated as a special kind of every language They separate thomsclves from regular rules compared with other sozts of a language In other words, only in idioms the unacceptability in both meaning and form of a language could exist, Ia sentence she puts her money where her mouth is inmedialely indicates the meaning via its words, it could be changed into passive voice her money ix put where her niouth is, However, strangely enough, following the same form of every form that could be changed inlo passive vaice Agent — Action — Recipienl, the form mentioned above must not be employed in passive voice, otherwise, it looks odd, Because, in fact pes one's money where one’s mozh is is an idiom, it is therefore necessary to be known as a fixed unit which does not permit of any rearrangement of its elements Put another aspect of idioms inlo consideration, that is scrmmlic one, thers will be one mote aspecis involved in Whether the sentence he loses his shirt should be treated as having a meaning directly through words or an idiom denoting Josing a great deal of money, it will depend on the context it is cmbedded with, That means idioms deal with pragmatics Exploration of features of idioms provides unique and interesting their peculiarities

1.1.2.1 Syntactic features of Kngflsh Idioms

Johnson-Laird (1993, p.iti) slates thal “if manơal language had heen designed hy a

logician, idioms would not exist” Idioms hold distinctive features that cannot be seen in

Chapter 1: Thewlicnl background

Ld Idioms

1.1.1 Definitions of Idioms

Idioms are a broad and crucial field of any languages Usage of idioms is integral in human interaction, Be aware of this, recently, much work on idioms has been cartied oul Hence, a great number of definitions of idioms is understandable Every linguist who specializes in different branches will have different way to understand and describe idioms

Jackson & Amvela and Palmer share the similar viewpoint on idiom definition According to Jackson & Amvcla (2000, p.66), “en idiom may be defined as a please the meaning of which cannot be predicted from the individual meanings of the morphenes it comprises” Palmer (1990) states that an idiom i

“Metaphorical’ could be referred to figurative and non-literal characteristics of idioms In the meanwhile, ‘fossilized’ implics unchangeable properly of idioms Tl can be seen from the definitions mentioned above, the linguists have defined idioms just in terms of their

semantics and syntax

In fact, idioms arc mar’s ercation and originated from human cornmunication, (us usage of idioms is integral in haman interaction Idioms have a deep interrelation with the human beings” thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and attitude, which means the speaker’s culture Therefore, it would be a shorleorming in the atlempl to define idioms without regarding their cultural aspect As for her viewpoint on idioms, Fernando (1997, pp.1-30) describes idioms as “conventionalized multiword expressions [ ] individual units whose

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

irst of all, it demonstrates some general knowledge about idioms in terms of

3 Scope of the study

English idioms have a great mumber of idioms denoting Inman feelings A few of

One human emotion that appears daily, therefore has several idioms, but has not been received mueh study is fear lence, in the study ths author concentrates on English idioms denoting fear and put it them in comparison with Vietnamese idioms

4, Methods of the study

‘The approaches and procedures employed to achieve the research goals are as

follows

- To establish a theretical framework for the study, both domestic and foreign publications are critically reviewed and referred to

+ The quantitative method is dominantly uxed for the data statiscties Tn addition, the

contastive analysis approach is employed to compare the two language and cultures

‘Nam (2008), Tử Điển Thành Ngữ và Tục Ngữ Việt Nam (2008)

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

irst of all, it demonstrates some general knowledge about idioms in terms of

3 Scope of the study

English idioms have a great mumber of idioms denoting Inman feelings A few of

One human emotion that appears daily, therefore has several idioms, but has not been received mueh study is fear lence, in the study ths author concentrates on English idioms denoting fear and put it them in comparison with Vietnamese idioms

4, Methods of the study

‘The approaches and procedures employed to achieve the research goals are as

follows

- To establish a theretical framework for the study, both domestic and foreign publications are critically reviewed and referred to

+ The quantitative method is dominantly uxed for the data statiscties Tn addition, the

contastive analysis approach is employed to compare the two language and cultures

‘Nam (2008), Tử Điển Thành Ngữ và Tục Ngữ Việt Nam (2008)

PARI A: INERODUCLION

1 Rationale

Even having becn living in England for a Jong time, a non-native spcaker who has a

gteat command of English could be easily realized that his English is not mother-tongue language when he is in conversation with an Bnglish speaker Explanation for (his could be his way of using language

Anyone who has already been put in a real communication of the language finds it casy to recognize that tative-speukers” conversations arc far morc interssting and variod

than that with non-native speakers The answer to this is that in their talk native speakers apply several idioms because of their convenience ‘ast, these idioms not only have brief and extraordinary forms, containing key words but they also hold profound meanings They manifest much what the speakers want to say and do not want to say in words The means that can express speakers’ viewpoints, feelings, attitudes and even personality and culttre is their ways of idioms usage Take this example to consider “pull someone's leg” The phrase pudl my leg would causc a lot of difficultics for non-native speakers because it has nothing to do with the description of the action of pulling someone’s leg but just means

“to play a joke on somebody, usually by making them believe something thal is nol Irưe” (Oxford Advanced Learnar’s Dictionary, 7 edition) or simply “to fool somebody”,

Therefore, knowing how to use a language is a completely dittzrent category fom mastering a language Mastery of a language not only needs speakers’ acquisition of several aspocis of language such as

The combination of all he facts mentioned above is the reason for Ihe thesis, In the thesis the author has made an attempt to investigate into English idioms from different aspects ‘Chen there will be a comparison between English idioms and Vietnamese idioms denoting fear

2 s of the study

“The study is carried out for the following aims

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

2.1.2 Linglish idioms denoting fear have phrase patterns

2.1.3 English idioms denoting fear have fixed patens

2.1.4 English idioms denoting fear have odd patterns

2.2 An English-Vietnamese comparison of syntactic features of idioms denoting

fear

2.2.1, Similatities

2.2.1.1 Vietnamese idioms with clause pattems

2.2.1.2 Viatnamose idioms with phrase pallerns

3.1 Metaphor and metonymy in cognitive linguistics

3.2 Metaphor and metonymy in English idioms denoting fear

3.3 An English-Victnamese comparison of scmantic features of idioms denoting

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

components cannot be varied or varied only within definable limits [ ] Nor are the wards

is a two-word compound structure and the maximum limit is a complex clause with no more than two subordinate clauses In terms of institutionalization, idioms are the product

of socially interaction expressions which have conventionstized, therefore, idioms are conventionalized expressions Semantic opacity could be understood as figurativaness and nomtliteralness of idioms In accordance with Fernando, an idiom is made up ftom at least

two words and ils meaning is not inferred from the weaning of cach eonstitusnt or of both

1.1.2 Distinctive features of English idioms

Analysis of the idioms in terms of definition simultaneously demonstrates some features of idioms Idioms should be treated as a special kind of every language They separate thomsclves from regular rules compared with other sozts of a language In other words, only in idioms the unacceptability in both meaning and form of a language could exist, Ia sentence she puts her money where her mouth is inmedialely indicates the meaning via its words, it could be changed into passive voice her money ix put where her niouth is, However, strangely enough, following the same form of every form that could be changed inlo passive vaice Agent — Action — Recipienl, the form mentioned above must not be employed in passive voice, otherwise, it looks odd, Because, in fact pes one's money where one’s mozh is is an idiom, it is therefore necessary to be known as a fixed unit which does not permit of any rearrangement of its elements Put another aspect of idioms inlo consideration, that is scrmmlic one, thers will be one mote aspecis involved in Whether the sentence he loses his shirt should be treated as having a meaning directly through words or an idiom denoting Josing a great deal of money, it will depend on the context it is cmbedded with, That means idioms deal with pragmatics Exploration of features of idioms provides unique and interesting their peculiarities

1.1.2.1 Syntactic features of Kngflsh Idioms

Johnson-Laird (1993, p.iti) slates thal “if manơal language had heen designed hy a

logician, idioms would not exist” Idioms hold distinctive features that cannot be seen in

other kinds in a language Llaving the same idea, Iravel (1992) also atates that iđioms are anomalies of language

Idioms exist in various forms, containing different number of words According to Fernando (1997), English idioms fluctuate hetween ‘Avo-ward compound structure’ and ‘a complex clause with no more than tvo subordinate clauses’ On ice (set aside for fulure

use), fork over (hand over), or wet blanket (dull or boring person who spoils the happiness

of others) are some examples of the smallest structure of idioms Or i the shoe fits, wear it (ađmil the trulh), people who live in glass houses shontda't throw stones (one should not criticize when one is equally at fault) are dlustration for the maximum limit of idioms

In fact, there are idioms that have only one word “Lemon? (denoting something defective) is an idiom with only one word Or “fisky” is in Ihe same case

Seidl and Mordie (1978) discover syntactic properties of idioms when syntactic features and semantic features are put info correlation According to them, an idiom can have a regularly, irregularly or even wrongly grammatical structure Idiom spill the beans

reveal a scerct) is a regular structure with the form Verb_ Direct Object, fill somebody's

boots/shoes (do somebody’s job ina satisfactory way when they are not there), give me five (hil the inside of somebody’s hand with the inside of your hand as a greeting or Lo

celebrate a victory) are in the case, or as free as (the) air us a bird (completely fiee)

possesses the normal form, the comparative form However, consider sell him short, it is easy lo see that the form of the idiom self somebody short (underestiuale somebody) is grammatically incorrect The last element short must be an adverb to modify sell Conversely, adjective short which is used to describe height of a person or to measure length or distance is applied to do the job instead Do something on the aff chance (to do something even though you think thal there is only a small possibility of i Leing successful), fight shy of something’ of doing something (avoid something or doing

something, not want to do) are the instances of the extraordinary structure

Some idioms that may have regular forms but the meaning is ambiguous The

idiom dressed to kill (wear one’s finest clothing) takes the regular form but has obscure ineariing Tl could make sense thal someone prepares for an action of killing someone by wearing clothes if il is nol recognized as an idiom There arc some same instances such as different strokes for different folky (everyone has different interests and tastes), ealing someone (bothering or worrying someone), bite the bullet (enchre in a difficult situation) ,

PARI A: INERODUCLION

1 Rationale

Even having becn living in England for a Jong time, a non-native spcaker who has a

gteat command of English could be easily realized that his English is not mother-tongue language when he is in conversation with an Bnglish speaker Explanation for (his could be his way of using language

Anyone who has already been put in a real communication of the language finds it casy to recognize that tative-speukers” conversations arc far morc interssting and variod

than that with non-native speakers The answer to this is that in their talk native speakers apply several idioms because of their convenience ‘ast, these idioms not only have brief and extraordinary forms, containing key words but they also hold profound meanings They manifest much what the speakers want to say and do not want to say in words The means that can express speakers’ viewpoints, feelings, attitudes and even personality and culttre is their ways of idioms usage Take this example to consider “pull someone's leg” The phrase pudl my leg would causc a lot of difficultics for non-native speakers because it has nothing to do with the description of the action of pulling someone’s leg but just means

“to play a joke on somebody, usually by making them believe something thal is nol Irưe” (Oxford Advanced Learnar’s Dictionary, 7 edition) or simply “to fool somebody”,

Therefore, knowing how to use a language is a completely dittzrent category fom mastering a language Mastery of a language not only needs speakers’ acquisition of several aspocis of language such as

The combination of all he facts mentioned above is the reason for Ihe thesis, In the thesis the author has made an attempt to investigate into English idioms from different aspects ‘Chen there will be a comparison between English idioms and Vietnamese idioms denoting fear

2 s of the study

“The study is carried out for the following aims

irst of all, it demonstrates some general knowledge about idioms in terms of

3 Scope of the study

English idioms have a great mumber of idioms denoting Inman feelings A few of

One human emotion that appears daily, therefore has several idioms, but has not been received mueh study is fear lence, in the study ths author concentrates on English idioms denoting fear and put it them in comparison with Vietnamese idioms

4, Methods of the study

‘The approaches and procedures employed to achieve the research goals are as

follows

- To establish a theretical framework for the study, both domestic and foreign publications are critically reviewed and referred to

+ The quantitative method is dominantly uxed for the data statiscties Tn addition, the

contastive analysis approach is employed to compare the two language and cultures

‘Nam (2008), Tử Điển Thành Ngữ và Tục Ngữ Việt Nam (2008)

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

‘As for websites, they are the tool that is made use of ‘The websites are a huge source of

Data analysis procedures:

Idioms that are related to fear are collected fiom the dictionaries and books

mentioned abovs Then thơ cxamplos are taken fiom websites and books for illustration The last step is to investigate and analyze according to the requirements of the study,

5, Format of the study

The stuly consisis of three parts which are Introduction, Development and

Conelusion

Inireduetion: a brief account of relevant information for carrying out the study is represented They are the rationale for choosing the topic, the aims, the scope, the methodology and the format of the study

Development, ‘his crucial part concludes four chapters Chapter 1 is ‘Theoretical

Background, which introduces initially necessary theories on the topic from the different aspects involved in idioms and human feelings Chapter Il provides a deep insight into syntactic features of English idioms of fear and the comparison between the two languages, Fnglish and Vielnamese Chapter I has the similar steps as the second chapler

It is concemed with semantic features of English idioms describing fear and its comparison with Vietnamese ones

Conclusion: which includes Recapitulation, Concluding Remarks, and Suggestions for further tescarches,

The study ends at Reference and Recapitulation

Chapter 1: Thewlicnl background

Ld Idioms

1.1.1 Definitions of Idioms

Idioms are a broad and crucial field of any languages Usage of idioms is integral in human interaction, Be aware of this, recently, much work on idioms has been cartied oul Hence, a great number of definitions of idioms is understandable Every linguist who specializes in different branches will have different way to understand and describe idioms

Jackson & Amvela and Palmer share the similar viewpoint on idiom definition According to Jackson & Amvcla (2000, p.66), “en idiom may be defined as a please the meaning of which cannot be predicted from the individual meanings of the morphenes it comprises” Palmer (1990) states that an idiom i

“Metaphorical’ could be referred to figurative and non-literal characteristics of idioms In the meanwhile, ‘fossilized’ implics unchangeable properly of idioms Tl can be seen from the definitions mentioned above, the linguists have defined idioms just in terms of their

semantics and syntax

In fact, idioms arc mar’s ercation and originated from human cornmunication, (us usage of idioms is integral in haman interaction Idioms have a deep interrelation with the human beings” thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and attitude, which means the speaker’s culture Therefore, it would be a shorleorming in the atlempl to define idioms without regarding their cultural aspect As for her viewpoint on idioms, Fernando (1997, pp.1-30) describes idioms as “conventionalized multiword expressions [ ] individual units whose

PARI A: INERODUCLION

1 Rationale

Even having becn living in England for a Jong time, a non-native spcaker who has a

gteat command of English could be easily realized that his English is not mother-tongue language when he is in conversation with an Bnglish speaker Explanation for (his could be his way of using language

Anyone who has already been put in a real communication of the language finds it casy to recognize that tative-speukers” conversations arc far morc interssting and variod

than that with non-native speakers The answer to this is that in their talk native speakers apply several idioms because of their convenience ‘ast, these idioms not only have brief and extraordinary forms, containing key words but they also hold profound meanings They manifest much what the speakers want to say and do not want to say in words The means that can express speakers’ viewpoints, feelings, attitudes and even personality and culttre is their ways of idioms usage Take this example to consider “pull someone's leg” The phrase pudl my leg would causc a lot of difficultics for non-native speakers because it has nothing to do with the description of the action of pulling someone’s leg but just means

“to play a joke on somebody, usually by making them believe something thal is nol Irưe” (Oxford Advanced Learnar’s Dictionary, 7 edition) or simply “to fool somebody”,

Therefore, knowing how to use a language is a completely dittzrent category fom mastering a language Mastery of a language not only needs speakers’ acquisition of several aspocis of language such as

The combination of all he facts mentioned above is the reason for Ihe thesis, In the thesis the author has made an attempt to investigate into English idioms from different aspects ‘Chen there will be a comparison between English idioms and Vietnamese idioms denoting fear

2 s of the study

“The study is carried out for the following aims

other kinds in a language Llaving the same idea, Iravel (1992) also atates that iđioms are anomalies of language

Idioms exist in various forms, containing different number of words According to Fernando (1997), English idioms fluctuate hetween ‘Avo-ward compound structure’ and ‘a complex clause with no more than tvo subordinate clauses’ On ice (set aside for fulure

use), fork over (hand over), or wet blanket (dull or boring person who spoils the happiness

of others) are some examples of the smallest structure of idioms Or i the shoe fits, wear it (ađmil the trulh), people who live in glass houses shontda't throw stones (one should not criticize when one is equally at fault) are dlustration for the maximum limit of idioms

In fact, there are idioms that have only one word “Lemon? (denoting something defective) is an idiom with only one word Or “fisky” is in Ihe same case

Seidl and Mordie (1978) discover syntactic properties of idioms when syntactic features and semantic features are put info correlation According to them, an idiom can have a regularly, irregularly or even wrongly grammatical structure Idiom spill the beans

reveal a scerct) is a regular structure with the form Verb_ Direct Object, fill somebody's

boots/shoes (do somebody’s job ina satisfactory way when they are not there), give me five (hil the inside of somebody’s hand with the inside of your hand as a greeting or Lo

celebrate a victory) are in the case, or as free as (the) air us a bird (completely fiee)

possesses the normal form, the comparative form However, consider sell him short, it is easy lo see that the form of the idiom self somebody short (underestiuale somebody) is grammatically incorrect The last element short must be an adverb to modify sell Conversely, adjective short which is used to describe height of a person or to measure length or distance is applied to do the job instead Do something on the aff chance (to do something even though you think thal there is only a small possibility of i Leing successful), fight shy of something’ of doing something (avoid something or doing

something, not want to do) are the instances of the extraordinary structure

Some idioms that may have regular forms but the meaning is ambiguous The

idiom dressed to kill (wear one’s finest clothing) takes the regular form but has obscure ineariing Tl could make sense thal someone prepares for an action of killing someone by wearing clothes if il is nol recognized as an idiom There arc some same instances such as different strokes for different folky (everyone has different interests and tastes), ealing someone (bothering or worrying someone), bite the bullet (enchre in a difficult situation) ,

components cannot be varied or varied only within definable limits [ ] Nor are the wards

is a two-word compound structure and the maximum limit is a complex clause with no more than two subordinate clauses In terms of institutionalization, idioms are the product

of socially interaction expressions which have conventionstized, therefore, idioms are conventionalized expressions Semantic opacity could be understood as figurativaness and nomtliteralness of idioms In accordance with Fernando, an idiom is made up ftom at least

two words and ils meaning is not inferred from the weaning of cach eonstitusnt or of both

1.1.2 Distinctive features of English idioms

Analysis of the idioms in terms of definition simultaneously demonstrates some features of idioms Idioms should be treated as a special kind of every language They separate thomsclves from regular rules compared with other sozts of a language In other words, only in idioms the unacceptability in both meaning and form of a language could exist, Ia sentence she puts her money where her mouth is inmedialely indicates the meaning via its words, it could be changed into passive voice her money ix put where her niouth is, However, strangely enough, following the same form of every form that could be changed inlo passive vaice Agent — Action — Recipienl, the form mentioned above must not be employed in passive voice, otherwise, it looks odd, Because, in fact pes one's money where one’s mozh is is an idiom, it is therefore necessary to be known as a fixed unit which does not permit of any rearrangement of its elements Put another aspect of idioms inlo consideration, that is scrmmlic one, thers will be one mote aspecis involved in Whether the sentence he loses his shirt should be treated as having a meaning directly through words or an idiom denoting Josing a great deal of money, it will depend on the context it is cmbedded with, That means idioms deal with pragmatics Exploration of features of idioms provides unique and interesting their peculiarities

1.1.2.1 Syntactic features of Kngflsh Idioms

Johnson-Laird (1993, p.iti) slates thal “if manơal language had heen designed hy a

logician, idioms would not exist” Idioms hold distinctive features that cannot be seen in