An initial investigation of U.S and Vietnamese cultures in contrast through everyday conversations

An initial investigation of U.S and Vietnamese cultures in contrast through everyday conversations Bước đầu nghiên cứu đối chiếu văn hóa Mỹ-Việt thông qua các cuộc đối thoại hàng ngày N

An initial investigation of U.S and Vietnamese

cultures in contrast through everyday

conversations Bước đầu nghiên cứu đối chiếu văn hóa Mỹ-Việt thông qua các cuộc đối thoại hàng ngày

Nguyễn Thị Hoàng My University of Languages and International Studies M.A Thesis English Linguistics; Mã số: 60 22 15 Supervisor : Assoc Prof Trần Xuân Điệp

Năm bảo vệ: 2012

Abstract Mastering a new language does not only consist of the ability to master its

system of forms, linguistic but also the competence to understand the way that language used in certain contexts, compared to the mother tongue Besides the distinctions of phonology, syntax, and lexicon systems, languages differ from one another because of the drive of culture Since communication is meaning-based, conventional, appropriate, and interactional and structured (Richards, 1983:242), speakers of a foreign language must take into account the importance of knowing and understanding the culture if they wish to communicate successfully in the target language without breakdowns or unwanted hostility in cross-cultural interactions This study was carried out with the theoretical background of Contrastive Analysis, Conversation Analysis and viewpoints

on Language-Culture relationship as frameworks in order to investigate the similarities and differences between the U.S and Vietnamese cultures through everyday conversations

Keywords Ngôn ngữ; Tiếng Anh; Ngôn ngữ đối chiếu; Hội thoại

Content

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLE AND FIGURES

1 Rationale of the study 1

3 Aims and Objectives of the study 2

5 Methodology of the study 3

1.1 A brief overview on Contrastive Analysis 5

1.1.2 Macro-linguistic Contrastive Analysis 6 1.2 A brief overview on Conversation Analysis 6

1.2.2 Conversation analysis 7

1.3.1 What is Language? 8

1.3.3 The relationship between language and culture 10 1.4 An overview on Friendship 12

1.4.2 Types of friendships 12 1.4.3 Friendship in the U.S culture 14 1.4.4 Friendship in Vietnam culture 15

2.1 Data collection instruments 16 2.1.1 Survey questionnaire 16

2.2.1 Survey questionnaire 17

2.3 The procedure of data collection and analysis 18 2.3.1 Survey questionnaire 18

3.1 Data analysis of the survey questionnaire 20

3.2 Data analysis of the audio tapes 26

3 Limitations of the study 35

4 Suggestions for further study 36 REFERENCES

APPENDICES

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