Rationale of the study
Negative sentences play a significant role in language, and linguists have established specific criteria to differentiate them from other sentence types These criteria include the standard form of the sentence, the overall meaning conveyed, and the structural form Understanding these elements is essential for recognizing and utilizing negative sentences effectively in communication.
- meaning of sentence structure and use of sentence form
Negative sentences reflect human thought and serve as a form of logical judgment in our observations of life A negation represents a negative judgment, contrasting with a semantic assertion, regardless of the language used To identify a negative structure, one must consider the presence of negative words and the meaning conveyed within the sentence.
In general, the negative structure belongs to the grammatical category and each language has a different grammatical system
In both English and Vietnamese, negative sentences are formed using specific negative words Mastering the structure of negative sentences is crucial for effective communication However, learners often struggle with this complexity, frequently translating sentences between languages without following established rules, which leads to common mistakes in their usage.
English and Vietnamese exhibit distinct grammatical differences, particularly in their negative structures While both languages share some similarities in forming negatives, they also have unique characteristics that set them apart Understanding the negative forms in each language is essential for Vietnamese learners of English, as they must pay close attention to these differences to improve their language skills effectively This article explores the similarities and differences between the negative forms in English and Vietnamese, providing insights for learners navigating these grammatical nuances.
Aims of the study
This research provides an overview of the theory of syntax and semantics, focusing on the syntactic and semantic features of negation in English By comparing these features with their Vietnamese equivalents, the study aims to enhance learners' understanding of negative forms in English, promoting flexible usage and making the process of learning English more engaging and accessible.
Research questions
(1) What are negative forms in English and their equivalents in Vietnamese?
(2) What are the similarities in syntactic and semantic features of English negative forms and their Vietnamese equivalents?
(3) What are differences in their syntactic and semantic features of English negative forms between negative forms in English and its equivalents in Vietnamese?
Method of the study
The research for my paper utilized a variety of sources, including books, magazines, and articles in both English and Vietnamese Additionally, the internet served as a crucial and valuable resource for gathering information.
Secondly, basing on what have discussed, we systematized the semantic and syntactic features of negation
To effectively differentiate between English and Vietnamese negative sentences, I employed a comparison and contrast method This involved providing a detailed description of both Vietnamese and English negative sentences, followed by a comparative analysis to identify their similarities and differences.
Scope of the study
Negation is a significant aspect of English grammar, encompassing various elements This research focuses specifically on the syntactic and semantic dimensions of negation in the English language.
The organization of the research
Prior studies related to the research
Jesperson (1917) establishes a foundational framework for the study of negation in his work "Negation in English and Other Languages," outlining general tendencies, the nuances of strengthened and weakened negatives, and various forms of negation such as indirect and incomplete Tottie (1991) further categorizes the use of negatives in both spoken and written contexts in "Negation in English Speech and Writing." Pagano (1990) examines the pragmatic aspects of negation in "Negatives in Written Text." Horn and Kato (2000) delve into the syntactic features and scope of negation in their work "Negation and Polarity: Syntactic and Semantic Perspectives." Finally, Mazzon’s "A History of English Negation" offers a comprehensive analysis that integrates both synchronic and diachronic approaches to the study of negation.
Vietnamese grammarians and linguists have explored negation from various perspectives, primarily focusing on traditional, structural, and logical approaches, as seen in the works of Diệp Quang Ban, Đỗ Thị Kim Liên, Mai Ngọc Chu, Vũ Đức Nghiêu, Hoàng Trọng Phiến, and Nguyễn Đức Dân Additionally, Nguyen Quang conducted a contrastive analysis of negative sentences in English and Vietnamese in his master's thesis Notably, Tran Van Phuoc's doctoral thesis, "Phân tích đối chiếu câu phủ định tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt trên bình diện cấu trúc ngữ nghĩa," systematically examines the syntactic and semantic features of negation in both languages.
English and Vietnamese declarative sentences as well as analyzed the differences and similarities of syntactic-semantic features in the two languages
The research conducted by PhD Nguyen Dang Suu titled "Negative Structures in English and Vietnamese: Suggestions for Effective Teaching of Negation to Vietnamese Students" (2017) has made significant contributions to the field While his work provides a comprehensive overview, we have identified additional negative structures in English that were not addressed Therefore, our research builds upon PhD Nguyen Dang Suu's findings and incorporates these previously unmentioned negative forms to enhance understanding and teaching effectiveness.
Theoretical background
Negation plays a crucial role in everyday communication, as highlighted by Asher and Simpson (1994), who state that it is a linguistic universal necessary for expressing the untruth of a statement According to the CCELD, negation refers to a person's disagreement or refusal, representing the complete opposite or absence of a quality or ideal.
Quirk defined negation as “ Negation makes a positive statement negative” (Quirk et al, 1985: 80) And according to Bloom, the meaning of negation can be clarified as in the following ( Bloom, 1970: 266-271)
From birth, individuals exhibit behaviors and gestures, such as shaking their heads or waving their hands, to express disagreement As children start to develop their language skills, one of the first words they often learn is "no," highlighting their innate ability to communicate negativity.
Negation, often perceived as a simple concept, is actually quite complex and can pose significant challenges for learners if not properly addressed Each language has its unique negative structure defined by its grammatical rules The primary role of negation is to transform clauses or assertions into their negative forms This transformation can occur at the clause or sentence level by incorporating specific components In various languages, negation is typically expressed within the predicate or verb phrase It can take several forms: a) the addition of a negative auxiliary verb to the predicate, which may share features with the main verb, as seen with "ni-" in Nenets; b) the use of one or two negatives positioned in relation to predicate elements, such as "ne pas" in French; and c) the placement of a negative element directly within the predicate, exemplified by "-me-" in Turkish.
In summary, a negative form refers to any sentence, clause, or phrase that employs a negative word to express the lack or opposite of something, or to indicate that a certain situation is not true.
Syntax in linguistics refers to the rules and principles that dictate sentence structure within a language, particularly concerning word order It encompasses the study of these rules and aims to identify the syntactic principles that are universally applicable across different languages.
A syntactic category refers to classifications of words and phrases, such as nouns, verbs, and prepositions, which align with traditional parts of speech In phrase structure grammars, these categories include phrasal types like noun phrases and verb phrases However, dependency grammars do not recognize phrasal categories in the conventional way.
Word classes, often referred to as lexical categories, are distinct from phrasal categories in grammar While terminology may vary, many grammars differentiate between lexical categories, which include content words and their phrases, and functional categories, which encompass function words and abstract elements It's important to note that the term "lexical category" can have two different meanings Additionally, syntactic categories should not be conflated with grammatical categories, which refer to properties like tense and gender.
Semantic features are the fundamental components of meaning for any lexical item, representing individual aspects of a word's intension, or its inherent sense The linguistic meaning of a word emerges from its contrasts and significant differences with other words These features allow linguists to categorize words that share certain characteristics within the same semantic domain, while also clarifying how differing semantic features lead to variations in word meanings.
A father and son share essential characteristics such as being human, male, and part of a kinship, placing them within the semantic domain of male family relations Their distinctions lie in their generational differences and stages of adulthood, which contribute to their unique identities.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
The forms of negative sentence
Sentential negations are the whole sentence or whole clause is negative, in other words the negative range covers the whole sentence or clause
He was not doing a good job [14;11/12/2017]
1.1.1.1 Sentential negation with negative verbs
- A simple affirmative sentence or positive affirmation clause in a compound sentence is negated by adding the negative word not to the auxiliary verb or linking verb of the sentence
S + Auxiliary / Surrogate Auxiliary+ NOT + verb + Complement
Rosenstein's letter did not criticize how Comey handled the investigation of
Trump's possible connections to Russi [14; 11/12/2017]
Washington Elementary is not alone [14; 11/12/2017]
Comey had not asked Rosenstein for money for the Russia investigation
A ban on them will not help anyone [14;11/12/2017]
In English grammar, the negative word "not" is positioned after auxiliary verbs such as "will," linking verbs like "be" (as in "is not"), and the verb "do" (as in "did not") Additionally, it follows the auxiliary "have" in phrasal constructions, exemplified by "had not asked."
In sentences that lack auxiliary or linking verbs, "do" can serve as an auxiliary verb when combined with "not," followed by the verb in its infinitive form without "to." This construction effectively negates the action expressed by the verb.
He did not believe Comey was truly let go because of his investigation of
He did not mention any effect the firing might have on the investigations into connections between his 2016 election campaign and Russia [14;11/12/2017]
The possessive verb "have" can express negativity in two ways: by adding "not" directly after the verb or by using "do not" before the verb Both methods convey the same meaning, similar to how the linking verb "be" functions.
She does not have a big house She has not a big house [10,130] She does not have blue eyes She has not a blue eyes [10;130]
- Normally, the negative word not in English is shortened to -n't
Some school administrators don't want them in their classrooms anymore [4;121]
Our brains can't just focus on auditory and visual challenges [4;121]
A Ban Isn't Fair To Those Who Really Need Them [4;121]
- If the auxiliary verb forms are shortened after the subject, there are may be two possible reductions in the negative sentence:
- Although both of these abilities are not used in formal English Example: shortened negative word shortened auxiliary verb
She isn’t rich She’s not rich
They aren’t careful They’re not careful
We haven’t hit her We’ve not hit her
- When negative meanings are emphasized, negative words not are raw words, not shortened In formal writing, people often avoid using the contraction form of the negative word
They do not know you [5,160]
They may not be working [5,160]
1.1.1.2 Negative words are both form and semantic
In negative sentences or clauses, negation can be achieved not only through the negative verb but also by incorporating words like "no" or "not" to negate specific elements Additionally, using negative words such as "none" or "never" further emphasizes the negation within the clause.
There was no proof of wrongdoing in the Clinton investigation [14;11/12/2017]
There is no evidence that Homo Naledi used stone tools [14;11/12/2017]
There is also no evidence that the species harnessed fire for its own uses [14;11/12/2017]
Comey never made those promises to the president [14;11/12/2017]
- In formal style, the negative element can be moved to the beginning of the sentence
In this case, the word order must be reversed, meaning that the auxiliary verb is placed in front of the subject
Not a year in England without somebody disappearing [7,232]
No longer does she teach here [7,232]
Never had a dream come true [7,232]
Not until he came into the light, did I realize who he was [7,233]
No sooner had she hung the clothes out when it rained [7,233]
1.1.1.3 Negative words but positive forms
Certain adverbs and determiners, such as seldom, rarely, scarcely, hardly, barely, little, and few, convey negative meanings while maintaining an affirmative tone These words influence negative sentences and typically appear alongside terms like any, ever, anyone, anywhere, and anybody To clarify the information in these sentences, a positive interrogative clause is often required at the end.
We seldom see any photos of these animals
Tom hardly studied last night
Few changes have ever taken so many people by surprise
I can barely speak to any of my friends
As negative adverbial phrase in the first position of the sentence, these adverbs, when in the first position of the sentence, auxiliary verb must be reversed before the subject
Scarcely had I arrived when trouble started
Hardly does John remember the accident that took his sister’s life
Seldom does class let out early
Certain adverbs, including scarcely, hardly, and barely, serve a negative function that impacts the subject and the noun phrase they modify, ultimately leading to the negation of the entire sentence.
She scarcely saw her grandchildren
We have barely any money for food
Little help can be expected from Peter
I hardly know them I’ve only met them once
The term "ONLY" often conveys a negative connotation When "ONLY" modifies elements near it instead of the subject, it can, though not always, lead to a shift in the order of the subject and auxiliary verb.
ONLY known you love her when you let her go
ONLY hate the road when you missing home
Negative verbs, adjectives, and prepositions may also be accompanied by non- positive elements, especially any and its combinations
My sister denies my father ever told her
I forgot to ask for any change
We are unaware of any hostility
I’m against going out anywhere tonight
They decided to leave without telling any of their friends
I fail to understand what she said [15;17/12/2017]
Negative statements contrast with affirmative ones in English One method to create negative statements involves using negative prefixes attached to nouns, adjectives, and verbs A negative prefix is a morpheme added to the beginning of a word, imparting a negative meaning Examples of common English negative prefixes include "un-", "in-", "dis-", and "non-."
Suffixes play a crucial role in the English language, altering the meanings of root words For instance, the prefix "a-" can create words like "amoral" and "apolitical," while "dis-" leads to terms such as "dislike" and "disability." Similarly, "il-" forms words like "illegal" and "illiteracy," and "im-" generates terms such as "impossible" and "impure." The prefix "in-" is used in words like "incredible" and "inability," whereas "ir-" is found in "irrational." The prefix "non-" creates words such as "nonessential" and "nonpayment," and "un-" is used in "unhappy" and "unacceptable." Additionally, "anti-" is seen in words like "anti-war" and "antibiotic." Understanding these suffixes enhances vocabulary and comprehension in the English language.
Counter- Counterattack, counterpoint, counterdrug, counterproductively, De- Decode, defrost, detrain, devalue, depress
Mis- Misapprehend, miscalculate, misbehavior, misfortune
The prefix un- can be added to the adjective happy to form the negative adjective unhappy, while the negative adverb not can also be used Importantly, both forms convey the same meaning.
Negative suffixation in English involves creating new negative words by adding suffixes with negative meanings to the ends of stems While prefixes primarily alter the meaning of the stem, suffixes typically have a more subtle impact on the word's overall meaning.
In other words, they mainly change the word class So there are fewer negative suffixes than negative prefixes Negative suffixes mainly contain –free -less, and – proof
The prefix "free" is used with nouns to create adjectives that signify the absence or minimal presence of the specified element For instance, "sugar-free" beverages are entirely devoid of sugar, while "leaf-free" petrol contains only a minimal quantity of leaf.
-less is added to nouns in order to form adjectives that indicate that someone or something does not have the thing that the noun refers to E.g meaningless, friendless
The term "proof" can be combined with nouns and verbs to create adjectives or verbs that signify resistance to damage or negative effects from specific actions or elements Examples include bomb-proof, microwave-proof, draught-proof, and inflation-proof, each indicating a level of protection against their respective threats.
Local or constituent negation is negative a word or phrase that does not make the whole sentence or clause negative
1.1 2.1 NOT modifies for adjectives or adverbs with negative prefixes in noun phrases
Subject + (Auxiliary) Verb / Copula+ Determiner + NOT+ Adj + NP
NOT can precede an adjective with a negative prefix as a predicate for a noun, followed the verb as an object, or followed the linking verb as a complement in a sentence
He is a NOT unreliable man.[13,76]
She bought some NOT unnecessary things [11,85]
1.1.2.2 NOT is a modifier for adverbs
Subject + (Auxiliary) Verb + NOT + Adverb
NOT can modify adverbs with negative prefixes as adverbs in sentences
1.1.2.3 NOT modifies an adverb in the first position of a sentence
NOT + adverb + Subject + (Auxiliary) verb / Copula + Complement
NOT can modify an adverb in the first position of the sentence
Not luckily, they missed the exam [4,76]
1.1.2.4 NOT can modify for adverbs of degree
In the constituent / local negation, NOT modifies adverbs of degree that these adverbs of degree modify an adjective or comparative adverb
Subject + (Auxiliary) Verb/ Copula + Determiner + NOT +Adv(degree)+Adj+
There are some NOT really luxurious apartments [8,21]
The apartments are the NOT extremely good value [10,76]
This is a NOT slightly safe way of investing your money [12,37]
1.1.2.5 Negative of the main verb
Subject + Auxiliary + - 'NOT + Verb + Complement
In sentences with auxiliary verbs, a pause after the auxiliary emphasizes the negation, with the negative scope extending from "NOT" to the end of the sentence.
He should not be here by now
I could not swim quite well when I was younger
You must not blame yourself for this
You might not have discussed it with me first
You can not be serious!
1.2.1 The differences of semantic between NO and NOT in English
Negative words NO may have more different functions than NOT
'She is not a dentist' refers to her career, she is not a dentist, 'She is no dentist' implies that she lacks of the necessary qualities and dentist’s skills
In the sentence 'She is no dentist', the term NO has transformed a non- comparative noun into a comparative noun, describing human’s characteristics
Let's compare some more cases to know clearly how different the NOT and NO are
'I'm not a youngster ' means I'm not young And 'I'm no youngster' means I'm quite old Or 'She's not a fool' (she is not stupid); 'She's no fool' means 'She's very intelligent'
The adverb "no" is used to modify comparative adjectives in fixed phrases, such as "no worse," "no tastier," "no better behaved," "no more awkward," and "no less intelligent."
As noted above, NOT modifies adjectives or adverbs with negative prefixes as in the preceding:
Examples: a- He is a NOT unreliable man
Sentential negation
Sentential negation is a negative sentence that contains a negative adjunct in front of a predicate or in front of the key of a sentence.
Constituent / Local Negation
Local negative sentence is a negative sentence in which the predicate is not negated, but the other parts of the sentence have the negative words
In this study, we based on this view combine with the view of classify negative phenomena in Vietnamese by Prof Diep Quang Ban to analyze and compare with English
In Vietnamese, specialized means for forming negative sentences include auxiliary words such as ‘không’, ‘chưa’, and ‘chẳng’ To emphasize negative meanings, the word ‘hề’ can be added to these terms, resulting in phrases like ‘không hề’, ‘chẳng hề’, and ‘chưa hề’ For expressing negative rejection, combinations like ‘không phải’, ‘chẳng phải’, and ‘chưa phải’ can be used, along with direct forms that contain negative words, such as “(không) có đâu”, “nào có đâu”, “đâu có ”, “làm gì có ”, “có phải đâu”, and “đâu (có) phải”.
Negative phenomena in Vietnamese are classified into five categories:
- Sentences contain negative the core sentence
- Sentences with sub-components of the word or the sub-components of the sentence are negated
- Negative phenomena in special sentences
There are two types of negative subject: a Không phải+ Subject + Predicate
- Không phải vòng đeo tay, mà chỉ là một cái vòng trang sức thôi [13 ,82-83]
- Chẳng phải người đứng đằng kia tìm bác, mà người lúc nãy kia [1,244]
The appearance of ‘phải’ in the negative combinations, may be even the forms
“có phải đâu”, “đâu(có) phải” in front of the noun Their appearance in front of the noun also makes the negation more meaningful that denotes rejected behavior
The word 'có' is usually added after the negative words such as ‘không có’,
‘chẳng có’ a Không/chẳng có + Subject (noun phrase) + Predicate
- Chẳng có người nào làm như thế cả [ 1,244]
- Không có gì ngoài cái đó đâu [13, 93]
- Nothing produces such an effect as a good platitude [13,66]
- Không có gì có hiệu lực bằng một lời nói tốt chung chung.[13, 67]
- Không có gì qúy hơn độc lập tự do [Hồ Chí Minh]
Subject + không/chả/đừng + Predicate
This sentence structure features a negative element that appears before the predicate, influencing the meaning of the main part of the predicate Specialized forms can also affect the interpretation of the main element within the predicate.
- Don’t let us ever talk about the subject again [13, 94]
Thôi,chúng ta không nói lại chuyện đó nữa [13,95]
- Anh không tin (Nam Cao)
- Em chả dám (Nam Cao) [1, 243]
- Oh! Don’t kill my love for you, don’t kill that [13,92]
- Anh đừng giết mối tình của em đối với Anh, đừng tàn nhẫn thế! [13,93 ]
- Tôi có biết chuyện đó đâu [1, 243]
2.3 Sentences contain negative the core sentence
In this type of sentence construction, certain negative elements assume a postpositional role, effectively negating the core predicate Combinations of negative words frequently include the term 'phải', which contributes to a negative rebuttal, enhancing the overall negation of the statement.
Chẳng phải/không phải + Subject + Predicate
- Chẳng phải quyển sách này của tôi.[1,245]
- Không một ai có đủ tiền [13, 75]
- In old days nobody pretended to be a bit better than hís neighbours
Ngày xưa, không ai muốn vỗ ngực cho mình là hơn người bên cạnh.[13,70-71] Negative postposition may also be the form of discontinuous negatives
- A: Có ai việc gì không?
B: Chẳng có ai việc gì đâu [1, 245]
2.4 Sentences with sub-components of the word or the sub-components of the sentence are negated
The sub-component of words is the complement of the predicate, adjectives modify noun, and the sub-elements of the sentence can also be negated by negative means
Subject + Predicate: Verb + chẳng/ không / chưa/ … Subject + không / chẳng / chư /còn lâu… + Predicate không / chẳng bao giờ/ còn lâu… + Subject + Predicate Example:
- I don’t see anybody here tonight whom one could possibly call a serious purpose
- Tôi nhìn xung quanh đây CHẲNG thấy một ai đáng gọi là có mục đích nghiêm chỉnh cả [13,24- 25]
- Quyển sách KHÔNG bìa thế mà quý đấy [1.245]
- Sẽ KHÔNG BAO GIỜ chị được trở về miền Bắc, trở lại quê hương.[Hữu Mai-1, 246]
In Vietnamese, the Vietnamese tend not to use negative nouns as adjectives of predicate People often repeat the predicate to express the contrast in the complement
- Tôi lấy quyển sách này chứ không lấy quyển sách kia
- Tôi không lấy quyển này mà lấy quyển kia [ 1,246]
In Vietnamese, the word 'chứ' is employed when the preceding predicate is assertive Alternatively, 'mà' can replace 'chứ' When both predicates are negative, 'cũng' can follow 'mà', and the words 'cả' and 'nữa' can also be included.
- Tôi không lấy quyển này mà cũng không lấy cả quyển kia nữa [ 1, 246]
- Tôi chẳng lạc quan mà cũng chẳng bi quan [13,37]
Sometimes we also see how to do negative noun modifiers of predicate, from negative in this case, often with the word 'phải' and become contrasting parts
-Tôi mong rằng không phải như vậy [13,33]
-Tôi mong không phải việc nhỏ, bà Sêvêly ạ [13,41]
-Tôi đem theo không phải tất cả những quần áo sẵn có, mà chỉ vẻn vẹn vài ba bộ [1,246]
2.5 Negative phenomena in special sentences
There are two main types of special sentence in Vietnamese: a- Particular noun sentences b- Particular adjective sentences
The particular negative noun sentence is the sentence that the main noun is negated
- Trên trời không một vì sao [ 1, 247]
- Không bia rượu vẫn say hoài
Gía mà khuy bấm không cài áo em… [1,56]
Particular negative adjective sentence is the sentence that the main component of predicate is negated
- Không có giường, , chỉ có một cái chõng tre
- Giá mà đã gửi trầu cau,
Thì đâu đến nỗi ôm sầu lẻ loi
- Hiện giờ thì không có nguy cơ đó [13, 45]
- Certainly not comic, Lord Goring
- Tất nhiên không phải là hài hước,Nam tước Goorrinh ạ [13, 54-55]
III/ COMPARING THE SYNTACTICS - SEMANTICS OF NEGATION IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
For the purposes of this study, we present the main differences and similarities between the negation in English and Vietnamese.
Similarities
Both two languages have sentential negation and constituent/ local negation With this phenomenon, in English as well as Vietnamese, negative words ‘not’,
‘không’, ‘không phải’ be used to negate the verb
English: Subject + Auxiliary / Surrogate Auxiliary+ NOT + verb + Complement
Subject + Copula (be) + NOT+ Complement
Vietnamese: Subject + không/chả/đừng…+ Predicate
In English, the negative word 'not' is positioned after auxiliary verbs, before the main verb, and after the conjugated form of the verb 'be' In contrast, Vietnamese employs the negative words không, chẳng, or chưa, which precede the verb that carries the negative meaning in the sentence.
- I did not know she had married a second time
Tôi không biết bầ ấy đẫ kết hôn lần thứ hai [13,.28-29]
Tôi chẳng nhớ là ở đâu nữa [13, 30-31]
- It is not true Điều đó không đúng sự thật [13, 68-69]
- I do not care about the London season!
Tôi không quan tâm đến mùa hè ở Luân Đôn [13, 40-41]
In English, there are negative words both forms and semantics: ‘no’, ‘never’,
‘none’, its equivalent ‘không hề’, ‘không bao giờ’, ‘không một ai’ These words are used to negate the whole sentence
- You have never talked to me the whole evening!
Suốt buổi tối, ông chẳng hề nói chuyện với tôi [13, 56-57]
- I had no idea you ever came to political parties
Tôi không bao giờ tưởng tượng là ông lại tới các dạ hội chính trị.[1,50-51]
- It is never of any use to oneself
- Nó không giúp ích gì cho bản thân mình [13, 82-83]
Vietnamese: Không phải + Subject +Verb + Object
Không / chẳng + Subject + Verb + Object
In English, the subject is negated by words ‘no’, ‘not’ or the words ‘nothing’,
‘no one’ directly as the subject in the sentence In Vietnamese, some negative means take postposition role of the sentence and negate the whole sentence
- In modern life, nothing produces such an effect as a good platitude
Trong cuộc sống hiện đại, không gì có hiệu lực bằng một lời nói tốt chung chung.[13,66-67]
- Nothing is more precious than freedom and independence
Không có gì quý hơn độc lập tự do [Hồ Chí Minh]
- Not a year passes in England without somebody disappearing Ở nước Anh này, không một năm nào trôi qua lại không có một người biến mất [13,72-73]
- But nothing could make her alter her view
Nhưng không có gì làm vợ tôi thay đổi ý kiến được đâu [13, 100-101]
- No one in our day has had such a brilliant success
Không ai trong thời buổi này mà lại thành công rực rỡ như ông [13,104-
- In old days nobody pretended to be a bit better than hís neighbours
Ngày xưa, không ai muốn vỗ ngực cho mình là hơn người bên cạnh [13,75]
In English and Vietnamese, the noun as an object in the sentence may be negated
English: Subject +(Auxiliary) Verb + NOT+ N
Vietnamese: Subject + Verb + KHÔNG/CHẲNG (phải,có )+ Noun
- I want to talk to you about well, not about bonnets, or the Woman’s Liberal association
Tôi muốn nói chuyện với ông…không phải về mũ, mà cũng không phải về Hội phụ nữ tự do [13,124-125]
-I see no difference between them
Em thấy công và tư không có gì khác nhau cả.[13,88-89]
In both two languages, the adverb as an adverb in the sentence (in the beginning or the end of the sentence) can also be negated
English: Subject+ (Auxiliary) Verb + NOT+ Adverb
NOT + adverb + Subject + (Auxiliary) verb / Copula + Complement
Vietnamese: Subject + Verb + KHÔNG/CHẲNG/ CHƯA + Adverb
KHÔNG/CHẲNG/ CHƯA + Adverb+ Subject + Verb + Object
Example: - He speaks not clearly
Anh ta nói không rõ ràng [13,145]
- Not surprisingly, they missed the train [13,212]
Chẳng có gì ngạc nhiên, họ bị nhỡ tàu
Like English, if the position of the negative adjunct changes, the meaning of the sentence will change Example:
English: 1- Many people did not come to the party
Vietnamese: 2-Nhiều người không đến dự tiệc [13,78]
English: 3- Not many people came to the party
Vietnamese: 4- không phải nhiều người đến dự tiệc [13,78]
Sentence (1) and (2) refer to the absence of many people, while sentence (3) and (4) refer to the presence of the few ones
English: Subject + Auxiliary+ - ’NOT +Verb + Complement
Subject+cóthể/cần/nên/sẽ…+KHÔNG/CHẲNG/ĐỪNG/CHƯA+verb +Object
In both English and Vietnamese, verbal sentences and modal words utilize auxiliary verbs and modal expressions with a brief interval, placing emphasis on the negative words The negative scope extends from the negative term to the conclusion of the sentence in both languages.
- Circumstances should ’ never alter principles
Hoàn cảnh sẽ ’không bao giờ làm thay đổi được nguyên tắc [13,90-91]
- You must ’ never see her again, Robert
Anh nên ’không bao giờ được gặp bà ta, anh Rôbớt ạ [13,94-95]
- I will ’not do what you ask me I will ’ not
Tôi sẽ ’không làm theo yêu cầu của bà Tôi nhất định ’không làm.[13,74-
In both English and Vietnamese, there are unique sentences used in specific communication contexts that consist solely of negative nouns or predicates These negative predicate sentences share several similarities across the two languages: they typically begin with negative words, followed by a verb, and conclude with an object.
English: DON’T/ NEVER / NOT+ Verb + Complement
Vietnamese: KHÔNG/ KHÔNG BAO GIỜ/ĐỪNG/CHẲNG/CHỚ + Verb +
Ông Môn phoóc, xin đừng thể hiện những cảnh ghen tuông đau khổ nơi công cộng! Hãy ở lại, thưa bà Tôi đồng ý với điều đó.
- Never mind what I say, Robert! Đừng bao giờ để ý những điều tôi nói, Rôbớt nhé! [13,112-113]
Bây giờ chẳng đi đâu cả [13, 26-27]
-Don’t come near me Don’t touch me
Chớ lại gần em Chớ chạm vào người em [13,160-161]
In this sentence, linking verbs 'to be' is in the infinitive form, placing don’t in front of be
Example: -Don’t be so solemn about it Đừng làm long trọng quá, thưa ông [13, 80-81]
In some specific cases, particular negative adjective sentences need only negative words and adjectives
Example: - Certainly not comic, Lord Goring
Tất nhiên không phải là hài hước, Nam tước Gô rinh ạ [13, 54-55]
Differences
Although negative phenomena in English and Vietnamese have many similarities as shown above, there are some differences between two languages
In English, negative nouns are typically followed by a modal auxiliary, which can be presented in either a fully written form or a shortened version Conversely, Vietnamese negative words lack a shortened form and can appear in two positions within a sentence: primarily in front of modal verbs.
In Vietnamese grammar, the structure "KHÔNG/CHẲNG + can/should/must/need/want + Verb + Object" is commonly used to express negation Additionally, negative words can follow certain modal verbs, such as "can/should/need/want," resulting in the format "can/should/need/want + KHÔNG/CHẲNG/ĐỪNG + Verb + Object." This highlights the flexibility of negation in sentence construction.
Vietnamese: Tôi không thể nhớ ở đâu nữa.[13, 30-31]
In Vietnamese, sentences with the negative words in the position after some modal words have a different meaning from the negative ones in the previous position
1- Tôi không thể giúp anh việc này được [1,156]
2- Tôi có thể không giúp anh việc này được [1,291]
Sentence (1) mentions the complete inability to help him The sentence (2) refers to the ability to help him, but not help him this
2.2 The word order of the object complement
In both English and Vietnamese, adjectives can modify nouns and can also be negated when used as objects or complements after linking verbs However, the word order differs between the two languages: in English, adjectives come before the nouns they modify, while in Vietnamese, adjectives follow the nouns they describe.
English: Subject +(Auxiliary) Copula + Determiner + NOT+ Adj + NP
Vietnamese: Subject + Verb + (determiner+) Noun + KHÔNG/CHẲNG
- They made some not unintelligent observation [7,230]
Họ tiến hành đợt khảo sát không phải không thông minh
- She’s a not unattractive woman, in some ways [11,167] Xét về một vài khía cạnh, chị ta là một phụ nữ không phải không hấp dẫn
The particular negative noun sentences is the sentence that the main noun is negated
Trên trời không một vì sao
In this example, the phrase "một vì sao" is negated by the word 'không' Unlike Vietnamese, English typically uses "there is/are" or the subject 'it' in negative noun sentences, which includes negative noun phrases.
Example: a : There is no answer
- Không thư trả lời [13, 96-97] b: There is no doubt of that c: There is no danger, at present!
- Hiện giờ thì không có nguy cơ đó [1, 44-45] d: It’s no use
- Vô tác dụng (vô ích)
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study has investigated into the syntactic features, semantic features and syntactic- semantic features of negation in English and their equivalents in Vietnamese
In English, there are nine syntactic negative structures and five semantic negative structures, along with five features that encompass both semantic and syntactic aspects In contrast, Vietnamese also exhibits five negative structures Furthermore, our analysis reveals notable similarities and differences between the negative forms in English and Vietnamese.
From this study, finding the various structures classified will be useful reference for English learners Furthermore, it helps English learners avoid the mistakes when translating and making sentences.
Limitation
This study's limitations arise from its narrow focus on syntactic and semantic aspects Expanding the research to a broader scope, such as conversations and written texts, could yield more convincing results.
Suggestions about how to learn English negation to Vietnamese students effectively
Learning a foreign language is very difficult because of its complication let alone mastering it Therefore, students should be motivated from the beginning
Vietnamese learners of English often encounter challenges when using negative forms in the language Mastering these negative structures is essential for effective daily communication and can significantly enrich literary expression.
Last but not least, student need understand and fluently using the negative forms, negative range, negative focus, additions enhance the negative meanings,