Intercultural - Differences between Vietnamese and English Proverbs and Idioms

Subject: Intercultural CommunicationHow proverbs convey cultural values and ethical assumptions in Vietnamese and those accumulated for centuries by English-speaking people?... How prov

Subject: Intercultural Communication

How proverbs convey cultural values and ethical assumptions in Vietnamese and those accumulated for centuries by

English-speaking people?

How proverbs convey cultural values and

ethical assumptions in

Vietnamese

Proverbs are complete sentences that

summarize the people's experience of nature and productive labor, people and society

Vietnamese cultural values arise from the Red River Delta civilization

all aspects of the material life and spiritual

life of the people are marked by agriculture

Vietnamese proverbs have many symbolic

words related to Buddhism

This religion has an important position in

Vietnamese spirituality

Character traits of Vietnamese people

mentioned in proverbs exist both good,

positive personalities and bad, negative

personalities

Educational aims: teaching people

ethical assumptions are expressed in family and social relationships such as loyalty,

respectfulness, sacrifice, compassion,…

Reflecting and praising the precious

characteristics of Vietnamese

Vietnamese proverbs convey:

 characteristics in agricultural life

of wet rice cultivation

 religion concepts

 characteristics of

Vietnamese.

Vietnamese

proverb

examples

Proverbs are the summaries of cultural values

 Reflect the culture of specific agricultural life

“Con trâu đi trước cái cày đi sau”

"No cơm tấm, ấm ổ rơm“

"Nhất nước nhì phân, tam cần tư giống”

 Reflect the influence of Buddhism

“Ăn mày cửa Phật.”

“Ăn cơm Phật, đốt râu Thầy chùa.”

“ Có thân phải khổ về thân”

Proverbs are the summaries of cultural values

 Reflect the culture of family, friendship values

‘Chim tìm tổ, người tìm tông " ‘Một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã"

‘Mẹ con, một lần da đến ruột "

"Học thầy không tày học bạn " " Ăn chọn nơi, chơi chọn bạn "

 Reflect the culture of solidarity

“Góp gió thành bão", “Kiến tha lâu đầy tổ“

Proverbs are the summaries of ethical

assumptions

 Reflect the culture of moral

"Giấy rách phải giữ lề“ “Người là vàng, của là ngãi“

“Lửa thử vàng, gian nan thử sức” "Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim"

"Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây" "Một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã" “Nhất tự vi sư, bán tự vi sư”

 Reflect the attitude toward women

“Cái nết đánh chết cái đẹp” “ Chữ trinh đáng giá ngàn vàng”

How did proverbs accumulate for

centuries in English

 Proverbs are borrowed from languages and cultures similar to English

 Many proverbs are taken from The Bible

 Others are taken from such diverse sources

as poetry, stories, songs, commercials,

advertisement, movies, literature

 Some proverbs are sayings of some famous person

 Some proverbs are the result of people

pondering and crafting language

 Proverbs are passed for centuries by using it

in conversation

 Proverbs are passed also by literature

 Proverbs are passed by drama and films

 Proverbs are passed by music

 Proverbs are passed by decorative manner

Process of creating and preserving proverbs in English is always on going

because it is an important part of the

language and culture

English proverb

examples

Proverbs are taken from the Bible

“A soft answer turns away wrath.”

KJV King James Version, Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger

“Nothing new under the sun.”

KJV, Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which

is done is that which shall be done: and

there is no new thing under the sun

Proverbs are taken from the poem and stories

 “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”

From John Keats' epic poem, Endymion,

1818

 “A place for everything and everything in its place.”

This proverb is variously associated with

Samuel Smiles, Mrs Isabella Beeton and Benjamin Franklin The Oxford Book of

Quotations dates it from the 17th century

“All that glitters is not gold.”

The popular form of the expression is a

derivative of a line in William

Shakespeare's play The Merchant of

Venice, which employs the line as 'all that

glisters is not gold'

Proverbs are taken from the songs and

famous people

“A jack of all trades is the master of

none”.

Jack Of All Trades by Eurhythmics:

“Jack of all trades master of none”.

“At the end of a rainbow, you'll find a pot

of gold”.

(At) The end (of a rainbow) by Earl Grant.

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow”– Helen Keller.

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

– Charlie Chaplin

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