A study on idiomatic expressions containing words denoting food and drink in English and their Vietnamese equivalents from Cultural Perspective

A study on idiomatic expressions containing
words denoting food and drink in English and
their Vietnamese equivalents from Cultural
Perspective









i hc Ngoi ng
Lu English Linguistics: 60 22 15
ng dn: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thom
o v: 2013


Keywords: Ting Anh;  hi chiu; Ting Vit; 

Content
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale to the study
Mastering a foreign language is a strong desire of all learners. However, it is not an easy
task because of many obstacles that learners face during their learning. Moreover, their final
target of learning a foreign language is the ability to communicate. A successful communication
can only be reached when both the speakers and the listeners have a common understanding of
each other. However, the differences in many aspects of the languages and cultures cause various
problems for learners in the process of mastering a foreign language.
One of the most effective and colourful ways to transfer culture is the use of idioms.

Because idioms imply culture, we cannot understand idioms correctly without the cultural
context. Besides, according to Cambridge International dictionary of Idioms (1998), on the one

             sing them, for
  
most interesting English aspects but it has never been easy to learn as well.
Thus, a good understanding of idioms is the key for learners to know more about the
target language as well as its culture and to avoid culture shocks during communication.
Making comparisons between English idioms and Vietnamese ones can help Vietnamese
learners comprehend the similarities and differences of the two languages and cultures, which in
turn help them improve their English.
Because of the reasons above, I have wished to conduct some studies on English idioms
and Vietnamese equivalent ones. However, due to the limitation of the graduation 
and time, I would like to focus on English idioms containing food and drink and their equivalents
in Vietnamese which have attracted me most for a long time in view of their variety in English
idiom treasure.
2. Research aims and research questions
This research has four main aims as the followings:
1. To investigate syntactic and semantic features of English and Vietnamese idioms
related to food and drink, from which explore the cultural values underlying the literal words.
2. To find out the similarities and differences in the cultures of the two countries which
are reflected through their idioms containing food and drink.
3. To equip both those learning English and those learning Vietnamese as their foreign
language with rich knowledge on both English and Vietnamese idioms in general and on food
and drink in particular. Moreover, to help teachers, learners and translators avoid difficulties in
translating English idioms into Vietnamese and vice versa.
4. To supply some suggested implications for teaching and learning method, which
contribute to improve ability of using English idioms in general, idioms related to food and drink
in particular.
To achieve the above aims, the following research questions are put forward:

1. What syntactic and semantic features are reflected in the food and drink idioms in both
English and Vietnamese?
2. What are the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and English cultures
through idioms related to food and drink? What factors lead to such differences?
3. Objectives of the research
My study is carried out with the aim to help Vietnamese learners have a better
understanding of English and Vietnamese idioms related to food and drink, which would
encourage them to use idioms more confidently not only in receptive skills like listening and
reading but also on productive skills like speaking and writing and avoid communication
breakdown.
4. Scope of the research
I have found idioms such an interesting English aspect that I decide to choose them as my
thesis topic. However, due to the limited time and knowledge, I just focus on a small part of
English idioms, “A study on idiomatic expressions containing words denoting food and drink in
English and their Vietnamese equivalents from Cultural Perspective”. idioms
containing food and drink“idioms of food and drink” for short.
Food and drink play a very important role in many cultures including English culture and
Vietnamese culture. Idioms containing food and drink account for a considerable large portion of
idioms in English as well as in Vietnamese, between which there are some outstanding
similarities and differences. A comparison between them can help Vietnamese teachers as well
as learners deal with idioms much more easily. For this reason, this paper aims at analyzing the
similarities and differences of idioms containing food and drink in English and Vietnamese from
cultural perspectives. On this basis, it also offers some educational implications for English
teachers and learners to make their teaching and learning idioms more effective.
5. Methods of the study
The study utilizes descriptive and comparative methods combined with the qualitative
and quantitative ones.
In reference with quantitative method, the study has collected data for the study including
both English and Vietnamese idioms containing food and drink from various reliable sources
(referent books, stories, novels, dictionaries and Internet websites).

The qualitative method is employed to describe and analyze the data of the study. The
steps of the study are conducted in the order as follows:
- Collect English and Vietnamese idioms containing food and drink from several sources
and then categorize them.
- Investigate and analyze the syntactic and semantic features of English and Vietnamese
idioms containing food and drink.
- Analyze the cultural features of English and Vietnamese hidden behind those idioms.
- Compare and find the differences and similarities between English and Vietnamese
idioms containing food and drink from cultural perspective.
The descriptive method is used to describe the syntactic, semantic and cultural features of
idioms containing food and drink in English and Vietnamese.
The comparative method is used to identify the similarities and differences in their
syntactic, semantic and cultural features.
6. Significance of the research
(i) Theoretical significance: The study supplies Vietnamese teachers and learners with a
deeper understanding of idioms in general and idioms containing food and drink in particular in
term of their syntactic, semantic, and cultural features.
(ii) Practical significance: The study provides Vietnamese learners with suggestions to
improve their language skills when using idioms containing food and drink, particularly
communicative skill and avoid culture shock.
7. Design of the research
This thesis consists of three main parts
Part one is the Introduction, which consists of the rationale, the aims and research
question, the objectives, the scope, the methods, the significance and the design of the study.
Part two is the Development, which is the main part of the study dealing with English
idioms containing food and drink and their equivalents in Vietnamese. This part is divided into
four chapters:
Chapter I: Literature Review
Chapter II: Theoretical background including Overview of idioms, The Relationship of
Language and Culture, Idioms and Culture.

Chapter III: Methodology and procedure
Chapter IV: Findings and discussion as well as some implications for teaching and
learning
The last part is the Conclusion of the study and suggestions for further studies.
The References and Appendixes are at the end of the thesis.

REFERENCES
ENGLISH
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Chambers.
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Oxford University Press.
8. Cowie, Anthony P., & Mackin.R. (1983). Oxford Dictionary of Current Idiomatic
English. London: Oxford UP.
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of Current Idiomatic Speech. Oxford: Oxford UP,
10. Glucksberg, S. (1993). Idiom Meanings and Allusional Content. In C. Cacciari and P.
Tabossi (eds.), Idioms: Processing, Structure, and Interpretation. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 3-26.
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12. Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford University Press.
13. Kunin, A.V. (2006). Comprehensive English-Russia phraseological Dictionary.
Moscow: Moscow Higher school publishing house.
14. Long, Thomas H., and Della Summers, eds. (1979). Longman Dictionary of English

Idioms. London: Longman.
15. Longman Exam Dictionary (2006). Pearson Education ESL.
16. Maalej, Z. (ed.). (2005). Metaphor, Cognition and Culture, Manouba, Tunis. Publications
of the University of Manouba.
17. Makkai, A. (1972). Idiom Structure in English. The Hague: Mouton & Co. N. V.
Newmark, P.
18. Mieder, W. (1993). Proverbs are never out of season. Popular Wisdom in the Modern
age. New York.
19.      (2010). English Idioms in Use. Advanced. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
20. Oxford Dictionary of Idioms. (2000). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
21. Richards, J.C.; Platt, J.; Platt, H. (1993). Longman dictionary of language teaching and
applied linguistics. London, Longman.
22. The Hutchinson Paperback Encyclopedia (2
nd
edition) (1994). Helicon Publishing;
23. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (1995). Oxford
University Press.
VIETNAMESE
24.  trong ting Vit
25.  chuy, tc ng, Nxb Khoa hi,
i.
26. 





(2007), 















, 




27. 

(1994), 
















, 







28. 



 93),  . : NXB
KHXH
29. Nguy  ting Vit ph 
Ni.
30. Nguy u m - i hc
qui.
31. Trn Ng   t Nam  Nhng v      
i hc ngoi ngi.
32. 

 (2000),  . : 





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