A contrastive analysis of requests in english and vietnamese = so sánh lời đề nghị trong tiếng anh và tiếng việt luận văn tốt nghiệp đại học

VINH UNIVERSITY
FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

NGUYỄN THỊ HỒNG ANH

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF REQUESTS
IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
(SO SÁNH LỜI ĐỀ NGHỊ TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT)

GRADUATION THESIS
Field:

Linguistics


VINH - 2011

2


VINH UNIVERSITY
FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF REQUESTS
IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
(SO SÁNH LỜI ĐỀ NGHỊ TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT)

GRADUATION THESIS
Field: Linguistics

Supervisor : Nguyễn Thị Kim Anh, MA

Student:
Nguyễn Thị Hồng Anh
Class
: K48B2 - English


VINH - 2011

4


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For the completion of this work, I have been fortunate to receive invaluable
contributions from many people. First of all, I should like to express my deepest
gratitude to my lecturer, Mrs Nguyen Thi Kim Anh, MA for her absolutely
indispensable assistance, excellent suggestions, expert advices and detailed critical
comments without those my work would not have been completed.
I owe a special debt of gratitude to Mr Tran Ba Tien, MA and Mrs Nguyen Thi
Van Lam, MA who helped me initiate the idea for my research , giving me their
enthusiastic encouragement and the benefit of their wisdom as well as his long and
varied experiences in doing language research .
In addition, I am greatly indebted to all my lecturers at Foreign Languages
Department, Vinh University

for their enthusiasm, unedited useful lectures,

interesting ideas, experiences, constant support and encouragement.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Mr Hung for his reading of my
draft as well as his invaluable suggestions and comments, my friends at Foreign
Language Department, Vinh University, and to my other friends for their various

kinds of help, big support and endless encouragement.
My warmest thanks are due to my loving parents, for their unconditional loves ,
supports all good condition as possible and their patience.
Finally , I am all too aware that despite all the meaningful advices and
assistant helps, I fell that the study is far from perfect , it is , therefore, my sole
responsibility for any inadequacies and shortcomings that the study may be
considered to have .
Vinh, May 2011
Nguyen Thi Hong Anh

i


ABSTRACT
How to give Requests reasonably, politely and effectively with suitable methods
is not easy. This research aim is to investigate the use of Requests in English and
Vietnamese for communicative purposes by letters .The similarities and differences of
Requests between the two languages are mentioned. Their practice in reality will be
discovered. Moreover, some structures of Requests which are used frequently in the
letters are also analyzed with the hope to find out the best ways to give requests in
both languages, English and Vietnamese. Finally, some suggestions are given so that
English learners in Vietnam can use to enhance the effect of using Requests in the
letters for their different communicative purposes.

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................i
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................ ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................iii
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS ........................................................................vi
ABBREVIATION..................................................................................................vii
PART A: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................1
1. Justification of the Study....................................................................................1
2. Aims of the Study...............................................................................................2
3. Methods of the Study..........................................................................................2
4. Scope of the Study..............................................................................................3
5. Design of the Study............................................................................................3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT................................................................................5
CHAPTER I. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND................................................5
1.1. Overview of the Theory...................................................................................5
1.2. Sentences.........................................................................................................5
1.2.1. Some Definitions of Sentences.....................................................................5
1.2.2. Classification of Sentences .........................................................................6
1.3. Requests..........................................................................................................8
1.3.1. Definitions of Requests................................................................................8
1.3.2. Types of Requests ........................................................................................8
1.3.3. Requests in Letters.......................................................................................12
1.3.4.
Rules
of
Requests
in
Letters
..........................................................................................................................
16
1.4.
Summary
..........................................................................................................................

16
CHAPTER
II.
THE
STUDY
..........................................................................................................................
17
iii


2.1.
Research
Questions
..........................................................................................................................
18
2.2.
Data
collection
..........................................................................................................................
18
2.2.1.
Objects
..........................................................................................................................
18
2.2.2.
Data
Collection
Procedure
..........................................................................................................................
18

2.3.
Research
Procedure
..........................................................................................................................
18
2.4.
Results
and
Discussion
..........................................................................................................................
19
2.4.1.
Results
19
..........................................................................................................................
19
2.4.2.
Discussion
..........................................................................................................................
19
CHAPTTER III. A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF REQUESTS IN
ENGLISH
AND
VIETNAMESE
..........................................................................................................................
20
3.1.
Forms
of
Requests

in
English
and
Vietnamese
..........................................................................................................................
21
3.1.1.
Requests
in
Form
of
Declarative
Sentences
..........................................................................................................................
21

iv


3.1.2.
Requests
in
Form
of
Imperative
Sentences
..........................................................................................................................
21
3.1.3.
Requests

in
Form
of
Interrogative
Sentences
..........................................................................................................................
23
3.2.
Request
Expressions
..........................................................................................................................
27
3.2.1
.Directnes
..........................................................................................................................
29
3.2.2.
Indirectness
..........................................................................................................................
29
3.2.3.
Politeness
Strategy
..........................................................................................................................
31
3.3.
Words
and
Structures
used

for
Requests
..........................................................................................................................
33
3.3.1.
Words
used
for
Requests
..........................................................................................................................
35
3.3.2.
Structures
used
for
Requests
..........................................................................................................................
35
3.4.
Factors
affecting
Requests
..........................................................................................................................
39
3.5. Frequency of using Requests in English and Vietnamese
..........................................................................................................................
41
3.5.1.

Commanding

v


..........................................................................................................................
43
3.5.2.
Begging
..........................................................................................................................
43
3.5.3.
Advising
..........................................................................................................................
43
3.5.4.
Suggesting
..........................................................................................................................
44
3.5.5.
Inviting
..........................................................................................................................
44
3.5.6.
Encouraging
..........................................................................................................................
44
3.5.7.
Promising
..........................................................................................................................
44

3.5.8.
Reminding
..........................................................................................................................
44
3.5.9.
Permitting
..........................................................................................................................
45
3.5.10.
Informing
..........................................................................................................................
45
3.6. Similarities and Differences of Requests in Letters in English and
Vietnamese..
..........................................................................................................................
46
3.6.1.

Similarities
vi


..........................................................................................................................
46
3.6.2.
Differences
..........................................................................................................................
47
3.7.
Summary

..........................................................................................................................
49
PART
C:
CONCLUSION
..........................................................................................................................
50
1.
Recapitulation
and
Implication
..........................................................................................................................
50
2.
Suggestions
for
further
Studies
..........................................................................................................................
52
REFERENCES
..........................................................................................................................
APPENDIXES
..........................................................................................................................

vii


LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
TABLES

Table 1: Examples of Requests in terms of forms and expressions..........................18
Table 2: The statistic results of the survey of the letters .........................................19
Table 3: The frequency of using Requests in English and Vietnamese ...................45
CHARTS
Chart 1: Requests in form of declarative sentences in English and Vietnamese......23
Chart 2: Requests in form of imperative sentences in English and Vietnamese ......26
Chart 3: Requests in form of interrogative sentences in English and Vietnamese ...28
Chart 4: Request in form of declarative, imperative and interrogative sentences in
English and Vietnamese..........................................................................................29
Chart 5: Direct Requests in English and Vietnamese ..............................................31
Chart 6: Indirect Requests in English and Vietnamese ...........................................33

viii


ix


ABBREVIATION

CA :

Contrastive Analysis

&:

and

CMND:

Chứng minh Nhân dân

D & I:

Direct and Indirect

E.g:

Example exchange

%:

Percent

E:

English

V:

Vietnamese

Sents:

sentences

x


PART A: INTRODUCTION

1. Justification of the Study
It can be said that the appearance of requests occupies a large frequency in our
daily language. When we want to give order, or ask someone to do something, we
use requests instinctively. That is why we make requests. The answer is also
because we all can not exist on our own without any help from other people but we
have to be in company and seek help from others in the society. That puts more
emphasis on the role of requests in learning a language as a mother tongue or as a
second language. We frequently use requests to get somebody to do something,
asking them to help or cooperate with us, naturally and instinctively, especially by
letters. However, different language has different ways to form its requests.
Especially, when English and Vietnamese do not share the same language type,
these differences become more obvious. Therefore, using requests in letters in
English as well as Vietnamese reasonably is considered an important part for the
success of communicative goals, because they are the means to express the ideas of
the writers as well as to link between writer and receiver about their relationship or
wishes. As Vietnamese students who have learned English for quite a long time and
teachers-to-be of English, we find that learning English requests is an easy job to
Vietnamese but at the same time causes repeated problems due to their unawareness
of and confusion about the similarities and differences between English and
Vietnamese requests. The study about requests will contribute to the improvement
of the ways we give requests and raising the effects of using them in
communication. That will help us achieve some good and effective ways to give
requests politely in letters in many different situations and get good results in using
languages. For the above reasons, this study mentioned “A Contrastive Analysis of
Requests in English and Vietnamese” to find out some co-relative request
structures, similarities and differences in expressions to make requests in the two
languages. Furthermore, the study can achieve some ways to give requests
effectively and politely. That is why we decided to choose this topic which is very
useful for Vietnamese learners of English and also for those who care about the
ways speakers express requests in English and Vietnamese by different ways to

communicate.

1


2. Aims of the Study
The study concentrates on investigating about Requests in English and
Vietnamese. Moreover, we would like to pay attention to some request structures
used in letters in both languages. Through this study, we want to find out some corelation as well as differences when using requests in letters in English and
Vietnamese. Furthermore, we would like also to draw out forms, expressions, words
and structures of requests in Vietnamese as well as English, then work out some
affecting factors and politeness strategy of requests. Besides, the frequency of using
requests in English and Vietnamese is mentioned. Finally, some suggestions will be
given to enhance the effect of using requests in letters particularly and in
communication generally.
3. Method of the Study
The Study was done by combining quantitative & qualitative method and some
tools to draw out how people express requests in letters in English, what similarities
and differences of requests in Vietnamese letters and how frequently they are used
in letters in both languages.
3.1. Quantitative Method
By collecting letters and requests in English and Vietnamese, then summing up
we had statistics for comparison process, for example, we found out how many
percents of requests in form of declarative sentence used in English and Vietnamese
there were, etc.
3.2. Qualitative Method
By relying on collected letters and requests in English and Vietnamese, then
we could answer some questions like “How do people use requests and how
frequently are requests used in letters in both languages?, etc”.
3.3. Some Instruments

a. Description
Description was used for describing the theoretical background, such as
definitions of sentence, classification of sentences, definition of requests, types of
requests, etc.
b. Collection
2


Collecting materials, documents and books from various sources was carried
out by collection.
c. Analysis
By analyzing the collected materials, documents and the data before, we
achieved the results.
d. Contrastive Analysis
This way was done for contrasting and comparing ways what the writers use to
express requests in English and Vietnamese and find out some similar and different
points between them.
4. Scope of the Study
This Study only concentrates on investigating Requests in English and
Vietnamese as well as frequency of using them in letters and some similarities and
differences of requests in the two languages. We can not cover a research on
requests in all communicative ways.
5. Design of the Study
This Study contains three main parts. They are introduction, development and
conclusion with their subcontents.
The first one, Introduction includes Justification of the Study, Aims of the
Study, Methods of the Study, Scope of the Study and Design of the Study.
The main part- Development has three chapters. Contents are in following
details.
Chapter 1 talks about Theoretical Background with four sub contents. Firstly,

the Overview of the Theory, secondly, some definitions and classification of
Sentences are attached. Thirdly, Requests, types of requests, requests in letters and
their rules are mentioned. Letters with some definitions, forms and types are also
included in the third section. Finally, it is the summary of the chapter.
Chapter 2 concentrates on the Study. There are four main points in this chapter,
the first one is Research Questions, the second one is Data Collection and the next is
the Research Procedure and the last is the Results and Discussion.
Chapter 3 focuses on A Contrastive Analysis of Requests in Letters in English
and Vietnamese with six sections. They are forms of requests, request expressions,
3


words and structures used in requests, the frequency of using requests in English
and Vietnamese letters, factors affecting requests and some similarities and
differences of requests in those English and Vietnamese letters.
The final part is Conclusion with recapitulation, implication and some
suggestions for further studies.

4


PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1. Overview of the Theory
Up to now, there have been a lot of studies, books and articles about different
aspects of using Requests in communication generally and Requests in letters
particularly. According to some Vietnamese linguists such as Nguyen Kim Than,
Diep Quang Ban, Cao Xuan Hao and non-Vietnamese such as Murcia and Freeman
(1999, p.228), and Downing and Locke (1995, p.192), request is a grammatical
mood that expresses direct commands or requests addressing the recipient. It is also

used to signal a prohibition, permission or any other kind of exhortation. When
using requests, the writer expects the recipient to obey, please or cooperate with
him, for example, “please read the instruction carefully!” Moreover, try to think
what we should do if we want to get a job or specific information from an office.
Writing a letter of request is considered a good way and we can draw out our needs
by requests. For different purposes of communication, requests play an important
role to the success of the letters, between writers and recipients, the distance,
relationship and impact on each other. This chapter provides an overview of the
theoretical background of the research and consists of two main sections: Sentences
and Requests.
1.2. Sentences
1.2.1. Some Definitions of the Sentence
W.S Maugham (1988) pointed out “Words have weight, sound and appearance;
it is only by considering these that you can write a sentence that is good to look at
and good to listen to”. ”I’m doing my homework” is considered to be a sentence, so
what is a sentence?
In English Grammar by Mai Lan Hương (2006, p.300), it is stated that: “ A
sentence is a linguistic form which expresses an idea or a sentiment by one or more
words, how to use and arrange them in order to point out that idea or sentiment”
Randolph Quirk and Siney Greenbaum in A university grammar of English
(1973, p.10) pointed out that sentence is a group of words, usually including a

5


subject and a predicate, that expresses a statement, question, or instruction. A
written sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark,
or exclamation point.
From Oxford dictionary: “Sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself,
typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question,

exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or
more subordinate clauses”
Nguyễn Lân, a Vietnamese grammarian, has also given out a full definition of
the sentence saying that “Many words combined to show a clear sense about actions,
states or characteristics of things are called a sentence (quoted by Đỗ Thị Kim Liên,
1998, p.100)
According to Vinagradov, a Russian grammarian professor, “A sentence is a
complete unit of the utterance grammatically constituted with rules of a concern
language, being the most important device to denote and to convey thoughts. In sets,
there exists not only the description of reality but also the relationship between the
speaker and the reality” (quoted by Đỗ Thị Kim Liên, 1998, p.100)
Leonard Bloom Field (1926), an American linguist, defined that each sentence
is an independent linguistic form, not included by virtue of any grammatical
construction in any larger linguistic form. In other words, a sentence is possible to
stand independently.
In summary, it is quite problematic trying to draw a perfect definition of the
sentence, but a lot of linguists have pointed out some reasonable ones satisfying the
need of understanding about the sentence.
1.2.2. Classification of Sentences
There are a few criteria to classify sentences, such as by structure, by subjects,
by purpose, etc. Languages are regarded as human beings’ means of
communication, interaction and integration and it is established that there are three
main types of sentences: declarative, interrogative and imperative (Murcia &
Freeman, 1999, p.227). A sentence is the basic unit of written English language
communication. Sentences may be classified by the purpose of communication into
declarative sentence, interrogative sentence, imperative sentence and exclamatory
6


sentence (Thomson & Martinet, 1986, p.423). According to W.S Maugham (1988),

traditionally English sentences are classified by their structure and purpose. Based
on their purpose, we distinguish the following four types of the sentences:
declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory sentence. However, this paper
is concerned with the classification by purpose which shows us the sentence forms
and their functions.
a. Declarative sentence: The function of the declarative sentence is to focus the
reader’s attention. It invites the reader further to consider the assertion made by the
predicate about it.
Example: - We are learning English.
- They built the business center.
b. Interrogative sentence: The function of the interrogative sentence is to
provide assertion with regards to the concept that is indicated by the questions. With
this the reader will be directly involve with the development of ideas through asking
the reader to phrase the statement
Example: Would you give me your telephone number?
What are you doing now?
c. Imperative sentence: The function of the imperative sentence is to show the
desire of the writer with regards to the topics as well as to the actions that is being
indicated. Imperative sentence involves the reader directly through addressing him
or her and asking for a response. They are often requests or commands; they do not
usually have a subject. They may or may not carry exclamation mark
Example: - Get out of my life!
- Please close the window!
- I would like some noodles
d. Exclamatory sentence: The function of the exclamatory sentence is to show
a sudden or strong feeling about something. In exclamatory sentence, there may be
a thought, emotion or sensation behind. It is used to express judgment, sensation
and to express relieve of an internal pressure. It usually begins with what or how and
ends with an exclamation mark.
Example: - What a beautiful day!

- How intelligent the baby is!
7


In this paper, we are concerned with the sentences which have function of
requesting.
1.3.Requests
1.3.1. Definitions of Requests
According to Carl James (1980, p.126), “Request is the act of asking for
something to be given or done, especially as a favor or courtesy; solicitation or
petition”.
Request, according to Cao Xuan Hao (1991), is the sentence that has
illocutionary value, affects second person, and requires this person to make a
unilateral or a co-operating action. Request is also a mean to order, command, or
require someone to do something. When using request, the speaker or writer expects
that the hearer or reader will obey.
Cambridge Dictionary works out:” Request is expressing the need or desire for;
asking for something, such as asking for a meeting, for information, etc”
Beside the basic use, request is also used to advice, instruct, allow, wish, invite
and suggest informally, or warn (Eastwood, 1994, p.22). For example, “Why don’t
you spend a year working before you go to college? Take off a year from your studies
and learn something about the real word” or “Come to have lunch with us!”
Macmillan dictionary points out that: “Request is a formal message asking
something that is submitted to an authority in a polite or formal way”.
1.3.2. Types of Requests
People make requests to ask others to do what they want or need. It depends on
communicative goals, situations and relationships, so the writers must choose the
suitable forms and words of requests. Request may be for information, a raise, help or
supports, orders, commands, etc. According to Murcia & Freeman (1999), request can
be distinguished in to three main types basing on the purpose of letter: Data

protection, Operational information and Service request. We can group requests by
many different ways, it seems to be easy to gain the request action by its expression
in directness and indirectness. For politeness standard, we often use indirect ones
(Charter, 1998). As a result, in order to display our respect for the interlocutor as well

8


as friendliness, we have to use clear and concise expressions of requests as direct and
indirect ones. They can be considered types of request (Eastwood, 1999)
E.g: a.“Call me first!”
It is a request in a letter, but the relationship between the writer and the recipient
may be close. They may be friends, sisters or parents and children. That is why they
choose a short way to make a request directly.
b. “I would deeply appreciate it if you could give me a prompt reply at your
most convenient”
The request above is an example from another letter. The way to make request is
different from the former one. It requires the recipient to do something politely. It is
not to ask the recipient directly, but the recipient understands what he or she should
do. Therefore, requests are grouped by the goals. However, in this paper we
mentioned two following types of requests by expression: Direct Request and Indirect
Request
1.3.2.1. Direct Requests
Direct request is a way giving requests in a direct approach, no persuasion and
long introductions are needed. Requests are expressed through the face of words, no
implications.
E.g.: - Please close the door
- Don’t make noisy
- Give me a call after going home
1.3.2.2. Indirect Requests

Indirect request is the expressing of some desire or inclination. People often use
this way to make the requests more polite and respective, the meaning of sentences
often include implications.
In language communication, people often intend to use indirect way to express
their ideas. In other words, some researchers think that the participants do so because
they want to be polite. That is the reason why indirectness and politeness are closely
related. Notably, in the journal of pragmatics (James, 1987), “indirectness and

9


politeness in requests, the relationship between them, therefore, is considered that the
reason for being indirect is to be polite”.
People often use indirectness for the following purposes:
- to avoid hurting the listeners or readers.
- to achieve communicative goals, indirectness may be used as unexamined
level.
- to deny perceived intentions, avoid conflicts.
- to be polite as an equivalent in communication.
- to achieve and maintain power over others.
E.g: - I could tell that it was his wish that the guests leave.
- I look forward to discussing with you and your staff.
- If given an opportunity, I will work hard and help your organization
develop.
As mentioned above, the notion of politeness is often associated with
indirectness. It has been claimed that the degree of indirectness in requests is closely
related to politeness. So, what politeness is and its position in request, we will explore
in the following small sections.
a. Politeness: There is a variety of definition for politeness, however, most of
them approach the angle of social appropriateness. In Longman dictionary of

contemporary English, politeness is defined as “having or showing good manners,
consideration for others, and correct social behavior”. For Lakoff (1975, p.53) “to
be polite is saying the socially correct thing” while for Adegbija (1989, p.58)
politeness is associated with situations in which one “speaks or behaves in a way that
is socially and culturally acceptable and pleasant to the hearer”.
From these definitions, Lakoff (1975) approaches three maxims of politeness:
- Don’t impose
- Give options
- Make the recipient feel good.
Different cultures will have different principles of politeness. That point shows
that politeness and culture have a very close relationship to each other. One action
considered to be polite in this country may be assumed impolite in another. For

10


example, interruption while making conversation is considered appropriate in
America but in Vietnam, it is impolite to do so. Vietnamese people always wait for
their turn to talk. Or, in the case of personal pronoun, the American only use “you”
for the addressees whereas in Vietnamese, we have a lot of choices such as “anh, chị,
em, cậu, chú, etc”. So, we can see the influence of culture on language here: while
English give prominence to equality in communication, Vietnamese people give
prominence to hierarchy in family and society, therefore using the wrong personal
pronoun in Vietnamese is considered to be impolite.
Reflected in language because of their nature, politeness phenomenon is
generally considered to have the status of universal principles of human interaction.
Therefore, being polite is a complicated business in any language. It is indeed very
difficult to learn because it involves understanding not just the language, but also the
social and cultural values of the community. In fact, several linguists attempt to make
clear the important role of politeness in communication and to account for the rules

that govern the use of language in context. Such linguists as Goff man (1967), Layoff
(1973), Grice (1975), Leech (1983), and Brown & Levinson (1987) have dealt with
the roles of politeness and proposed some principles for this concept.
But of all of the above researches, Brown & Levinson (1987) stated the deepest
and most comprehensive of perspective of politeness in communication. What they
seek are linguistic universals that explain politeness phenomenon across languages,
cultures and domains.
In the scope of this work, we want to mention politeness in requests in letters. It
has also been stressed that politeness strategy in requests may have many different
orientations in different cultures.
b. Politeness in Requests
As mentioned above, politeness is very important, especially in requests, which,
if using inappropriately, will cause the losing face of receiver or even the writer if the
action cannot be done.
Tracy (1984) suggested that “Politeness in requests is a particularly important
issue because requests, by definition, impose on the hearer or the recipient and if the
speaker or the writer do not make a request appropriately, the desire goal may not be
realized, the hearer or the recipient may be embarrassed or the relationship may be
11