An english vietnamese cross cultural study of boasting

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
---------------- ----------------

Hà THị TUYếT NHUNG

[
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AN ENGLISH -VIETNAMESE CROSS - CULTURAL
STUDY OF BOASTING
NGHI£N CøU GIAO V¡N HO¸ VIƯT - ANH
TRONG C¸CH KHOE KHOANG

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 602215

Hanoi, 2010


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
---------------- ----------------

Hà THị TUYếT NHUNG

[

ơ

AN ENGLISH -VIETNAMESE CROSS - CULTURAL
STUDY OF BOASTING
NGHI£N CøU GIAO V¡N HO¸ VIƯT - ANH
TRONG CáCH KHOE KHOANG

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 602215
Supervisor: Đào ThÞ Thu Trang, M.A

Hanoi, 2010


4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

* Certificate of originality of study project report.............................................

i

*Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................

ii

*Abstract............................................................................................................................

iii

*Table of contents...........................................................................................................

iv

*Abbreviations.................................................................................................................

vi

* List of tables...................................................................................................................

vii

* List of figures.................................................................................................................

viii

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1

1. Rationale ..........................................................................................................

1

2. Scope of the study ........................................................................................

2

3. Aims of the study...........................................................................................

2

4. Methodology ...................................................................................................

3

5. Design of the study ......................................................................................

3

PART II: DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................

5

CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.......................................

5

1.1. Language, culture and cross-cultural communication...............

5

1.1.1. Language, culture in communication.......................................

5

1.1.2. Language and culture in cross-cultural communication.....

6

1.2. Speech act......................................................................................................

7

1.2.1. What is a speech act?......................................................................

7

1.2.2. Classification of speech acts.........................................................

8

1.2.3. Boasting as a speech acts...............................................................

10

1.3. Politeness.......................................................................................................

11

1.3.1. What is politeness?..........................................................................

11


5

1.3.2. Face and Politeness..........................................................................

12

1.3.3. Politeness strategies.........................................................................

14

CHAPTER 2: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS...................................

16

2.1. Advisable topics to boast..........................................................................

16

2.2. Politeness strategies realized in boasting..........................................

18

2.3. Use of strategies in boasting as seen from communicating......

20

partners' parameters..........................................................................................
2.3.1. Data analysis......................................................................................

20

2.3.2 Major similarities and differences...............................................

28

2.4. Use of strategies in boasting as seen from informants'

28

parameters..............................................................................................................
2.4.1. Data analysis......................................................................................

29

2.4.2 Major similarities and differences...............................................

31

PART III: CONCLUSION .....................................................................................

33

1. Review of the findings..................................................................................

33

2. Implications for cross – cultural communication ............................

33

3. Suggestions for further research.............................................................

33

REFERENCES
APPENDICES

35