VIEINAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACTLTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES VÕ VIỆT CƯỜNG SOME DISCOURSE FEATURES OF REQUESTS AND TIIEIR RESPONSES IN SHORT CONVERSATIONS IN THE LISTENING COMPREHENSION SECTION OF TOEFL MATERIALS Mặt số đặc diễm diễn ngân của yêu câu va dap lai trong các hội thoại ngắn trong mục nghe hiểu của tài liệu luyện thi TOFFI, MLA. MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 60 22 15 HANOI— 2010 VIEINAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOL UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACTLTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES V6 VIET CUGNG SOME DISCOURSE FEATURES OF REQUESTS. AND THEIR RESPONSES IN SHORT CONVERSATIONS IN THE LISTENING COMPREHENSION SECTION OF TOEFL MATERIALS Một số đặc điểm diễn ngôn của yêu cầu và đáp lại yêu cầu trong các hội thoại ngắn trang mục nghe hiểu của tài liệu luyện thi TOEFL M.A, MINOR THESIS FLELD: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 66 2215 SUPERVISOR: PHAM XUAN THO, M. IIANOT— 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration Acknowledgments Abstract Table of contents List of Lables PART L: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationale for the study 2. Aims of the study 3. Scope of the study 4, Methods of the study 5. Design of the study PART I: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: Theoretical background LL.
Systemic Functional Grammar and the clause 1. A brief overview of Systemic Functional Grammar 1. Above the clause: the clause complex 1. Clause complex and sentence 1.
Types of interdependency in clause complexes: parataxis and hypotaxis 1. A brief overview of logico-sernantic relations in clause complexes: expansion and projection 1. consists of two utterances, each of which is made by a man or a woman. Only the clause sls and their respons are analyzed in Tight of clause expansion in Systemic Functional Grammar.
The twenty short conversations under analysis were selected according to Quang’s (2007:151-172) and Nguyen and Vinh’s (2008:182-184) suggestions for identifying and using requests and their responses, which will be discussed in more detail in the introduction of chapter two of the dissertation 4, Methods of the study ‘The basic methods applied to this study are descriptive, comparative, and analytical methods of language research which are generally inductive. Firsily, the issues concerning clause cxpansion in Systemic Functional Grammar are extracted, described, compared, and discussed in chapter one of the thesis to set up the theoretical background underlying the discussion, and generalization in chapter two and part three of the dissertation. Then, the thirty-two clausc complexes in the requests and their responses in the twenty selected short conversations are analyzed in light of clause expansion in Systemic Functional Graromar. In chapter two and part three of the thesis, the resulls of the sludy will be discussed and generalized based on the statistics to be able to contzibute to ‘amproving the teachmg and understanding of the conversations of this kind.
Design of the study This dissertation consists of three main parts: Past one presents the rationale for the study, the aims, scope, methods, and design of the study. Part two consists of two chapters. Chapter one discusses clause expansion and its relevant issues in Systemic Functional Grammar that underlie the analysis of the clause comptexes in the 1 es and their respon in the short conversations in chapter lwo. Chapter two analyzes the clause complexes in the requests and their responses in the short conversations in light of clause expansion in Systemic Funetional Grammar and discusses thelr typival discourse features, Tach section of this chapler analyzes and discusses ome aspect of expansion in the requests and their responses.
Pact three summarizes the major findings of the study, draws out the theoretical and pedagogical implications of th 1osulls, and suggests the directions for further research, PART I: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: TILKEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1. Intrndurtion This chaplor discussas the main issues coneoring clauso cxpansion in Syslomie Functional Grammar that underlie the malysis of the clause complexes in the roquests and their responses in the short conversations in chapter two. We will present an overview of Systemic Functional Grammar in which the clause and clause expansion creating the clause complexes play a crucial part, Then, the main components and features of the clause complex and clause expansion will be discussed. Projection, which is not the main issue of the study, will also he discussed briefly because it also contritmlss lo clause expansion to create clause complexes 1.
Systemic Functional Grammar and the clause 1. A brief overview of Systemic Functional Grammar Systemic Functional Grammar is based on the functions of language suggested by Halliday (1970, 1985, cited in Van (2006a:28-20)), According fo him, language performs three metafimctions which are ideational fiction, interpersonal fimction, and textual function. The ideational function reflects the speaker's experience of the teal world, including the inner of his consciousness known as the “content”, The ideational function consists of two subtypes, namely the experiential function and logical function, Language gives slrueturcs lo experience and helps dolermins our way of looking at things and combining things in a logical way to serve this function. The interpersonal function serves to establish and maintain social relations among people who play the role ofa questioner or a respondent by asking or answering a question and Iting things donc.
The textual function provides links with tanguage itsclf and with the situation in which tanguage is used. ‘Ihis function enables speakers and writers to create situationally relevant discourses. This fimction also enables listeners and readers to distinguish @ discourse from a random set of utterances and sentences. According to Ilalliday's (1978, 1985, 1994, cited in Van (2005a, 2005b, 2006b), cach of the three metafunetions above is realized through a different system.
The ideational smetafunetion is realized through the transitivity system or system of process types. There coherent without being constructional, This hind of flow is very uncharacteristic of writien language All the reasons above have encouraged us to conduct an analysis of clause expansion in the requests and their responses in these short conversations in light of Systemic Functional Grammar so as to know how it functions to display their typical discourse features, which can contribute to improving the teaching and leaming of the conversations of this kind. Aims of the study As stated in the tills and the rationale for the sludy, this study is intended to find out the typical discourse features of the requests and their responses in the short conversations in the listening comprehension section of the TOIL PBY practice tests in light of clause expansion in Systemic Functional Grammar. To achieve this aim, the study allempls to answer the following research questions: 1.
How does clause expansion function in relation fa the other aspects of Systemic Functional Grammar to display the typical discourse features of the requests and their responses in the short conversations in the listening comprehension section of the TOKEL PRT practice tests? 2. Which typical discourse feattres in light of clause expansion in Systemic Fwietional Grammar can be generalized from the analysis of the requests and. their responses in the short conversations in the listening comprehension scction of the TOEEL PBT practice tests’? 3. Scope of the study As slated in the aims of the study, within the framework of an M.
rinor thesis, we can only focus on the issues conceming clause expansion in Systemic Functional Grammar in the requests and their responses in the short conversations in the listening comprehension section of the TOEFL PBT practice tests. These issnes are the componsnts of clause cxpansion and clause cxpansion-rclated aspects of Systemic Functional Grammar, which are discussed and realized throughout the study. Twenty short conversations containing requests and their responses were setectad from Part A of the listening, compichension sczipts of the book “TOEFL Preparation Kit Workbook 2002- 2003, Volume 1” designed and introduced by ETS. Each of the short conversations PART I: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationale for the study Besides IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), and TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language: Intemet-based Test), TORFL II'P (Lest of English as a Foreign Language: Institutional Testing Program), which is composed of previously administered TORFT. Paper-based Tast forms or TOEFL PBT, has offen been used to test the English competence of leamers. A certain acceptable TOKVL ITP score is now one of the conditions and options which can help professionals gel a higher degro2 or advancementint their career or both. This is manifested in Circular number 08/2009/TT-BGDDT fiom the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam that candidates who have a valid minimum TORFL ITP score of 400 or higher do nol have to lake the English entrance examination for his M.
In addition, candidates who have a valid TOEFL ITF score of 450 or higher are allowed to defend their M. dissertation without taking the final exam in English. 'This is also manifested in Circular number 10/2009/TT-RGDDT from the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam that candidates who have a valid minimum TOEFL ITP score of 450 or higher do not have to take the Ph. entrance examination for English, and candidates who have a valid TOFFL TTP score of $00 or higher are allowed to defond thir Ph.
dissertation without taking the final exam in English. Realizing the importance of English, the President of Thai Nguyen University issued Decision number 805QD/TCCB stating that from 2008, a TOEFL ITP score is one of the conditions and options used to decide the job status of the lecturers in all member institutions of the University. Specifically, only applicants with a minimum TOEFL IVP score of 400 can sign teaching contracts; only applicants with a minimum TOEFL TTP score of 150 can apply for a permanent teaching position, A considerable number of other institutions, like Hanoi University of Education, also require their lecturers to have a valid and acceptable TOEFL TTP score. ‘As a teacher of English in Thai Nguyen University, I have had some experience in instructing quite a large number of students in ‘TOKWL ITP.
During the lessons, [ have found that listening seems Jo be a challenge to my sludenls, One reason is that their English is not good enough. Our students are graduates, so they probably have the PART I: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: TILKEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1. Intrndurtion This chaplor discussas the main issues coneoring clauso cxpansion in Syslomie Functional Grammar that underlie the malysis of the clause complexes in the roquests and their responses in the short conversations in chapter two. We will present an overview of Systemic Functional Grammar in which the clause and clause expansion creating the clause complexes play a crucial part, Then, the main components and features of the clause complex and clause expansion will be discussed.
Projection, which is not the main issue of the study, will also he discussed briefly because it also contritmlss lo clause expansion to create clause complexes 1. Systemic Functional Grammar and the clause 1. A brief overview of Systemic Functional Grammar Systemic Functional Grammar is based on the functions of language suggested by Halliday (1970, 1985, cited in Van (2006a:28-20)), According fo him, language performs three metafimctions which are ideational fiction, interpersonal fimction, and textual function. The ideational function reflects the speaker's experience of the teal world, including the inner of his consciousness known as the “content”, The ideational function consists of two subtypes, namely the experiential function and logical function, Language gives slrueturcs lo experience and helps dolermins our way of looking at things and combining things in a logical way to serve this function.
The interpersonal function serves to establish and maintain social relations among people who play the role ofa questioner or a respondent by asking or answering a question and Iting things donc. The textual function provides links with tanguage itsclf and with the situation in which tanguage is used. ‘Ihis function enables speakers and writers to create situationally relevant discourses. This fimction also enables listeners and readers to distinguish @ discourse from a random set of utterances and sentences.
