VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, [IANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ĐỖ THỊ PHƯƠNG MAT LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF AMERICAN-ENGLISH IN "THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER" BY MARK TWAIN (Đặc điểm ngôn ngữ của tiếng Anh Mỹ trong "Những cuộc phiêu lưu cia Tom Sawyer" cia Mark Twain) M. THESIS: Field: English Linguistics Code: 60. NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIKS FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES ĐÔ THỊ PHƯƠNG MAI LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF AMERICAN-ENGLISH IN "THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER" BY MARK TWAIN (Dặc điểm ngôn ngữ của tiếng Anh Mỹ trong "Những cuộc phiêu lưu của Tom Sawyer" cia Mark Twain) MLA. THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60., Van Thi Thanh Binh Hanoi - 2010 Lists of tables and figures Tables List The order Content Page 1 |[TaMel | Phonological features related to consonants of Southwestem |16 American English 2 ‘Table 2 Phonological features related to vowels of Southwestern 34 American English in the novel 3 |Table 3 | Phonological features related to consonants of Southwestern | 35 American English in the novel 4 | Tabled | Phonological features related fo connected speech of 36 Southwestem American Lnglish in the novel 3 |Table S | Grarnmatical features of American Timglish im Mark Twain's |38 Tom Sawyer 6 | Tableé | Slang words in utterances of characters belonging to different | 43 social classes 7 |Yable7 | Distribution of colloquial features in the novel 44 8 — [Tabe8 | Colloquial features in the novel displayed by a variety of a7 charsclers 9 — |Table9 | Co-cxistence of standard and non-standard forms ofthe same | 48 expression 10 |Table 10 |The frequent use of standard and non-standard forms ofthe |50 expressions abave ll Table 11 Tixample 1: because vs.
becuz SI 12 Table 12 Tixample 2: Afaid vs. Afeard s3 13 Table 13 Txample 3 > Knowed vs. Knew 54 Figures 1 |Figmel | The Southwestem American English vowel shift 17 2 — |Eigwe2 | Colloquial features in Twain's characters’ speech 5 "Twain was the first major author ta come from the interior country, and iw captured its distinctive humorous slang and iconoclasm'. She further states that "Twain's style, based on vigorous, realistic, colloquial American speech, gave American writers a new appreciation of their national voice".
Tn facl, many critics comment on the high level of accuracy of Mark Twain m recording various dialeels making i possibl: "to present his characters im a truthful Fight to the reader in a language that is both vivid and clear at the same time". Furthermore, Twain is considered a realistic writer (Iligh, 1986, Gerber, 1993; Van Spanckren, 1994 and Wonham, 1996) whe has the ability to give an accurate description of the nation's cxpcricncc “its soul, its life, its speech, its thought” Clwain 1895 cited in Wonham, 1996: 1) Following the realistic dimension, Twain claims in the preface to "The Adventures af Tom Sawyer" (p. 1) that almost all the events in the novel really occurred and that characters are inspired by people he knew. In fact, if events and characters are drawn ‘fom life, it is likely that the language spoken by eharact: is also drawn from life.
TL is, couscquent]y. an important reason for the author to investigate Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer with the hope of revealing the linguistic features of American English spoken in the Southwest of America in the 19" century. Aims of the study ‘This study aims to investigate the linguistic features of American Linglish in characters’ uflcrances in Mark Twain's Tor Sawyer, To realize this aim, the answers for the two following research questions are sought out: 1. What are the linguistic features of American Englivh in characters’ utterances in Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer? 2.
To what extent the characters in the novel share these linguistic features? 3. Scope of the study For the limitation of the time, reference books and other constraints faced by the author, this thesis canmot cover all linguistic features of American English in Mark ‘lwain's Tom Sawyer. This study, tharefore, will focus on analyzing and idontifying cerlain linguistic fEaunes of Soullweslern American-Fnglish presented in the novel inchiding phonological, grammatical and lexical features of Southwestem American- English. Additionally, within this M.
thesis, only characters' utterances are investigated to find out the linguistic featwes of American English in the novel without conceming the variety used by the narrator. Methodology First of all, it is noticeable that in the process of the study, both qualitative and quantitative methods are employed. ‘Ihe former is used in the form of listing and the latter is used in the form of analyving the lingnistie [saluwes Additionally, the theoretical background in chapter 1 relics on the published literature on the concepts of standard language, dialect and levels of dialect, American English together with a brief introduction lo Mark Twain and kis novel "The adventures of Tom Sawyer." Last but not least, the analysis of lnguistic features of American English is merely based on Wolfram.'s framework (1998) about linguistic features of Sonthwestor American English slated in 1.4 in the first chapter “Theoretical background” of part IL In this main part, the author starts with the analysis of linguistic features of American English in terms of phonology, graromar, and lexis in charaotors' spe an the novel with the application of idealisation. Then the author attempts to investigate whether there are differences among the characters of the novel as far as their use of language is concerned to look for a possible conclation betweon the characters’ sociat background and their use of language.
Rationale Language is a communicative means and also a social phenomenon. 1Juman beings use language to communicate among themselves as well as to construct the world around them. The study of language, therefore, should be the study of language in usc. A language, however, is not realized in only one but in a variety of forms among which one form can be considered the standard one while others are the non-standard or dialects of the slandard one.
(Wolftam, 1991) The study of one language, therefore, should include not only the so-called standard but also other variations of this language. Nowadays, English, ant international language uscd in many paris of the world and almost every aspect of lite, exists in more than ten big group variations, among which Anerican English is particularly influential due to the U.'s dominant in the world economy. The study of American Enghsh is, therefore, of interest of many people and also the author of this thesis. Additionally, literature is "a body of written works related by subject-matter, by language or place of origin, or hy prevailing cultural standards of meret." (Peler Widlowsen, 1998) Laterature is an art that adopts language as its form and its means.
Language of literature works, hence, has been the subject of many studies by linguists because it presents particularly the relation of language and culture. It is not only the language of art but also the language of life. The author hopes to reveal all these relations through this thesis, consequently. It is also essential to provide an explanation why Mark ‘I'wain and his work, "The adventures wf Tam Sawyer" are chosen.
Firstly, Mark Twain is considered the "first ‘rudy! American writer." (Howell, 1967) Early 19° century American writers tend to be too flowery, sentimental or ostentatious, partial because they were irying to prove that they could write as clegantly as the English. Nevertheless, together with the country development in almost every aspect of life and the national self-confidence spirit, American writers sooner or later realized thal they rust have their own American Hileralure which is quite separated ftom the one of English. And Mark Twain is regarded as "she Lincoln of our Iiteratwe" (Howells), the one that revolutionaries American literature. Additionally, Van Spanckeren (1994: 78) argues that PART I: INTRODUCTION 1.
Rationale Language is a communicative means and also a social phenomenon. 1Juman beings use language to communicate among themselves as well as to construct the world around them. The study of language, therefore, should be the study of language in usc. A language, however, is not realized in only one but in a variety of forms among which one form can be considered the standard one while others are the non-standard or dialects of the slandard one.
(Wolftam, 1991) The study of one language, therefore, should include not only the so-called standard but also other variations of this language. Nowadays, English, ant international language uscd in many paris of the world and almost every aspect of lite, exists in more than ten big group variations, among which Anerican English is particularly influential due to the U.'s dominant in the world economy. The study of American Enghsh is, therefore, of interest of many people and also the author of this thesis. Additionally, literature is "a body of written works related by subject-matter, by language or place of origin, or hy prevailing cultural standards of meret." (Peler Widlowsen, 1998) Laterature is an art that adopts language as its form and its means.
Language of literature works, hence, has been the subject of many studies by linguists because it presents particularly the relation of language and culture. It is not only the language of art but also the language of life. The author hopes to reveal all these relations through this thesis, consequently. It is also essential to provide an explanation why Mark ‘I'wain and his work, "The adventures wf Tam Sawyer" are chosen.
Firstly, Mark Twain is considered the "first ‘rudy! American writer." (Howell, 1967) Early 19° century American writers tend to be too flowery, sentimental or ostentatious, partial because they were irying to prove that they could write as clegantly as the English. Nevertheless, together with the country development in almost every aspect of life and the national self-confidence spirit, American writers sooner or later realized thal they rust have their own American Hileralure which is quite separated ftom the one of English. And Mark Twain is regarded as "she Lincoln of our Iiteratwe" (Howells), the one that revolutionaries American literature. Additionally, Van Spanckeren (1994: 78) argues that 1.
Lexical features of Southwestern American English. Mark Twain and "The adventures of Tom Sawyer".Mark ‘wain - the first truely' AmeTican wTiter. The novel “The adventures af Torn Sawyer" Ceara 2: P^SCU3STOVS AitD PTMDTHOS 2. Linguistic features of American Lnglish in characters’ utterences.1, Phonological features of Arneriean English.2, Grammatical features of American English 2.3, Lexical features of American English 2.
Linguistic peculiarities of American Englishin characters! utterences. Linguistic peculiarities of American English in characters’ utterences 2. Linguistic peculiarities of American English as ameans of characterisation PART 3: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION 1. Issucs addressed in the study.Issues not addressed in the study.
Application 68 4, Suggestions for futher stuủy. Design of the study The study consists of three main parts, Part 4; Introduction This part. comprises Ihe rationale, scope, aims, molhodology, and design of the study Purt2: Development This is the main part consisting of two chapters Chapter 1: Theoretical background This chapter is proscrved to give the basic theorctical background of the study. It includes an overview about standard language, dialects, American English, and Southwestern American English.
Additionally, corlain information aboul Mark Twain, his works and spocifically the novel "The adventures of Tom Sawyer” is cluded, Chapter 2: Linguistic features of American English in Mark twain's Tom Sawyer Chapter 2 is the hoart, of the thesis which investigates American Fnglis dialects in "The adventures of Tom Sawyer.” in terms of phonology, grammar and lexis. The analysis is attached to the theory about Southwestern American English of Wolftam.