MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NGUYEN THI TRA MY PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON ENGLISH NOUN PHRASES IN FOREWORDS OF ENGLISH NOVELS WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS Nghiên cứu về cụm danh từ tiếng Anh trong lời nói đầu của tiểu thuyết tiếng Anh và tương đương tiếng Việt Student: Nguyen Thi Tra My ENGLISH LANGUAGE Student ID No: 20010016 Course: 2020 - 2024 Field: English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: M.A Vu Anh Thu Ha Noi – 2024 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON ENGLISH NOUN PHRASES IN FOREWORDS OF ENGLISH NOVELS WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS Nghiên cứu về cụm danh từ tiếng Anh trong lời nói đầu của tiểu thuyết tiếng Anh và tương đương tiếng Việt Student: Nguyen Thi Tra My Student ID No: 20010016 Course: 2020 -2024 Field: English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: M.A Vu Anh Thu Ha Noi - 2024 i ABSTRACT The study aims to help Vietnamese English learners identify the functional and structural characteristics of noun phrases in English and Vietnamese. The study also investigates the syntactic and semantic characteristics of English noun phrases in the forewords of English novels and their Vietnamese equivalents. The research objective is to identify noun phrases and determine the similarities and differences in the syntactic and semantic characteristics of noun phrases in both languages. The research method includes the descriptive, analytical-synthesis technique and the comparative and contrastive method.
The research results show that both languages share some similarities in the syntactic and semantic characteristics of noun phrases, while also showing differences in structure due to different languages and cultural contexts. ii DECLARATION I, Nguyen Thi Tra My – 20010016, certificate that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by me from any other person’s work without acknowledgements and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor. Hanoi, 1st July, 2024 Supervisor Student M.A Vu Anh Thu Nguyen Thi Tra My iii ACKNOWLEGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following individuals for their invaluable support throughout my academic journey and the completion of my graduation paper. First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, M.A Vu Anh Thu, for her unwavering guidance, insightful feedback, and constant encouragement.A Vu Anh Thu challenged me to think critically and provided me with the tools and resources I needed to accomplish this graduation paper.
I would like to thank myself for the hard work and dedication I put into this thesis, which I am very proud of. Finally, I am incredibly grateful to my family and friends for their unwavering love and support throughout my studies. Thanks to their constant encouragement and unwavering faith, I stayed motivated even when things got tough. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.
Rationale for the study. Aims and objectives of the study. Scope of the study. Significance of the study.
Design of the study .4 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW. Noun phrases in English. Definitions of English noun phrases. Structures of English noun phrases.
Syntactic functions of English noun phrases. Semantic functions of English noun phrases. Noun phrases in Vietnamese. Definitions of Vietnamese noun phrases.
Structure of Vietnamese noun phrases. The pre-modification (Pre-modifier). The post-modification (Post-modifier). Syntactic functions of Vietnamese noun phrases.
20 CHAPTER 2: SYNTACTIC FUNCTIONS OF NOUN PHRASES IN FOREWORDS OF FIVE ENGLISH NOVELS WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS. An overview of five English novels. The translated version. Syntactic functions of noun phrases in forewords of five English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents.
In terms of structure. Pre-modification of noun phrases in five English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents. Post-modification of noun phrases in five English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents. In terms of function.
Noun phrases as subject (S). Noun phrases as object (a direct object, an indirect object). Noun phrases as adverbial phrases. Noun phrases as complement.
The similarities and differences between the syntactic functions of English noun phrases and Vietnamese noun phrases .44 CHAPTER 3: SEMANTIC FUNCTIONS OF NOUN PHRASES IN FOREWORDS OF FIVE ENGLISH NOVELS WITH REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS. Semantic functions of noun phrases in forewords of five English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents. Semantic functions of noun phrases as subject. Semantic functions of noun phrases as adverbial phrases.
Semantic functions of English noun phrases as the complement, Vietnamese noun phrases as the predicate. The similarities and differences between the semantic functions of English noun phrases and Vietnamese noun phrases. 51 vii LIST OF DIAGRAMS Number of Title of diagrams Page diagrams Diagram 1.1 Structure of a noun phrase 6 Diagram 1.2 Structure of Vietnamese noun phrases 15 viii LIST OF TABLES Number Title of tables Page of tables Table 1.1 Pre-modification by adjectives 8 Table 1.2 Semantic functions of English noun phrases 13 Table 2.1 “The” + The head noun 24-25 Table 2.2 “A/an” + The head noun 26-27 Table 2.3 “A, an, the” …+ Adjective + The head noun 27-29 Table 2.4 Adjective + The head noun 29-30 Table 2.5 Possessive pronoun + The head noun 31-32 Table 2.6 Demonstrative + The head noun 32-33 Table 2.7 Numerals + The head noun 33-34 Table 2. +The head noun 35 Table 2.9 Post-modification of noun phrases 36-37 Table 2.10 Noun phrases as subject (S) 37-38 Table 2.11 Noun phrases as an object 39-40 Table 2.12 Noun phrases as adverbial phrases (A) 40-41 Table 2.13 Noun phrases as complement.1 Semantic functions of noun phrases as subject 45-46 Table 3.2 Semantic functions of noun phrases as adverbial phrases 47-48 Semantic functions of English noun phrases as the Table 3.3 complement, Vietnamese noun phrases as the predicate.
48-49 ix LIST OF ABBREVIATION List of Full meaning Page Abbreviation NP Noun phrase 6 E.g Example 7 V Verb 10 S Subject 11 Od Direct Object 12 Oi Indirect Object 12 Co Object complement 12 Cs Subject complement 12 A Adverbial phrase 12 P Predicate 19 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for the study Researching noun phrases in equivalent English and Vietnamese novel forewords is an interesting and meaningful research field. These studies can help us better understand the languages, cultures and societies of these two countries. Noun Phrase is an important and flexible sentence element that can play many different roles in a sentence.
Understanding the role of noun phrases will help us use language more accurately and effectively. Forewords are usually written by the author themselves, giving a unique perspective on the novel. They introduce themes, characters, and the author's purpose. Examining noun phrases in this context reveals how writers construct meaning and foreshadowing elements in the novel.
In comparison with Vietnamese equivalents, comparing English noun phrases with Vietnamese noun phrases shows the complexity of translating between languages. It shows differences in Syntax, Vocabulary Choices, Idioms and Cultural References. In summary, studying English noun phrases in forewords of English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents offers valuable insights into the intersection of language, culture, and translation. It provides a nuanced understanding of how meaning is conveyed across languages and cultures.
Aims and objectives of the study The overall aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how noun phrases function in English novel forewords and how they are used in Vietnamese equivalents. This study pursues the following objectives: On the one hand, the study aims to analyze the syntactic and semantic functions of noun phrases used in forewords of English novels with reference to Vietnamese equivalents. On the other hand, the study also compares and contrasts the use of noun phrases in English and Vietnamese forewords. This analysis may reveal differences in sentence structure, information emphasis, and cultural references.
Research questions “What are the syntactic and semantic functions of noun phrases in forewords of English and Vietnamese novels?” “What are the similarities and differences between noun phrases of foreword in English and Vietnamese in terms of structure and function?” This question is an investigation into the structural and semantic differences and similarities between noun phrases in two languages, especially in the context of forewords in English novels. This study helps explore aspects such as word order, syntactic structure, vocabulary choice and cultural nuances in expressing similar ideas through noun phrases in English and Vietnamese. Scope of the study Noun phrases play an important role in our daily lives because they help us express our intentions and communicate more effectively. In addition, noun phrases are also a necessary component of a well-structured sentence.
They act as a subject, object, complement, etc. There are many scientific research articles on the topic of noun phrases in many different fields around the world. However, almost no one has researched noun phrases in the forewords of novels and how they are used in translation. And I believe that the foreword also has its own functions with its own language structures.
Therefore, this study will analyze some of the most common syntactic and semantic features in English noun phrases and compare them with Vietnamese noun phrases. This study will focus mainly on the forewords of five English novels and their equivalent Vietnamese translations. The data analyzed will include typical written examples extracted from collected documents and excerpts from novels such as: • Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker by Kevin Mitnick (2011) (Bóng ma trên mạng: cuộc phiêu lưu của hacker bị truy nã gắt gao nhất thế giới) - Tran Thanh Huong và LeVN (2018) • Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring by J. Tolkien (2012) (Chúa tể những chiếc nhẫn: đoàn hộ nhẫn (quyển 1)) - Nguyen Thi Thu Yen - Dang Tran Viet (2019) 3 • The 3 Mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat (2014) (Ba Sai Lầm Của Đời Tôi) - KAY (2014) • Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K.
Significance of the study Studying English noun phrases and their equivalents in Vietnamese brings many important meanings for learning and using language effectively. Studying the structure and function of noun phrases helps learners understand how to organize and use components in noun phrases correctly. Therefore, learners can use grammatically correct noun phrases and convey information clearly. Besides, it also helps learners identify equivalent elements in the two languages, thus translating noun phrases accurately and naturally.
In addition, studying noun phrases helps learners expand their vocabulary, improve grammar and develop the ability to use language flexibly and creatively. In short, studying English noun phrases and their equivalents in Vietnamese brings many practical benefits for learning and using the language. This research helps learners clearly understand the structure and function of noun phrases, improve translation abilities, develop language skills and apply knowledge effectively in practice. Research method Descriptive method: This method involves a detailed description of noun phrases, including their structure, composition and function in the sentence.
The syntactic and semantic features of noun phrases in both languages can be compared and contrasted to identify similarities and differences. Analysis-Synthesis Technique: This method involves dividing noun phrases into constituent parts and analyzing their syntactic and semantic functions. The parts can then be synthesized to better understand the function of noun phrases in sentences. 4 Compare and contrast method: This method involves comparing and contrasting noun phrases in both languages to identify similarities and differences in structure and meaning.
By doing so, it sheds light on the variations in the utilization of noun phrases between the two languages. Design of the study The study includes three main sections: In the first part - INTRODUCTION, the author provides the rationale, aim and objectives, questions, scope, significance, method, and design of the study.