MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON NOUN PHRASES IN “THE LAST LEAF” BY O’HENRY AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS Student: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Student ID No: 19010276 Course: 2019 - 2023 Field : English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: Dr. Dang Thi Huong Thao Ha Noi – 2023 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHENIKAA UNIVERSITY GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON NOUN PHRASES IN “THE LAST LEAF” BY O’HENRY AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS (NGHIÊN CỨU VỀ CỤM DANH TỪ TRONG TIỂU THUYẾT “CHIẾC LÁ CUỐI CÙNG” CỦA O’HENRY VÀ TƯƠNG ĐƯƠNG TRONG TIẾNG VIỆT) Student: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Student ID No: 19010276 Course: 2019 - 2023 Field: English Language Mode of study: Full-time Supervisor: Dr. Dang Thi Huong Thao Ha Noi – 2023 i ii iii iv v i ABSTRACT This study investigated the syntactic and semantic features of English noun phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’Henry and their Vietnamese equivalents. The study objectives are to find out noun phrases and identify similarities and differences in the syntactic features and semantic features of noun phrases in both languages.
The study methods include a description- analysis synthesis method, compare and contrast method. The research results reveal that both languages share some similarities in the syntactic features and semantics features of noun phrases while also exhibiting differences due to different language structures and cultural contexts. ii iii ACKNOWLEDGMENT Completing this thesis would not have been possible without the support, guidance, and assistance of many individuals and organizations who have contributed to my academic and personal growth. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis advisor Dang Huong Thao, Ph.
for her invaluable guidance, thoughtful insight, and unwavering support throughout the research and writing process. Your encouragement, expertise, and feedback have been instrumental in shaping this work. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my family and friends for their love, encouragement, and motivation. It is because of their constant support that I have been able to find the determination to overcome the numerous challenges encountered along the way.
Lastly, I am indebted to all the participants who generously took the time to share their insights, experiences, and expertise in this study. Without you, this thesis would have not been possible. In conclusion, I express my profound gratitude to all those who have supported me throughout my academic and personal growth. Your contributions will always be remembered and cherished.
iv TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION. Rationale for the study. Aims and objectives of the study. Scope of the study.
Significance of the study. Design of the study. 3 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW. Noun phrases in English.
Definitions of English noun phrases. Structures of English noun phrases. Syntactic functions of English noun phrases .4 Semantic 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).3 Syntactic functions of Vietnamese noun phrases .22 CHAPTER 2: SYNTACTIC FEATURES OF NOUN PHRASES IN “THE LAST LEAF” BY O’HENRY AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS .1 Introduction to “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry .2 The translated version .3 Syntactic features of English noun phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and their Vietnamese equivalents .1 In terms of structure .1 Pre-modification of English noun phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and their Vietnamese equivalents .2 Post-modification of English noun phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and their Vietnamese equivalents.2 In terms of function .1 Noun phrases as subject (S) .2 Noun phrases as an object (a direct object, an indirect object) .3 Noun phrases as adverbial phrases .4 Noun phrases as complement .4 The similarities and differences between the syntactic features of English noun phrases and Vietnamese noun phrases.37 CHAPTER 3: SEMANTIC FEATURES OF NOUN PHRASES IN “THE LAST LEAF” BY O’HENRY AND THEIR VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS .1 Semantics of English noun phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and their Vietnamese equivalents.1 In terms of funtion .1 Semantic features of noun phrases as subject .2 Semantic features of noun phrases as adverbial phrases .3 Semantic features of English noun phrases as the complement, Vietnamese noun phrases as the predicate .2 In terms of characters and context in the plot “ The last leaf”.2 The similarities and differences between the semantic features of English noun phrases and Vietnamese noun phrases.66 vii LIST OF TABLE AND IMAGES Table 1.1: Structure of English noun phrases .2: Pre- modification by Adjectives .3: Structure of Vietnamese noun phrases.
Henry, “The last leaf” in “The Gift of the Magi”. “Tuyển truyện ngắn Ô’Henry Chiếc lá cuối cùng” translated by Ngo Vinh Vien. 25 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATION S: Subject O: Object Od Direct Object Oi Indirect Object Cs: Subject complement Co: Object complement C Complement A: Adverbial phrases P Predicate INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for the study English is a widely recognized global language that plays a significant role in various aspects of our lives, from science and society to literature.
One of the essential components of the English language is a noun phrase. Noun phrases are used extensively in written and spoken languages and are crucial in Vietnamese and English. In communication, noun phrases convey information about people, objects, and ideas, which is essential for clear communication, allowing speakers and writers to convey their messages accurately and effectively. In literature, noun phrases play a vital role in descriptive writing, enabling authors to skillfully depict individuals, places, and things so that vivid images are formed within the reader’s mind.
They can also add depth and meaning to character development, providing insights into an individual’s personality, motivations, and history. Well-crafted noun phrases are also used to create memorable and poetic language, adding to the beauty and impact of a piece of writing. However, learning English can be challenging, especially for Vietnamese students, due to significant differences in vocabulary and grammar between the two languages. These differences make it difficult for learners to communicate effectively in English, particularly in understanding and using noun phrases.
For the above reasons, the study is conducted with the title “A Study on Noun Phrases in “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and Their Vietnamese Equivalents”. Aims and objectives of the study This study pursues the following objectives: Firstly, the study aims to analyze the syntactic and semantic features of the noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O’ Henry and their equivalents in Vietnamese. 2 Secondly, the study also finds similarities and differences in the syntactic and semantic features of English noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O' Henry and the equivalent in Vietnamese. Scope of the study English noun phrases are essential components of well-structured sentences.
They provide important information about the subject and object of the sentence and the relationships between them. With properly formed noun phrases, conveying clear and precise meaning in communication or writing can be more accessible. However, due to the constraints and parameters of a graduation thesis, it is only feasible to cover some variations and similarities in terms of the syntactic functions and semantic features of noun phrases across all schools of thought. Therefore, this study will analyze some of the most common syntactic and semantic features found in English noun phrases from a traditional grammar standpoint and compare them with those seen in Vietnamese noun phrases.
The research will concentrate solely on noun phrases in both the source language text and its translated version. The data analyzed will comprise typically written examples extracted from collected materials and excerpts from “The Last Leaf”. Significance of the study Studying the syntactic and semantic features of English noun phrases and their equivalents in Vietnamese is a valuable contribution to the research of noun phrases. By exploring the similarities and differences between the two languages, researchers can better understand how to use noun phrases effectively in communication.
Furthermore, this study can be helpful for language teachers, who can use the findings to improve their teaching methods and help students learn more effectively. Translators and learners of the English and Vietnamese languages can also benefit from this study by gaining a deeper understanding of noun phrases and how they work in both languages. Ultimately, this study is an essential step toward improving cross-linguistic understanding and communication, and its findings can significantly impact various fields. Research method Method of Description: This method involves describing the noun phrases in detail, including their structure, constituents, and function in the sentence.
The syntactic and semantic features of the noun phrases in both languages can be compared and contrasted to identify similarities and differences. Analysis-Synthesis Method: This method involves breaking down the noun phrases into constituent parts and analyzing their syntactic and semantic features. The parts can then be synthesized to better understand how the noun phrases function in the sentence. Compare and Contrast Method: This method involves comparing and contrasting the noun phrases in both languages to identify similarities and differences in structure and meaning.
This helps highlight how the two languages differ in terms of their use of noun phrases. Design of the study The study comprises of three main sections. In the first part - INTRODUCTION, the author provides the rationale, objectives, scope, significance, method, and design of the study. In the second part, it covers three chapters: CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW, the author provided the definitions of noun phrases, structures of noun phrases, and syntactic and semantic features of the study.
CHAPTER 2: The author analyzes the syntactic features of the noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O' Henry and their equivalents in Vietnamese. Then, it presents the similarities and differences in the syntactic features of noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O' Henry and the equivalent in Vietnamese. 4 CHAPTER 3: The author analyzes the semantic features of the noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O' Henry and their equivalents in Vietnamese. Then, it presents the similarities and differences in the semantic features of noun phrases in the novel “The Last Leaf” by O' Henry and the equivalent in Vietnamese.
In the last part – CONCLUSION, the author presents recapitulation and implications for teaching and learning noun phrases. 5 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The noun phrase is essential to language because it conveys information about the object, person, or idea being discussed. So, it is crucial to understand the structure, function, and use of noun phrases. This chapter intends to establish a solid foundation for studying noun phrases by exploring relevant theories, concepts, and prior research in this area.
Those theories are considered a piece of background knowledge to discover the syntactic and semantic features of noun phrases in English and Vietnamese translations. Noun phrases in English 1. Definitions of English noun phrases Multiple definitions may be attributed to the noun phrase. However, as defined by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary [1], a noun phrase is a constituent of a sentence comprised of a single noun or a group of words that functions similarly to a noun and can entail serving as the subject, object, complement, or object of a preposition within a sentence.
A concrete example of a noun phrase can be found in the sentence “I spoke to the driver of the car” where the words “the driver of the car” constitute a noun phrase. The Cambridge Dictionary [2] defines a noun phrase as a cluster of words within a sentence that performs the function of a single noun. At the same time, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary [3] characterizes it as a phrase consisting of a noun alongside all its associated determiners and modifiers. Additionally, Merriam- Webster Dictionary [3] includes any syntactic unit that serves the same function as a noun within a sentence, such as a clause, clitic, pronoun, or other related elements.