A comparative study of lexical cohesive devices through some english and vietnamese fables Bùi Thúy Anh Trường Đại học KHXH&NV Luận văn ThS. Chuyên ngành: English liguistics; Mã số: 60 22 15 Người hướng dẫn: Trần Xuân Điệp Năm bảo vệ: 2009 Abstract: The aim of this study is to give an overview of theoretical background of discourse and discourse analysis; cohesion, coherence and cohesive devices; concept of ESP and ESP discourse. Besides, I would like to describe and analyze lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese Fables. I hope that the findings of the study will be given a big contribution to the teaching and learning English.The study includes three main parts of which the first part presents the rationales, scope, methodology. The following part with two main chapters. Chapter one is the theoretical background of the studies with theories related to discourse and discourse analysis, cohesion and coherence, ESP. Chapter two provides an analysis of lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese Fables . In the final part, recapitulation, implications, limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are presented. Keywords: Tiếng Anh; Từ vựng; Phương tiện liên kết; Truyện ngụ ngôn Content: II TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PART I : INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………… 1 1. Rational………………………………………………………………………….1 2. Aims of the study……………………………………………………………… 2 3. Scope of the study……………………………………………………………….2 4. Methods of the study…………………………………………………………….2 5. Design of the study…………………………………………………………… 3 PART II: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1 : Literature Review and Theoreretical background 1.1. Literature Review……………………………………………………………4 1.2. Theoretical background 1.2.1. Discourse and discourse analysis……………………………………….6 1.2.1.1. The concept of discourse……………………… ………………………6 1.2.1.2. Discourse and text…………………………….……………………… 7 1.2.1.3. Discourse analysis…………… ……………………………………….7 1.2.2. Theories of genres………………………………………………………………8 1.2.2.1. Definition of genre……………………………………………………………8 1.2.2.2. Genre versus register……………………………………………………… 10 1.2.2.3. Common discourse genre……………………………………………………13 1.2.3. Fables as a genre of discourse…………………………………………………15 1.2.3.1. Definitions of Fables……………………………………………………… 15 1.2.3.2. General characteristics of fables…………………………………………….16 1.2.4. Cohesion and coherence………………………………………………………16 1.2.4.1. Cohesion versus coherence………………………………………………….16 1.2.4.2. Cohesion and discourse structure……………………………………………16 1.2.4.3. Types of cohesion………………………………………………………… 17 1.2.4.3.1. Grammatical cohesion…………………………………………………….18 1.2.4.3.2. Lexical cohesion………………………………………………………… 19 III Chapter 2: A comparative study of Lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese fables 2.1. Lexical reiteration…………………………………………………….…… … 22 2.1.1. Repetition………………………………………………………………….…22 2.1.2. Synonymy……………………………………………………………………27 2.1.3. Antonymy………………………………………………………….…………29 2.1.4. Superordinate and general word…………………………………….……… 29 2.2. Collocation…………………………………………………………….……… 30 2.3. Concluding remarks on lexical cohesion……………………………………….32 PART III: CONCLUSION 1. Recapitulation of major ideas…………………………………………….……36 2. Implications……………………………………………………………………36 3. Suggestions for further studies……………………………………… ……….37 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………… ………38 APPENDIX 1 Part I: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale It is clear that acquiring a language is not only limited to knowing about its grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Producing a grammatically correct sentence is not sufficient to use a language to communicate successfully with other people. It is very important for language learners to know how to use our linguistic competence in a larger unit of communication, i.e. language in use, or in other words, a discourse, in order to convey our ideas to learners as well as to obtain others. Several linguists such as Brown and Yule (1983), Halliday and Hasan (1976), Hatim and Mason (1990), Cook (1989), Swales (1990), etc… have been interested in the concepts of discourse and discourse analysis. In their view of points, discourse can be shown through different genres, which are shown in terms of a set of features which we perceive as being appropriate to a given social occasion (Hatim and Mason, 1990). Each genre of discourse possesses its own discourse features. A fable is “ a traditional short story that teaches a moral lesson, especially one with animals as characters” ( Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary). Although fables are short and simple, they own their typical features distinguished from other genres of discourse such as an article or a speech. But in fact, English fables are not still paid attention to despite the fact that they represent great potentials for teaching language to learners. With all the reasons above, the author would like to choose “ Analysis of lexical cohesive devices in English and Vietnamese Fables as the topic of this study. I do hope that the results of this study are of practical value. 2. Aims of the study The main aims of the thesis are as follows:  To identify lexical cohesive devices used in English and Vietnamese Fables. 2  To compare lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese Fables 3. Scope of the study: This study will firstly deal with theoretical background of discourse especially coherence, cohesion and cohesive devices. The attention of the study will be secondly paid to considering study of lexical cohesive devices through some English fables and their equivalents in Vietnamese Fables. Our efforts are to collect data in both English and Vietnamese to see the frequencies and differences and similarities of each device and sub-device of lexical cohesive devices in the discourse in both languages. 4. Methods of the study To attain the aims of the study, the research will conduct the following activities:  Firstly, data including relevant theories and fables for analysis will be collected. Relevant theories will be extracted from various linguistic books written by several linguists, such as Cook (1989), Hatim and Mason (1990), Swales (1990), Simpson (1997), Toolan (1998), ect. English fables and Vietnamese fables which are unavailable in printed books in Viet Nam, will be collected from Internet Sources.  Secondly, relevant theories will be presented on the ground of several linguists, viewpoints.  Then, 30 selected fables (15 English fables and 15 Vietnamese Fables) will be comprehensively investigated for lexical cohesive devices so as to find out the most typical cohesive devices used in English and Vietnamese Fables.  After all, based on the results of the analysis, some concluding remarks can be generalized and some implications for teaching and learning English fables can be proposed. Three successive methods chosen for the best results are descriptive, analytical and comparative. 3 5. Design of the study Within the scope mentioned above, the study consists of three main parts: introduction, development and conclusion. Part 2 is divided into three chapters. In the first chapter, Literature Review, theoretical knowledge of lexical cohesive devices and English Fables are presented. The second chapter , also the main one of the study, deals with the study of lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese fables in the last chapter, we attempt to present some findings and implications. 38 REFERENCES In English: Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cook, G (1989). Discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cook, G. (1994). Discourse and Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press Halliday, M.A.K. (1994). An Introduction to Functional Grammar .London: Arnold. Halliday,M.K. & Hasan, R.(1976). Cohesion in English. London: Longman Grop Limited. Hatim, B. & Mason, I. (1990). Discourse and the Translator. Longman Group Limited. Hoa, Nguyen. (2000a). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis. Hanoi: VNU Publishing House. Hoa, Nguyen. (2003). Understanding English Semantics. Hanoi: VNU Publishing House. http://www. Fables.org.uk. http://www.fables,co.uk//butterfly.concise. Lien, Tran Thi Ngoc. (2003). A research into Genre Analysis at Linguistic Level: the Case of English Fairy tales and Application to Translation. Unpublished M.A.Thesis. Hanoi. Mc Cathy, M. (1991). Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers. CUP> Munday, J.(2001). Introducing Translation Studies. London and Newyork: Routledge. Nunan, D. (1993). Introducing Discourse Analysis. England: Penguin Group. (2000). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Raphael, S. (1995). Text and Discourse Analysis. Newyork: Routledge. Simpson, R. (1997). Language through Literature. London: Routledge. Swales, J.M.(1990). Genre Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Toolan, M. (1998). Language in Literature: An Introduction to Stylistics. M Arnold. 39 In Vietnamese: Hòa, Nguyễn.(2003). Phân tích diễn ngôn- Một số vấn đề lí luận và ph-ơng pháp. Nguyên Triều.(2004). Góc nhìn cấu trúc về truyện Ngụ ngôn Dân Gian Việt Nam. Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã Hội. Phát, Lê Tr-ờng.(2000). Thi pháp Văn học Dân Gian. Nhà Xuất bản Giáo Dục. Thêm, Trần Ngọc.(2000). Hệ thống liên kết văn bản Tiếng Việt. Nhà xuất bản Giáo Dục. Vân, Hoàng Văn.(2000). Ngữ pháp kinh nghiệm của cú Tiếng Việt. Nhà xuất bản Đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội. . choose “ Analysis of lexical cohesive devices in English and Vietnamese Fables as the topic of this study. I do hope that the results of this study are of practical value. 2. Aims of the study. related to discourse and discourse analysis, cohesion and coherence, ESP. Chapter two provides an analysis of lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese Fables . In the final. describe and analyze lexical cohesive devices through some English and Vietnamese Fables. I hope that the findings of the study will be given a big contribution to the teaching and learning English. The