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Globalization brings us together. With globalization in the world today, we are coming together. We care more about other countries more than we used to. Each country has different cultural activities and cultural rituals. Culture is more than just material goods, that is things the culture uses and produces. Many of us today are not aware of other cultures. Making time to know them and understand them would probably make us more accepting of other people and cultures that are different from us. Just because our ways are different from others does not mean that what they believe in is wrong or inhumane. It is all about respect for others. Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, social habits, music arts and cuisine. And drinking is also a culture; it has never occupied a special place in human culture. Wine is a very commonly drink at social events and many cultures have created intricate formal ceremonies for these events. Like many people in other countries, American and Vietnamese also drink wine in their own ways. In Vietnam, wine is commonly and people drink it at many occasions: at meetings, meals, at the weddings and funerals. In American, it is drunk not only on occasions but also with or after meals or before they go to bed. Although both Vietnam and American are not the most famous for drinking, drinking culture in these countries has characteristics which become the features of culture in each country. Drinking in American culture and Vietnamese culture may have some similarities and differences about the history, the ways people drink types of wine and so on. More importantly, not many people know exactly about these similarities and differences. Therefore, drinking is interesting topic to research and study. Drinking culture in America and Vietnam contrasting and comparison can be a good topic to study about. For these reasons, the researcher would like to research a study titled “A comparison of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture”. The researcher hopes that this research would be a helpful material not only for students at Hung Vuong University but also for all the other students around the country.
INTRODUCTION Rationale Globalization brings us together With globalization in the world today, we are coming together We care more about other countries more than we used to Each country has different cultural activities and cultural rituals Culture is more than just material goods, that is things the culture uses and produces Many of us today are not aware of other cultures Making time to know them and understand them would probably make us more accepting of other people and cultures that are different from us Just because our ways are different from others does not mean that what they believe in is wrong or inhumane It is all about respect for others Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, social habits, music arts and cuisine And drinking is also a culture; it has never occupied a special place in human culture Wine is a very commonly drink at social events and many cultures have created intricate formal ceremonies for these events Like many people in other countries, American and Vietnamese also drink wine in their own ways In Vietnam, wine is commonly and people drink it at many occasions: at meetings, meals, at the weddings and funerals In American, it is drunk not only on occasions but also with or after meals or before they go to bed Although both Vietnam and American are not the most famous for drinking, drinking culture in these countries has characteristics which become the features of culture in each country Drinking in American culture and Vietnamese culture may have some similarities and differences about the history, the ways people drink types of wine and so on More importantly, not many people know exactly about these similarities and differences Therefore, drinking is interesting topic to research and study Drinking culture in America and Vietnam contrasting and comparison can be a good topic to study about For these reasons, the researcher would like to research a study titled “A comparison of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture” The researcher hopes that this research would be a helpful material not only for students at Hung Vuong University but also for all the other students around the country Research Purpose The purpose of this study is to find out the similarities and differences of drinking culture in America and Vietnam It aims at: - Studying the literature, different terms relating to drinking - Studying the features of drinking in American culture - Studying the features of drinking in Vietnamese culture - Finding out the similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture Research Questions The study aims at finding the answers for the following questions: - What are the features of drinking in American culture? - What are the features of drinking in Vietnamese culture? - What are the similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture? Hypothesis The similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture will be analyzed Research methods - Theoretical study method: The related documents are examined to get the information related to the research from different source about drinking culture in America and Vietnam - Analysis method: From the data got from many different sources, the researcher makes an analysis to get final results - Comparison and contrast method: The researcher makes a comparison and contrast between drinking culture in America and Vietnam in aspects of their history, types of wine and drinking style in America and Vietnam Significance of the research This research is particularly important for the researcher, it will not only help researcher expand their knowledge, understanding society, but also an indispensable condition for graduating Moreover, the study would help English language students understand more about cross – cultural comparison In addition, this study aims to help people understand more the similarities and differences between drinking culture in America and Vietnam It also provides information about the history as well as significance of drinking culture in America and Vietnam The ways people in America and Vietnam drink wine Scope of the research The study researches the culture value in drinking culture in America and Vietnam It gives not only the similarities and differences in drinking culture but also the benefit of drinking on our health Besides, the study mentions the history of drinking, the drinking style and the most popular kinds of wine in America and Vietnam Outline of the Research In addition to the Introduction and Conclusion, the study consists of chapters: Chapter 1: Literature review The chapter focuses on giving background of drinking culture as history, health benefits of drinking and social and cultural aspects of drinking culture in America and Vietnam Chapter 2: : Drinking in American and Vietnamese culture The target of the chapter is to analyze the characteristics of types of popular wine is drunk, how to enjoy wine and drinking in social ritual in America and Vietnam Chapter 3: Similarities and Differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture The target of the chapter is similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture It would help English language students understand more about cross – cultural comparison Chapter LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, section 1.1 is an introduction about the background of drinking culture In Section 1.2, the researcher will display a brief summary about the history of drinking Section 1.3 is about benefits of drinking Section 1.4 is drinking throughout in the world Section 1.5 will give some information about previous of research 1.1 Drinking culture 1.1.1 Definition of culture Culture is a very broad concept It is very difficult to give it a precise and accurate definition Since the beginning of the 20th century, many philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists, historians and linguists have been working to try hard to discipline from their point of view to define the concept of culture However, there is still no satisfactory definition that is accepted by people According to statistics, there are at least more than 200 kinds of different definitions The understanding of culture differs so much that it is enough to explain that the definition of culture concept is really difficult Damen (1987, p 367) defined culture as "Culture: learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day- to-day living patterns these patterns and models pervade all aspects of human social interaction Culture is mankind's primary adaptive mechanism" In Kluckhohn is opinion (1945, p 78-105), “By culture we mean all those historically created designs for living, explicit and implicit, rational, irrational, and nonrational, which exist at any given time as potential guides for the behavior of men." Kroeber, (1952, p.47) reckoned that "Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, and on the other as conditioning elements of further action." Lederach (1995) also defined "Culture is the shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing, and responding to the social realities around them" Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarily of the symbolic, ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies The essence of a culture is not its artifacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies; it is not material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies People within a culture usually interpret the meaning of symbols, artifacts, and behaviors in the same or in similar ways Broadly speaking, Culture refers to the combined material and spiritual wealth created by human in the process of social and historical development It includes three aspects: material culture, system culture and psychological culture Material culture refers to all kinds of material civilization created by mankind, including transportation, clothing, daily necessities, etc It is a visible dominant culture System culture and psychological culture respectively refer to the living system, family system, social system and way of thinking, religion as well as aesthetics They belong to invisible and hidden culture, including literature, philosophy, political and other aspects The narrow sense of culture refers to popular social habits, such as daily life, customs, lifestyles and behavior norms 1.1.2 Definition of drinking culture Wine and beer is the popular name of the alcoholic beverages Worldwide, the numbers of wine and beer categories are abundant; they are marked by the culture of the different ethnic groups We can estimate the types of wine and beer in the world now up to thousands, no exact statistics The word beer, wine covers most meaningful for alcoholic beverages Drinking means drinking alcoholic beverages, however in this study the researchers not analysis deeply all types of alcoholic beverages that only focuses research on wine, “drinking” means drinking kinds of wine and not drink any other alcoholic Folk have a saying "Đán nhật tâm trà ngũ trảm, ngọ thời thích chí tửu tam bôi ", meaning that drinking five cups of tea morning show heart peacefully, afternoon drinking three cups of wine feel very well According to Trần Quốc Vượng (2006) drinking is the beauty of incultural communication, is an important part of the cuisine, specially, in the spiritual culture of the Vietnamese people Mentioned culturally humane portion of drinking to prettify its existence thousands of years ago, the spiritual culture is also the most basic of drinking, a beauty "fine traditions and customs” According to David G Mandelbaum (1965) “The meanings of drinking, its relation to other aspects of the culture and society, are usually more implicit Thus drinking in a particular society may be either a sacred or a profane act, depending on the context, and the people may not be aware of the basic principles and meanings that is actually involved” Drinking culture refers to the customs and practices associated with the consumption of wine Although wine and social attitudes toward drinking vary around the world Ho Bat Khuat, (2011) defined that, “Dinking culture is right and nice, we also need human intelligence, especially knowledge and awareness Be aware that alcohol also requires culture Which culture is a not acceptable excess” 1.2 The history of drinking 1.2.1 The history of drinking in the world Exactly where wine was first made is still unclear It could have been anywhere in the vast region, stretching from Spain to Central Asia, where wild grapes grow However, the first large-scale production of wine must have been in the region where grapes were first domesticated, Southern Caucasus and the Near East Wild grapes grow in Georgia, northern Levant, coastal and southeastern Turkey, northern Iran or Armenia None of these areas can be definitively singled out yet, despite persistent suggestions that Georgia is the birthplace of wine In Ancient Egypt, wine played an important role in ceremonial life A thriving royal winemaking industry was established in the Nile Delta following the introduction of grape cultivation from the Levant to Egypt c 3000 BC The industry was most likely the result of trade between Egypt and Canaan during the Early Bronze Age, commencing from at least the Third Dynasty (2650 – 2575 BC), the beginning of the Old Kingdom period (2650 – 2152 BC) Winemaking scenes on tomb walls, and the offering lists that accompanied them, included wine that was definitely produced at the deltaic vineyards By the end of the Old Kingdom, five wines, all probably produced in the Delta, constitute a canonical set of provisions, or fixed "menu," for the afterlife The advent of wine in Europe was the work of the Greeks who spread the art of grape-growing and winemaking in Ancient Greek and Roman times Wine in ancient Egypt was predominantly red A recent discovery, however, has revealed the first ever evidence of white wine in ancient Egypt Residue from five clay amphorae from Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb yielded traces of white wine Much modern wine culture derives from the practices of the ancient Greeks; while the exact arrival of wine in Greek territory is unknown, it was known to both the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and revelry, and wine was frequently referred to in the works of Homer and Aesop In Homeric myths wine is usually served in "mixing bowls", in which strong wine was diluted (presumably with water) in order to serve a large number of people The Roman Empire expanded; wine production in the provinces grew to the point the provinces were competing with Roman wines Virtually all of the major wine producing regions of Western Europe today were established by the Romans Wine making technology improved considerably during the time of the Roman Empire Many grape varieties and cultivation were known Barrels were developed for storing and shipping wine Bottles were used for the first time And the early developments of an appellation system formed as certain regions gained reputations for fine wine In medieval Europe wine was consumed by the church and the noble and merchant classes, ale being the drink of the general populace Wine was necessary for the celebration of the Catholic Mass, and so assuring a supply was crucial The Benedictine monks became one of the largest producers of wine in France and Germany, followed closely by the Cistercians Other orders, such as the Carthusians, the Templers, and the Carmelites, are also notable both historically and modernly as wine producers The Benedictines held vineyards in Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux in France and in the Rheingau and Franconia in Germany; indeed, they were the first to plant Riesling grapes in Germany Though they did not originate viticulture in these areas, they made it into an industry, producing enough wine to ship it all over Europe for secular use 1.2.2 The history of drinking in America The history of American drinking began when first Europeans to explore parts of North America which they called Vinland because of the profusion of grape vines they found However, settlers would later discover that the wine made from the various native grapes had flavors which were unfamiliar and which they did not like This led to repeated efforts to grow familiar Vitis vinifera varieties The discovery in 1802 of the native Catawba grape led to very successful wine-making in Ohio By 1842 Nicholas Longworth was growing 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) of Catawba grapes and making the country's first Sparkling wine In 1858, The Illustrated London News described Catawba as "a finer wine of the hock species and flavor than any hock that comes from the Rhine" and wrote that sparkling Catawba "transcends the Champagne of France " But the successful operations in Ohio ceased when fungus disease destroyed the vineyards Some growers responded by moving north to the shores of Lake Erie and its islands, where mildew was not a problem The Finger Lakes region of New York State developed a successful wine-making industry beginning in the early 1860s when the Pleasant Valley Wine Company began using carefully selected derivatives of native grapes to produce wine In 1865 the Urbana Wine Company (which marketed its wine under the Gold Seal label) was established In 1872, O-Neh-Da Vineyard was established by the late Bishop Bernard McQuaid, on the shores of Hemlock Lake, to make pure grape wine for his churches 1880 saw the establishment of the Taylor Wine Company By the late 19th century, wines from the Finger Lakes were winning prizes at wine tastings in Europe 1.2.3 The history of drinking in Vietnam In Vietnam, drinking appeared thousands of years ago, ever present in the life, history and literature of the people, drinking is kind of drink which present in many important events According to Bùi Tuý Phượng “It is difficult to know when and where was born but talk about wine, the healing effect, the drinking culture, all of people know about that In Vietnam, drinking tied to community activities, with rituals, festivals, cult, with vows During history the drinking infiltration into cultural life of the common people and one way or another it has existed in the Vietnamese community” Drinking ingrained into people life, literature and poetry, there is a famous folk talking about drinking: “Rượu lưu ly chân quỳ tay rót Cha mẹ uống dời gót theo anh.” Drinking culture exists in married life, full of friendship and tragic, heroic, romantic, poetic Drinking instead of the promise of the couple, drinking is their witness with parent for good future 10 A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced consumption or prohibition of alcoholic beverages Temperance movements typically criticize excessive alcohol consumption, promote complete abstinence, or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol There was also a concentration on hard spirits rather than on abstinence from alcohol and on moral reform rather than legal measures against alcohol For example, an early temperance movement started during the American Revolution in Connecticut, Virginia and New York State, with farmers forming associations to ban whiskey distilling The vast majority of American adults in fact use alcohol in moderation to enhance the quality of their lives with no ill effects Influence of the anti-alcohol trading period on the economy and people's life in both Vietnam and America The anti-alcohol trading in nationwide, the resulting is spectacular failure of all aspects of society And the bankruptcy of the wine industry also contributed to the Great Depression For example, in America the media began criticizing wine prohibition and laws that wine ban cannot be done Researcher society at that time that alcohol prohibition only affects the poor The rich collection of wine before being banned, piled in the cellar, and can be used for a lifetime And the poor buy alcohol shall be sinned And in Vietnam, French colonial managed wine production closely and strictly, not allowing people to freely produce wine, people have to pay higher taxes, Vietnamese not have enough money to buy wine This reason leads to illegal wine trafficking, tax evasion The anti-alcohol trading has affected to people life and economy 3.2.2 Wine production methods Vietnam and American have the unique materials to produce wines, expressing their own identity, but overall production process to obtain wine is fairly similar Manufacturing processes needed to have experiences and 46 techniques to produce delicious wines Vietnam mainly produces wine from rice, corn or fruit but mostly wine produced by grapes in America Initial processing can differ but the fermenting and brewing are same method Products wine is alcoholic beverages The wine product produced from the fermentation process (with or without distillation) from the starch grains, sugar and fruit tree or prepared food-grade alcohol (ethanol) Wine basically simple process as follows: Grapes, rice or cereal - Squeezing - Separating trash and debris - translated grapes, rice or cereal - the main fermentation - Sub fermentation - Distillation - Crude Wine - Storing Adjust and complete charity - Bottling - Preservation Using centrifugal device to separate separating trash and dregs There are two stages fermentation: the main fermentation and sub fermentation The main fermentation lasts 7-8 days at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, where the cool air humidity from 75-85% The process of wine fermentation is mainly according to the equation: C6H12O6→2CO2+2CH3CH2OH Besides the main fermentation, people credit products such as organic acids, esters, sugar and aromatic constituents, aldehydes, lasted weeks and bring go distillation Fermenting agent is available microorganisms on the skin of grapes, rice or cereal or materials can supplement, but natural microorganisms often have low performance fomenters so people often use yeast species which has been selected by manufacturers according to their requirements in fermentation The next step of wine production is the distillation: repeated times After the first distillation we obtained 25-32 degrees wine Then take the 2nd follow segment method removing top 5% alcohol and 40% last wine, we take the middle with an alcohol content of 67 - 70% (Crude Cognac) Bring cognac storing Crude will be taken in oak barrels or clay jars Wine storage in the way of the Americans and the Vietnam also have similarities, they both use the special bottle to preserve wine longer and more 47 delicious American and Vietnamese are stored wine in underground or cellar, wine will bring more delicious For example, in America barrels are made of oak wood has a life expectancy of at least 50 years or more (up to 100 years or more), barbells for outdoor have at least years, the barrels are made of special belt not use any nails or any metal barrels Type this barrel is very expensive 10m about 2.5 billion VND Mainly in oak lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses This is the kind of pleasant aromatic esters In the process of storing a number of aromatic substances in the wood are dissolved in wine, these substances also react with wine to form esters, aromatic types The mixture after fermentation exists under three types: solid, liquid, and gas (gas phase occupies very little, not significant) The purpose of this stage is to separate the liquid types (mainly wine, the aromatic constituents, esters, organic acids) from the solid types (grains, shells, husks ) It can be separated by distillation, sedimentation, filtration, centrifugal It is distilled primarily because wine distillation not only separation but also to create conditions for a number of chemical reactions occur: reaction caramel, melanin reaction, esterifies ; a substance in the mixture entrained and dissolved in wine to increases the taste, odor, color of the wine Complete and storage products are the most important stage and the secrecy of each production site Wine is characteristic odor, taste and harmonious colors to create emotion for drinkers To create taste, odor, color of each type of wine is very difficult, it depends on the growth time (up to tens or hundreds of years), and the blending of wine with the age of the wine and wine different kinds of additives in wine, production processes, and methods of preservation are affecting the quality of the wine In general production methods, distillation and storage of wine in both countries are the same 3.3 The differences drinking in American and Vietnamese culture 3.3.1 Types of wine 48 Drinking in American and Vietnam are different, the American wine are classified following stage of the meal as appetizer wine, table wine and dessert wine However, in Vietnam wine are classified according to production methods, materials and way of maraschino with other materials In American wines are divided into three types: appetizer wine, table wine and dessert wine American based on the stage of the meal to classify kinds of different wine However in Vietnam people often base on the mixing materials wine and the kinds of material wine such as medicine wine, soaked wine, rice wine, corn wine, cassava wine and fruit wine In America, often these wines are named for the characteristic flavor such as white wine for meals as Table wine that manufacturers have created Many manufacturers have specific names to name the wines they produce To the wine is named after the grape variety, the manufacturers, the manufacturers must use at least 75% of the grapes in the product Manufacturers often blend grapes to create a special flavor So consumers have to get used to the taste and find you a personal taste One of the Burgundy wines is wine Appetizer wine is used before starting a meal, American drink, feel and chat with their friends It is low alcohol so everyone can enjoy When finishes a meal, people often eat fruit and enjoy a kind of wine, this is Dessert wine During a meal American never use a kind of wine, it often has three kinds of wine in their meal In Vietnam, however, people only use a kind of wine in a meal; all of wine also has origin from rice wine Many animals and plants are soaked with rice wine to become medicine wine or fruit soaked wine A kind of wine is used during the meal Fruit wines have traditionally been popular with home winemakers and in areas with cool climates such as North America Fruit wines are usually referred to by their main ingredient because the usual definition of wine states that it is made from fermented grape juice American produce wine with many different kinds of fruit, but grape is used primarily Most of famous wines are made from grapes in the U.S The grapes have the balanced quantities of sugar, 49 acid, tannin, nutritive salts for yeast feeding and water to naturally produce a stable, drinkable wine, so most country wines are adjusted in one or more respects at fermentation Everyone knows that Vietnam produces excellent coffee, refreshing tea, and some quite drink able beers What about wine? Since the French arrived in the 19th century Vietnam has not been without wine Vietnamese cuisine, almost uniquely among Asian cooking styles, lends itself well to wine In the dark days between 1975 and the early 1990s, what wine you could find was apt to be Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon I was never quite sure whether “Bulgarian” meant that it came from Bulgaria, or that “Bulgarian” was just the Vietnamese word for “incredibly bad wine” Then there was what was known as “joint venture” wine French wines, often poor, were shipped in casks to Vietnam and bottled locally The labels were in French, rarely with any indication of a wine’s joint venture status Joint venture wines were always the cheapest But now let us consider Vietnamese wine The materials for making wine are usually rice, sticky rice, cassava (tapioca) Each type of material forms a characteristic flavor of the wine There are fine wines around Vietnam Many wines associated with the local name However rice wine is the most popular wine in Vietnam It is made of different types of rice Rice wine is a popular drink in Vietnam which is often found in parties and meals of families Therefore, though today there are many kinds of , it is very rich and variety but rice wine still holds an important position and cannot be replaced Besides rice wine, excellent table grapes were always grown in the environs between Mui Ne and Nha Trang And they are just that, excellent table grapes But wine grapes were introduced to the highlands of southern Vietnam only about 20 years ago There, with the cooler temperatures and plentiful sunlight, they have been producing very serviceable wines since 1999 While local growers continue to learn the vintner’s art, and production is still relatively small, you should have no trouble finding Vang Dalat wine in these environs 50 This is the most common European-type wine in the country This is not rice wine or fruit wine And it is not, as a certain calumny goes, grape juice with alcohol added White wine (rice wine) is the common and favorite in Vietnam But in America, red wine is enjoyed most in America While the Vietnamese like to chilled wine with plant and animals such as medicinal plant, sneak, tiger, horse, jelly- fish, etc, the America like red wine and mixing wine with ice or eating butter Most of wine in American made from fruit, especially grapes however in Vietnam, wines produced from rice, corn or cereals, a few wine soaked fruit During the meal Vietnamese only drink a kind of wine, besides in the United States there are many types of wine such as appetizer wine, table wine and dessert wine The popular wines in America and in Vietnam have differences both the nature and type Due to the difference in the type of wine so the way of choosing and drinking is, of course, different in American and Vietnamese cultures, too In Vietnam, people often drink rice wine, it is made by rice, in contrast, the kind of wine of American often is red wine which is often made by fruit Added to this, in America using glass to drinking is common but in Vietnam, they usually use small bowls or pots 3.3.2 Drinking and social ritual Given overwhelming evidence for the primacy of social cultural factors in determining both drinking patterns and their consequences, it is clear that ethnographic research findings on the social and cultural roles of alcohol may have important implications for policy-makers - particularly in areas such as America where economic and political ‘convergence’ could have significant impact on drinking-cultures and their associated lifestyles 51 In this context, it is essential for those concerned with policy and legislation on alcohol to have a clear understanding of the social cultural functions and meanings of drinking This section outlines the principal conclusions that can be drawn from the available cross-cultural material regarding the symbolic of drinking, the differences of drinking and social ritual in America and Vietnam, the social functions of drinking-places and the roles of alcohol in transitional and celebratory rituals Symbolic roles From the ethnographic material available, it is clear that in America cultures where more than one type of drinking is available, drinks are classified in terms of their social meaning, and the classification of drinks is used to define the social world Few, if any, alcoholic beverages are ‘socially neutral’: every drink is loaded with symbolic meaning, every drink conveys a message In America wine is a symbolic vehicle for identifying, describing, constructing and manipulating cultural systems, values, interpersonal relationships, behavioral norms and expectations In Vietnam, the social causes, such as the need to discuss business projects, all things can easily discuss and consensus around the table of drinking In addition, men often drink wine because wine is a typical symbol for the masculine: "Nam vô tửu kỳ vô phong" It means that the man does not drink as flags have not wind Personally sometimes people drink because of sad, lonely or resolve this: "Dục phá thành sầu hữu tửu" Sometimes drinking is erase fear or joy Thus, the wine also brings a cultural symbol of community Most festival activities are the fun side of drinking Drinking is whim, but firstly it is a activity culture, means of communication, an activity between everyone, like ancestors said: "Trà tam rượu tứ" or "Rượu ngon phải có bạn hiền" It means those drinking and good friends are always keep together The problem is 52 that drinking makes people excited to promote social communication more effective Situation definer At the simplest level, drinks are used to define the nature of the occasion In America cultures, for example, champagne is synonymous with celebration, such that if champagne is ordered or served at an otherwise ‘ordinary’ occasion, someone will invariably ask "What are we celebrating?” In the North America, sekt is drunk on formal occasions, while schnapps is reserved for more intimate, convivial gatherings - the type of drink served defining both the nature of the event and the social relationship between the drinkers The choice of drink also dictates behavior, to the extent that the appearance of a bottle of schnapps can prompt a switch from the ‘polite’ form of address to the highly intimate (Thornton, 1987) Even in societies less bound by long-standing traditions and customs, where one might expect to find a more individualistic, subjective approach to the choice of drinks, the social meanings of different beverages are clearly defined and clearly understood A US survey (Klein, 1991) examined perceptions of the situational appropriateness of various types of alcoholic drink, finding that wine, but not spirits or beer, is considered an appropriate accompaniment to a meal; wine and spirits However, in Vietnam usually only drink rice wine during meals, whatever the occasion we can be drinking and any kind of wine also is accepted Status indicator Choice of beverage is also a significant indicator of social status In general terms, imported or ‘foreign’ drinks have a higher status than ‘local’ beverages Thus in America for example, wine is regarded as a high-status, 53 middle-class drink, while native beers and vodkas are ‘ordinary’ or workingclass There may also be a high degree of social differentiation within a single category of beverage Purcell (1994) notes that in Ancient Rome, wine was not simply the drink of the elite: its variety and calibrability allowed its use as a differentiator "even within exclusive, high-ranking circles" Wine was, and is today in many cultures, "a focus of eloquent choices" For social ritual with wine, Vietnamese people, wine is always available to invite guest, despite friends or enemies, expected guests or unexpected guests that is not like American Second, drinking reflects manner of drinkers, the way they raise wine glass, put it down and enjoy are differences in two cultures It will be a big shortcoming if enjoying wine is not mentioned It must be added that the Vietnamese has not wine party, they only drink on some occasions while American held many wine parties, it is so important with them Hence, the way enjoy wine is certainly different from that in Vietnam The Vietnamese like drinking wine and chatting with friends or enjoying the beauty of flowers, moon and nature They like noisy place to drinking However, American consider wine as a party so they just drinking, just eating chesses or fruit 3.3.3 Wine enjoying Enjoy wine can be considered the most favorite interest of many Vietnamese people Tran Te Xuong, a famous Vietnamese poet said that: “A tea, a wine, a woman Three these things are integral parts of my life.” “Một trà, rượu, đàn bà Ba lăng nhăng quấy ta.” For Vietnamese people, nothing is more wonderful than drinking bowl of wine, sipping snacks with good friends in cool days Sipping wine and chatting with friends ease the thirst during hard – working days, feel home when homesick and make the sweet and harsh taste in Vietnamese people forever The 54 image of small wine shop in Hanoi ancient town is a beautiful image in Vietnamese’s mind and in culture While raising a cup or a bowl of wine, people hardly drink in hurry, take slow to listen to the favor of the wine When the wine is pouring, it will have the fine aroma of wine, always keeping the tea as to focus on the conversation The first sip slightly spicy but this mellow to a smooth taste after a few sips Ling Nam Chich Quai book writes: "The first national buildings, the food of people are not enough The clothes were made by bark, the mattress was woven by sedge, the salted was made by bird’s meat, and the salt was made by ginger…" Alcohol has become a source of inspiration for the poet of Vietnam, they are not drunk like the poet in Duong Dynasty but if having occasion they will drink their best "It gives me a talent Bring to spending When destiny with wine never refuse Maybe have to polished poetry." “Trời đất cho ta tài Giắt lưng dành để tháng ngày chơi Dở dun với rượu khơng từ chén Trót nợ thơ phải chuốt lời” Many poets borrow wine to solve sorrow, to forget life, forget the melancholy trampling in their soul: "This life how many people are lucid? Who are lucid for drunk? So sad to sip So sad not know spicy” 55 “Đời thực tỉnh đây? Ai tỉnh cho ta chịu tiếng say Buồn ruột men phải nhấp Dở mồm biết giọng cay” However not everyone wants to drink wine to drunk, opposite many drinkers drink to solving sorrow, boring career They find a deserted place to see blue sky, white clouds, sunlight, and the back is based on tree They sip wine, enjoy serene in wild domain: "Eating bamboo shoots in fall, eating bean sprouts in winter Lotus pond bathing in spring, pond bathing in summer I sip wine next to tree Looking wealth as dream " “Thu ăn măng trúc đông ăn giá Xuân tắm hồ sen hạ tắm ao Rượu đến gốc ta nhắp Nhìn xem phú quý tựa chiêm bao” For Vietnamese people, drinking wine is an art form; an intellectual, aesthetic and sentimental activity In ancient times, a man was judged by three things: His view of life, his capacity to appreciate beauty and the way drinking Wine is both art form, full of ritual and rules Its tradition stretches beyond recorded memory and throughout the ages it has been praised and celebrates by famous men and poets as well as common people There is a folk saying: “Wine and jade cup stand by lips Just drunk, music urged people to leave Battlefield drunk, what laugh? Historically, Fighting when they return!” 56 “Rượu đào chén ngọc kề môi, Chớm say, nhạc giục người Sa-trường say cười chi? Xưa chinh-chiến trở về!” Connoisseurs just sit drinking; just enjoy watching moon and flowers Drinking is just seeing the hydrangea bloom, just waiting on the moon, just drinking, just making poems or criticizing the Kieu story or other ancient stories Drink a cup of wine at night is one of the habits to welcome the good sleeping and sweet dreams Before Tet, they select the best wine and expensive wine In the first morning of New Year, they pour wine and give friends It is often devoted a great deal time to drinking, engaging in all sorts of solemn and complex rituals In each wine, depending on the number of people enjoy wine that has different names: people drink wine as form of ritual, drink oneself, two, three, four or more people, then all operation remain unchanged There is a quotation: “Tea three, wine four” ( Trà tam, rượu tứ) Normally, the wine gathering of friends together stylish fun of special occasion or wine delicious or weeding ceremony or death anniversary of the reward Drinking is different from the space of the tea, drinking often is noisy Wine is often drunk in beautiful and luxury places or restaurants, it is very popular While the Vietnamese often enjoy it many times in a day: in the morning, in night, entertain guests, after the meal, etc, the most common and most popular American drink wine in the dinner Ernest Hemingway said :“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” In America when you come to the wine for a cheese and wine party, you want to have a variety You can choice: Sparkling wine, such as Champagne, 57 Fruity wine, such as Riesling or Chenin Blanc, Dry-style white wine such as Sauvignon, etc There are many kinds of wines but in America remember you don't have to drink every drop The idea is for your guests to match the cheeses with the different wines in the hope that each person comes up with his or her perfect pair American often drinks wine with eat cheeses together Provide a different knife for each type of cheese If there is just one knife for all the cheeses, after a few cuts with the same knife they'll all end up tasting alike Arrange the cheeses from mild to strong If you start tasting the strongest cheeses first, you won't be able to enjoy the subtle flavors in wine Take the white wine out of the refrigerator at least fifteen minutes before serving Just like cheese, wine needs to warm up a bit to be fully enjoyed Provide a list of the cheeses and wines you're serving to each guest along with pencils or pens That way they can take notes on what they're eating and drinking and compare those notes with each other Cheese and Wine Party Accompaniments During wine party, American also eat fresh fruit slices such as apple, pear, nectarines or plums, dried fruit such as dates, prunes, and figs or flavored nuts such as candied walnuts and spiced pecans Moreover they never forget water; they may want to consider serving both sparkling and still water Sparkling is a great palate cleanser * Summary In conclusion, besides the difference in two drinking culture: in Vietnam and in America It can be said that wine is the nation beverage, is served any time and any cases Today, due to globalization, the way of drinking is similarities in many countries in which is Vietnam and America However, the 58 differences are very distinguish in the types of wine they choose, the social ritual with wine, the way of making wine and the way of enjoying wine Last but not least, it is shown that, in each country possesses their own features in wine culture and never lost the position of wine in daily life 59 CONCLUSION Major findings The research paper mainly focus on giving out the contrastive ideas of drinking in American and Vietnamese cultures based on the background of general knowledge of wine with its definition, the history of wine, popular wine types, the health benefits of wine A part from the differences in drinking in two cultures that may be found in other wine culture, there are some differences between American and Vietnamese cultures: The types of wine, the way enjoying wine, social ritual of wine The study is also provided illustrations, picture and explanation associated with each of value that is order to help readers’ better understanding of the topic Probably the issues in the study are very familiar in daily life but not all people, particularly the young discovery them when they have little time to think of the culture value hidden but is very sophisticated The thesis brings about to readers broaden knowledge of wine culture in general and values in it that is also the goals of this study Finally, I believe that the ideas and suggestions in this research will be useful for those who concern about cultures especially wine culture and wish to carry out research of cross-culture Suggestions The study, of course, still has limitation of its own As a writer, I would ask for reader’s tolerance for its shortcomings I myself highly appreciate reader’s comments for this thesis Drinking is only an aspect in wine cultures, therefore, many aspects of wine culture worth nothing Thus I strongly wish to have further studies in this field I hope that, the thesis will help young people aware of value of their wine culture in their hometown 60 ... Vietnam Chapter 3: Similarities and Differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture The target of the chapter is similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture. .. chapter focuses on giving background of drinking culture as history, health benefits of drinking and social and cultural aspects of drinking culture in America and Vietnam Chapter 2: : Drinking. .. features of drinking in American culture? - What are the features of drinking in Vietnamese culture? - What are the similarities and differences of drinking in American and Vietnamese culture? Hypothesis