A comparative study of insults In vietnamese and American english

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and Americans in perceiving insults. It focuses on the influences of social factors such as age, social status and social distance between interlocutors on insult interpretation. Data for analysing and discussing were survey questionnaire responses collected from 32 respondents who worked for a company in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam and 31 others who worked for a company in Washington D.C.,. The results found from the study supported Bernal [4]’s assumption that insulting expressions, in certain contexts, may produce affiliative social effects, strengthening feelings of in-group solidarity and of closeness between interlocutors. Based on data analysing and discussing, useful findings were drawn out to help Vietnamese users of English and American users of Vietnamese effectively communicate in inter-cultural communications and avoid cultural shocks and communicative breakdowns.