A study of comforting In english and vietnamese

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate the syntactic and pragmatic features of comforting expressions (CEs) in English and Vietnamese. It focuses on the ways people to express their comfort in both languages. To discuss the issues thoroughly we use data from English and Vietnamese novels and short stories. The most important and significant aspect of the study is the similarities and differences between people from English language speaking countries and the Vietnamese in ways of expressing comfort. Some typical strategies used in performing CEs in English and Vietnamese were presented in the light of the politeness theory by Brown and Levinson (1987). The results of the study make it possible to locate the areas which might prove to be difficult to the Vietnamese learners of English in using CEs. On the basis of findings, some implications are put forward for the teaching and learning of the strategies of comforting in English to Vietnamese learners.