AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE PROVERBS CONTAINING FOODSTUFFS TERMS

Abstract

Proverbs occupy a large part in almost every language. Proverbs containing foodstuffs terms are used very often in everyday conversation. However, second language learners find it difficult to understand proverbs in general and proverbs containing foodstuffs terms in particular. Therefore, the thesis makes an investigation into the linguistic features of English and Vietnamese proverbs containing foodstuffs terms to discover the similarities and differences between them especially in terms of syntactic and semantic features, based on qualitative and quantitative approaches. 200 samples in English and Vietnamese were taken from dictionaries, books and websites on the internet. The study shows types of sentences used in PFT and some experience represented in PFT such as trading experience, dining experience, working experience, cooking experience, social relationship, family relationship, human character, general truths and observation about life, life experience. The study also puts forward some implications for teaching and learning English to Vietnamese learners