AN INVESTIGATION INTO LINGUISTIC EXPRESSIONS DENOTING “AFFECT” IN NAM CAO'S SHORT STORIES AND THEIR ENGLISH TRANSLATIONAL EQUIVALENTS FROM APPRAISAL THEORY

Abstract

The thesis was carried out in an effort to investigate and analyze the languages of Affect in Nam Cao’s short stories and their English translational versions based on the Appraisal Theory. In order to conduct the study, a descriptive analysis with mainly qualitative research approach was adopted on the basis of the theories of Appraisal and Functional Grammar. This method was used as a tool to examine these features of the samples in terms of the un/happiness, in/security, dis/satisfaction, positive/negative affect in the view of the appraisal theory. The data for the study were built up with 250 Vietnamese samples of expressions of Affect and 242 English translational equivalents in such forms as words, phrases, clauses and sentences from four short Vietnamese stories by Nam Cao and the English translational version by Nam Cao. Semantically, in the light of Appraisal Theory, the study revealed that Affect expressions were realized in different sub-types, namely Happiness, Security and Satisfaction. In terms of grammatical realization, based on Grammartical model by Green Baum and Nelson (1999), the study found that the language of Affect was grammatically realized via such phrases in the sentence as Noun phrases, Verb phrases, Adjective phrases and Adverbial phrases and prepositional phrases. On the basis of the findings, several implications and suggestions on comprehending, translating the language of Affect as well as learning and teaching English through language of Affect in particular and Appraisal language in general were put forward. To some extent, this thesis is expected to be a partial contribution to the teaching, learning of Vietnamese and English stylistic devices in general and of translating from Vietnamese into English stories in particular