HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

SEMANTICS AND LEXICOLOGY

FINAL PROJECT

Topic: Comparison of metaphor in idioms between English and Vietnamese.

Student’s name 1 Nguyễn Thu Huế Student’s code 1 220000599

Student’s name 2 Lê Thùy Dương Student’s code 2 220000577

Student’s name 3 Bùi Thị Giang Student’s code 3 220000581

Group: 2 30ENG023 NNA D2020 (N02)

Hanoi, December 2022

 HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

SEMANTICS AND LEXICOLOGY

FINAL PROJECT

Topic: Comparison of metaphor in idioms between English and Vietnamese.

Student’s name 1 Nguyễn Thu Huế Student’s code 1 220000599

Student’s name 2 Lê Thùy Dương Student’s code 2 220000577

Student’s name 3 Bùi Thị Giang Student’s code 3 220000581

Giám khảo 1 Giám Khảo 2

ĐIỂM

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Nguyệt

Hanoi, December 2022
 ACKNOLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, we would like to express our great and sincere gratitude to Mrs.
Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet – our Semantics and Lexicology teacher for not only her
wonderful lectures but also her noticeable support throughout the whole course. We
are glad to have Mrs. Nguyet as our teacher as her enthusiasm and dedication really
helped us, students, to comprehend as well as enjoy our lessons during all of our
classes.

We are also extremely appreciative of our mentor and consultant – Mrs. Vuong Thi
Hai Yen (Ph.D.), because of her significant assistants to all of us from the start.
Besides, the results of this research paper also depend a lot on her fair judgment. We
hope that Mrs. Vuong Thi Hai Yen (Ph.D.) will always be a valuable support and help
us more in the future.

Last but not least, we noticed and were thankful for all of the Hanoi Metropolitan
University’s faculties in general as well as the English major’s professors for their
devotion.

THANK YOU!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGE

Acknoledgement 1
Table of contents 2
Chapter I. Introduction 3
1. Reason for chosing the topic 3
2. Background 3
3. Statements of the study 4
4. Aim of the study 4
5. Scope of the study 4
Chapter II. Comparison of metaphor in idioms between English and 5
Vietnamese.
1. Theory 5
1.1 English semantics 5
1.2 Metaphor 5
1.3 Dead metaphor and live metaphor 5
1.4 Personification 6
2. Metaphor in idioms between English and Vietnamese. 6
Chapter III. Finding 11
1. Finding from the study 11
2. Concusion 12
References 12
Similarity index test results 13

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Chapter I. Introduction

1. Reason for chosing the topic

To start, we recognized that idioms in general and metaphorical idioms specifically are
undeniably important in our society in the past and so as today. Idioms are common
and extremely efficient in everyday communication. They are the perfect and specific
expressions that are not replaceable by any other figure of speech. However, some
idioms can be difficult to comprehend and translate because of their meanings in
different cultures and the mindset of the users. Therefore, it is crucial for those who
teach and use languages to be able to accurately use the idioms and understand the
meaning of the language they are learning. As English major students, we realized our
responsibility to study different aspects of the language, in this case, metaphorical
idioms, and also to help others understand the English language and their culture
better.

2. Background

As mentioned, idioms held a major part in our communication system, they are very
broad categories/figures of speech that are used frequently in communication. Idioms
have been studied by many professionals and masters in Vietnam and in other
countries, however, metaphorical idioms are not as quite as popular.

(Vietnamese idioms related work: Nguyễn Việt Hoà - VNU Hanoi University of Social
Sciences and Humanities (2009) with “tìm hiểu về so sánh thành ngữ tiếng việt và
tiếng anh”

Or in English: Lin, P. M. S. (2009). Recent developments in research on idioms in

foreign language teaching and learning.)

These works are remarkable indeed and they had given us much inspiration for our
work here.

In short, we hoped that our research could contribute to idioms research in general and
somewhat assist Vietnamese - English language learners to follow idioms the correct
way.

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3. Statements of the study

Based on the background of the research paper, we decided to analyze the problems of
this study by answering the following questions:

1.What are the similarities and differences of metaphorical idioms in English and in
Vietnamese?

2.Are idioms important in English and Vietnamese cultures?

3.How to use and understand metaphorical idioms correctly in real-life conversations?

4. Aim of the study

The study aids students of foreign languages in approaching and comprehending the
categorization of English and Vietnamese idioms, particularly metaphoric idioms. The
study's findings can help others in memorizing and knowing more idioms not to
mention learn more about the cultures of different countries. Our work also benefits
students in developing their knowledge and proficiency in the use of idioms in both
learning and everyday communication.

5. Scope of the study

The subject of our study involves research and analysis of metaphorical idioms in
Vietnamese and English. We has divided the topic-related idioms into distinct
categories and then examine them according to the criteria of the two
languages/cultures. Our research is mainly focused on six common idioms in
Vietnamese and equivalent idioms in English. Our work also consists of several
special idioms that are considered but may not be similar to each other or exist in one
language but not the other. The research object must be properly chosen and
appropriate for our topic to fulfill our objective (of helping others understand idioms)
and the completion of the research paper. This is how we selected the scope of our
study.

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Chapter II. Comparison of metaphor in idioms between English and Vietnamese.

1. Theory
1.1 English semantics

Linguistics has three main branches: syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. While syntax
is the study of grammar, semantics and pragmatics deal with meaning. So semantics is
a branch of linguistics that deals with language and how we understand the meaning.
Semantics also means the meaning and interpretation of words, signs, and sentence
structure. Semantics largely determine our reading comprehension, how we understand
others, and what decisions we make as a result of our interpretations.

Three main aspects are included in semantics: word meaning (lexical meaning),
sentence meaning, and utterance meaning.

1.2 Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that belongs to the aspect of word meaning. (A figure
of speech is a word or phrase which is used for special effect, and which does not have
its usual or literal meaning).

The word “metaphor” comes from the ancient Greek word “metaphora” which means
“carrying” or “transferring”. A metaphor “carries” meaning from one concept to
another by stating or implying that one is the same or like the other.

According to Cambridge Dictionary, a metaphor is an expression, often found in

literature, that describes a person or object be referring to something that is considered
to have similar characteristics to that person or object. Metaphor can also be
understood as a type of figurative language in which the author compares two very
different things and, as a result, reveals creative similarities between the two.

1.3 Dead metaphor and live metaphor

Live metaphors (Conscious metaphors) are implied of indirect comparisions which

have a variety of figurative meanings through their endless use. Live metaphors can
only be understood after the implicit comparison found in any of them is seriously
considered and fully appreciated. Native speakers of a language use live metaphors

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intentionally and creatively in order to make their speech more vivid, figurative,
concise, etc.

A dead metaphor is a metaphor that has changed its meaning over time, losing its
original image due to repeated use. Because death metaphors have a common meaning
that is different from the original, they can be understood without prior knowledge of
the connotation. And for this reason, some argue that the death metaphor is no longer a
metaphor, but many dead metaphors are still widely used today. Dead metaphors are
infact idioms or fixed expressions that native speaker give specia lmeaning and use
naturally and unconsciously. Several figures of speech and idiomatic phrases began as
metaphors but have lost their metaphorical meaning as everyday terms or phrases. This
transition is a natural part of the evolution of a language that linguists call “semantic
shift.”

1.4 Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea or thing is given human

attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. Personification is a
special kind of metaphor in that human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman
things. This allows writers to create life and motion within inanimate objects, animals,
and even abstract ideas by assigning them recognizable human behaviors and
emotions.

2. Metaphor in idioms between English and Vietnamese.

Idioms and metaphors have certain characteristics, but they are not the same. An idiom
can have both figurative and literal meanings, but a metaphor is a figure of speech that
uses one thing to demonstrate a truth about another.

Idioms and metaphors are so established in the English language that native speakers
may not even notice them when they use them. However, for people who are
unfamiliar with the language, this specific usage of terms might be confusing.

A metaphor can be used in an idiom, but because of its widespread acceptance, the
reader or listener does not need to be aware of the context to understand its meaning.
Idioms can be metaphors, especially implicit metaphors as they demand that the

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listener or reader compare two dissimilar items in order to comprehend their meaning.
Idioms use informal, culturally-specific vocabulary to emphasize a point. But they
might not necessarily be metaphors. To express a point, metaphors compare two
distinct objects.

Idioms that uses the same image with the same proposition

Vietnamese English Findings

- Translation: - It can be inferred

that both of the
Một giọt máu đào =Blood
idioms are nearly
Hơn = is thicker than the perfect
ao nước lã = water. translation of each
other.
- Meaning: the idiom teaches
people to always respect and - They both share
think of your relatives (same the same meaning.

Một giọt máu Blood is blood) before other people - However, the
đào hơn ao thicker than (water). Vietnamese idioms
nước lã. water. - Word choice: “máu đào”, are more formal
“nước lã” are beautiful, specific and used nicer
words than just “blood” and words, and not to
“water” mention it rhymes,
whereas English
In addition, “giọt máu” and
idioms are more
compare with “ao nước” are
simple and easier
quantifiers which would
to use as well as
emphasize on the important of
understand.
your relatives.
This is because
Chết vinh còn Death before - Translation:
of the ancient
hơn sống nhục. dishonour.
Chết = Death Vietnamese culture

còn hơn = before of being respective

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 sống nhục. = dishonour.

- Meaning: the idiom tells people

to live with honor and not be
cowardly, raffish. Always be
honest, brave, loyal and most of
all respective.

- Word choice: “Vinh” mean

“glory” which is more beautiful
than just “death” in English. And
“sống nhục” would emphasize
the moral to always live
respectively.
and also easier to
The Vietnamese idiom "Không remember.
có lửa làm sao có khói" means
that everything in the world
comes from a certain cause,
There's No there is no such thing as a
Không có lửa
Smoke random thing. The English idiom
làm sao có khói
Without Fire "There's No Smoke Without
Fire" has a similar meaning and
both sentences use the exact
same images: "khói" and
"smoke", "lửa" and "fire".

Idioms that uses different images but still have the same proposition.

Vietnamese English Findings

Cầm đèn chạy Count one’s - The two idioms uses different images,
trước ô tô chicken before different metaphor, but they both have the
they’re hatch moral of should not quickly do something or

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 jump to conclusion before certain of what
comes after.

- They both have negative meaning.

- However, the Vietnamese idiom also refer to

those who do unnecessary things and act like a
“know it all”.

- If you translate this idiom into English word

by word, it means "better fast than eating a dirty
breakfast", it doesn't show the true meaning of
the idiom. so English used "A clean fast is
better than a dirty breakfast" to show that even

Đói cho sạch if you are hungry, miserable, or have

A clean fast is
rách cho thơm difficulties, you must know how to maintain
better than a
(giấy rách phải good character and qualities, and live upright
dirty breakfast
giữ lấy lề) and clean. The Vietnamese sentences "đói cho
sạch rách cho thơm" or "giấy rách phải giữ lấy
lề" also have the same meaning.

- Here Vietnamese idioms and English idioms

are different in terms of metaphorical images,
but they all share the same proposition.

Bite the hand Ăn cháo đá bát - "Ăn cháo đá bát" is an idiom that criticizes
that feeds those who are ungrateful to those who have
helped them overcome difficulties and
tribulations. But when people help them in
difficulty, those people turn their faces away,
even harming their benefactors.

- The English sentence "Bite the hand that

feeds" in English means to act badly towards
the person who is helping or has helped you. If
this sentence translates word by word into
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 Vietnamese, it means "cắn cái tay đã cho mình
ăn".

- Although the two idioms use different images,

they both mean the same thing.

- This Vietnamese idiom means that when we

do something if we persevere, we will get the
desired results. This sentence can be explained
literally as a big piece of iron that only needs to
be sharpened every day until it becomes as
small as a needle.
Có công mài
Practice makes - And the English idiom used the word
sắt có ngày nên
perfect "practice" which means: doing something
kim
regularly; “perfect” means the best you can be.

- Although both have different images and

expressions, they all mean the same thing: With
perseverance, patience, and great determination,
everything can be done even though it is very
difficult.

Idioms that only exits in one language/culture

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 Vietnamese English Findings

Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây Translation: There aren’t any

idioms in English that
Uống nước nhớ nguồn When you eat the fruit,
similar to the 2 idioms
remember the people that
" Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng
plants them.
cây, Uống nước nhớ
When you drink water, think nguồn” in Vietnamese.
of its source.

Dịch: Mưa tầm tã, mưa Raining cats and dogs And similarly in
như trút nước English.

Chapter III. Finding

1. Findings from the study

The results of the analysis of metaphorical characteristics of Vietnamese idioms in

comparison with the corresponding English idioms have shown that the two groups,
although geographically distant, still have similarities in the way they speak.
Knowledge of language construction due to the influence of universality when
perceiving the objective world.

Idioms of Vietnamese and English equivalents may or may not use the same metaphor,
but in the end, they share the same connotation. Besides, there are also Vietnamese
idioms that do not have equivalent English idioms, and conversely, there are English
idioms that do not have equivalent Vietnamese idioms.

2. Conclusion

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If we translate idioms from English to Vietnamese or from Vietnamese to English only
following literal meaning, sometimes we will not have a reliable basis to compare the
images and implied symbols of those idioms. Besides, if we respect the literal
translation, it is possible that when applying idioms in one language to another, it will
not be suitable for the context or the way of speaking as well as the mindset of each
place. We just need to understand that idioms may be completely different sentences
or not have the same metaphorical images, but they have the same proposition.

*References

1. Tô Minh Thanh – English semantics

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantics

3. https://literarydevices.net/personification/

4. https://www.merospark.com/content/422/live-and-dead-metaphors/

5. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dead-metaphor

6. https://mtrend.vn/question/tim-10-cau-thanh-ngu-thong-qua-phep-an-du-va-giai-
thich-nghia-924/

7. https://hoc247.net/hoi-dap/ngu-van-6/tim-10-cau-ca-dao-tuc-ngu-thanh-ngu-co-su-
dung-phep-tu-tu-an-du-faq291594.html

8. https://doc.edu.vn/tai-lieu/tom-tat-luan-van-tim-hieu-ve-so-sanh-trong-thanh-ngu-
so-sanh-tieng-viet-va-tieng-anh-119264/

9. https://www.quora.com/What-is-an-example-of-an-idiom-that-is-a-metaphor

10. https://becomeawritertoday.com/idiom-vs-metaphor/

11. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

*Similarity index test results

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