TAP CHi KHOA HOC VA CONG NGHE - 5 0 9 - TRU&NG OAI HOC PHAM V A N D 6 N G AN ENGLISH-VIETNAMESE CROSS-CULTURAL
STUDY OF CONGRATULATING
Vo Tlii Kim Hoang'
Cultural knowledge is the starling point for a successfid communication From this viey^; the author has carried out an investigation into congratulating in English and V,etnamese cultures The study has found out not only the degrees of advisability in given situations, but also the frequency of such congratulating strategies as direct - indirect (D-ID). possilive politeness - negative politeness (PP-NP) under the influence of some socal factors- social distance, relative power and blood-nonblood relationship. As a result, English-Vietnamese cross-cultural similarities and differences in the realization of congraiulanng are discovered and the validity of the hypothesis on Ihe two languages and cultures are tested
Keyword: Congratulating I. RATIONALE
- We all know that Congratulating is one of inevitable speech acts in human verbal interaction
- It is also persuasively proved that the realizations of speech acts vary across languages and cultures.
ll is importanl to know how Congratulating is realized in different languages and cultures, so that mteractants can be well aware of cross-cultural differences and similarities for avoidance of culture shock and communication breakdown.
Therefore, "An English Vietnamese Cross-Cultural Study of Congratulating" is selected as the title of the reseach.
2.0BJECT1VES AND METHODOLOGY 2.1. Objectives
The study is intended:
- To find out the common strategies of congratulating in Vietnamese.
- To find out the common strategies of congratulating in Enghsh.
To compare and contrast the strategies employed by Native Speakers of Vietnamese (NSVs) and Native Speakers of EngIish(NSEs) for congratulation.
2.2. Methodylogy
The following strategies are resorted to:
Melapragmatic questionnaire (MPQ) and the Discourse Completion Task (DCT) questionnaire are in use.
- Relevant Vietnamese and foreign publications are referred to for the theoretical background ofthe study.
- Data collected through MPQ and DCT techniques is interpreted, described, contrasted and analyzed.
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3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 3.1. Congratnlating as seen from melapragmatic perspective
The dau analysis shows that the Highly Advisable (HA) and Advisable (A) are highly supported by both groups of infonnants in all 16 situations. The Yes^p (Y/N) is strongly encouraged at the fourth area (social activities), except for the situation of hosting a chanty event for poverty-stricken children (Eng. 0%, Vie: 2%). However, this Y/N holds moderate proportions hi the rest of the areas of activities. In addition, the Inadvisable (IA) has reasonable percentages (highest 38%, lowest 22%) only m the last area, excluding sit. 16 (charity event). In three areas left, it gets very small pr no prppprtions The Highly toadvisable (HIA) is rarely mentioned, except a small number of Viettiamese mfoimants (4%) at siniahonB (gift on the Valentine Day). It is resulted ftom the fmdmgs that the act of congratulating is sttongly welcomed by both English and Vietnamese informants, and frequently pccuis as a social act for showhig the speaker's positive feelmg to the hearer
It is also notable that the Viet- namese infonnants, m general, are less in favor of HA and A than the English;
however, Ihey are more mcUned tp the Y/N and IA, via their larger rates pf these than the English-s. This may suggest that the English peifpnn the act of congramlaling as a social etiquette more frequently than the Vietnamese
3,2. Directness Indirectness in Congratulatiiig
3.2.1. As seen from communicating partners' role relationship
a. Similarities
In both English and Vietnamese languages and culmres, direct congratulating utterances show more poUteness, fonnaUty and etiquette.
Indued ones, especially the combination, seem much friendlier and opener, and theymight have close relationships with PP mpre than NP.
The highest rates pf D are appUed to someone pne disUkes and neighbor Thus, they receive the least ID and combination (COM).
Such partners in close distance and blood relation as close friend and bro/sis occupy
Larger percentages pf ID and COM pf all. Besides, relative ppwer is not a serous problem in this speech act in both cultures.
b. Differences
More Vietnamese mfomiants than the Enghsh, use more ID than D in all cases.
Relative power is not the problem in English culmre; howevei, there is a bit of hierarchy in Vietnamese cultuie. This supports the fact that Vietaam is a hierarchy-priented society, while English- speakmg counmes are equality-oriented societies
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TAP CHi KHOA HOC VA CONG NGHE - SO 9 - TRL/^NG DAi HQC PHAM V A N D 6 N G 3.2.2. As seen from informants'
parameters a. Similarities
People who are involved in social sciences in both English and Vietnamese cultures tend to be more direct Ihan those in natural sciences. These two groups are not m the approval of the theory of social factors affectmg to D and ID, which goes well with the remainders.
The highesi percentage of silence strategy is reserved for people over 40 of two cultures,
b. Differences
The most distinguishing thing is that Vietaamese people much prefer ID than the English, and the English are a bit more in favor of D than the Vietnamese.
However, English people usually lengthen conversations than the Viemamese.
3.3. Positive politeness negative politeness in congratulating
3.3.1. As seen from communicating partners' role relationships
Cross-cultural similarities and differences of three groups of relation are as follows'
a. Social distance (including close friend and someone one dislikes)
- Similarities
Both English and Vietnamese groups of informants are PP oriented with close friend The Negative Combination (N.COM) is at the lowest rank, while the Possitive Combination (P.COM), Smgle Possilive Politeness (SPP) and Possitive- Negalme Conibination(P-N COM} are al
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quite high rates. Furthermore, they all much prefer using the Smgle Negative Politeness (SNP) to the SPP and COM in the case of someone they dislike.
Meanwhile, they all want lo lengthen conversation with partner of near distance, via quite high percentages of the P.COM and P-N COM. Neither of them gives the negative silence to close friend and positive silence to someone they dislike.
Besides, both groups share a minority of proportions of impoliteness to just someone they dislike.
- Differences
NSEs are more PP oriented with close friend than NSVs, who much more tend to the NP than the English with someone they dislike.
b. Relative power (consisting of boss, colleague and employee)
- Similarities
It is wonderful that there is a big safety m congratulating CP as colleague.
The frequency of using strategies between the English and Vietnamese is equivalent.
Both NSEs and NSVs greatly prefer SNP and N-P COM to SPP when communicating with boss. NP is resorted with boss and colleague more than with employee.
- Differences
With employee, there is no cross- cultural similanty. With boss, NSVs are quite morefavor of SNP (56% vs 47%, respectively) and greatly less favor of the SPP (1% vs. 20.5%, respectively) than Ihe English.
- ^ ^ ' ^ ^ ^ y i ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ i ^ ^ C W i ^ S N G N G H E ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ With emplpyee. English mfnnnants
are m favor pf neganve, while the Vietnamese^f ppsihve. Nevertheless.
NSEs prefer the P-N COM tp the P.CO.M but NSVs prefer P.COM.
Np matter hpw safe the act is and hpw small the FTA is, the difference m cpngramlatmg unequal-ppwere does still exist, especially m such a culmre pf social hierarchy as the Viemamese.
c. Blood non-blood relations (neighbor, bro/sis)
- Similarities
All of both grpups pf infpimants aie much m favor nf the NP m the case pf neighbor and excessively favor of the PP in the case of biothei/sister There is a cioss-culmral similarity of the P.COM (rarely used) and the P-N COM (rather used) in mteractmg with neighbor
NSEs and NSVs all pay anention to posinve non-verbal cues but have no negative attimde to theu biothcnsister
- Differences
With neighboi, it is a suiprise that NSVs tend to be negatively polite and negatively silent than NSEs. The P COM and P-N COM are employed by NSEs more than NSVs, However, NSVs prefer the SPP (40.5% vs. 24%).
3.3,2. As seen from informants' parameters
a. Similarities
SNP IS the snaiegj' that all pararoetei groups of the English and Viemamese put the top pnonty. The
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NCO.M, pthemise, is always at the bottom of all leriial expressions.
The SPP frequently ranks the second for most of English Viemamese parameters. Yet, m the cases of Uving areas, Vietnamese pccupatipn, English mantal status, English gender, the English ypunger. the SPP and N-P COM arc altemative. The Enghsh and Vietnamese ypunger have smiilar frequency pf SPP andSP.
Abpul gender, the sunilarity m emplpymg the SPP and the P-N COM between mp Viemamese sexes can be accounted. Both the English and Viemamese male more tend to be negatively silent than Ihe female
The P.COM, P-N COM and negative silence are rathei equally employed between two English and Vietaamese mamed grpups.
hifpnnants of English and Viemamese social groups most frequently use the SNP, after that is the SPP.
b. Differences
Np manei what the parametcis are.
the Vietnamese are always mpre SNP oriented than.
The Enghsh. This seems opposite to the hypothesis that the Viemamese is mpre ppsinve m cpmmunicatipn than the English, hi fact, the Vietnamese are mpre m favpi pf ID. which closely relates to NP strategies
The English older (O40) prefei non- verbal cues in the expression, but the Viemamese ofO40 never do The Endish youngei are much less in favor of SNP OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY . 101
TAP CHi KHOA HOC VA C O N G NGHE - SO 9 - TRIFrvMn QAI HOC PHAM V A N O O N G than the Vietnamese ( 3 6 % vs. 42.5%,),
However, they prefer P-N C O M strategy to the SPP, while the Viemamese are more SPP oriented. In addition, the English- Vietnamese disparity of the P.COM is high (5.7%). All above show that the English younger are much more open- hearted and fnendlier than the Vietnamese; thus, more positively congratulate. Similarly, English people O40 would rather positively congratulate than the Vietnamese, via more the proportions of SPP and P.COM but less SNP.
The rates of positive strategies and the SNP show that more English than Vietnamese males expansively congratulate the others; and Vietnamese females more frequently employ both SPP and SNP strategies than the English ones.
Marilai status has no much influence on Vietnamese informants' congratulating but il does on the English's choice.
The English techno-science group ranks the proporlionof the SPP first, while Ihe Vietnamese ranks it the third ( 2 9 . 1 % and 19 1%, respectively). On the other hand, the Vietnamese's rate of SNP is much higher than the English's.
The difference between the English and Viemamese, on the judgment of living area parameter, is not very important 4. C O N C L U S I O N
4.1. S u m m a r y o f t h e m a i n findings 4.1.1. C o n g r a t u l a t i n g as Seen from M e t a p r a g m a t i c Perspective
Information from the MPQ is resorted to in this section. Data are
analyzed for estimation of frequency and advisability of the act of Congratulating, so that the main similarities and differences are clarified in English and Vietnamese languages and cultures.
4.1.2. D and ID iu congratulating It IS obvious that there is a close relationship between politeness and ID. It has been found from the analysis of congratulating act that not only ID but also D has significant connection to PP a n d N P .
Congratulations (on ...) (D, NP) I'm so happy for you (ID, PP) 1 wish you luck {ID, NP) - Chuc mimg dong nghiap cita tdi (D, PP)
It is worthy of note thai, in Vietnamese, utterances that appear half NP-oriented and half PP-oriented like
"Xin chuc mimgSip nhe" (D, P-N COM) are quite common.
4.1.3. Positive Politeness and Negative Politeness in c o n g r a t u l a t i n g
Most of politeness strategies are used by both Englishand Vietnamese informants, of which, the SNP holds the top priority. C o m m o n utterances of SNP are "Congratulations". "Congratulation on ... " in English, and "Chuc mimg",
"Xin chuc mimg". "Td, chuc mimg anh/chi da ...", "Tdi rdt vui vi chi dugc me Irdn con vudng. " in Vietnamese . Common utterances used in English and Vietnamese in these strategies are:
- Well done
- / -m vety proud of you /Im happy for you
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That's Congratulaiians
Chiic mimg cdu nhe, Em khoe ohua7 Chdu irdngdi thuong ldm!
Though silence (both non-verbal expression and non-expressipn) is beypnd the scppe pf this study; it is, in fact, ta use by bpth Enghsh and Vietaamese tafpmiants, especially with spmeone they dislike.
a. Influence of communicating partners' relationships
An evident difference can be seen ta congiaftilaHng two partners with close social distance and fai social distance.
With close friend, both English and Vietaamese mfpnnants tend tp extend the convemation, while they tend to shorten the cpnversatipn, pi just smiply say
"Congratulaiians " as a social nonn with someone they dislike.
The similai result is for group of
"blood non-blood relation". Relative power shows the most preference for D and NP, as well as smiilar frequency of usmg D & ID sn-ategies, PP & N P to each partner ofthe English group
b. Influence of informants' parameters
With respect to D-ID sfrategies, most English mfonnants much prefei D to ID. COM is the sfrategy that ranks the second
There are insignificant dispanties m using D and ID strategies between two Enghsh groups pf tafpmiants whp are pver 4 0 ( 0 4 0 ) and under 40 (U40).
Pphteness strategies are differently resorted by the two Enghsh groups of marital slams. Conveisely, there are np significant dispanhes shpwed by twp Vietaamese groups.
N.COM, m tafluence of either communicatmg partner relationships or mfonnants' parameters, is always at the bottom among politeness strategies.
4,2. Suggestions for further study It IS suggested that fiirther tavestigation should be made into the followmg area-
Non-veibal strategies (flowers, gifts, cards, hand-shaking, hug, kiss, etc.) for Cpngramlatmg,
- Fpnnality Infpnnality, Congratalatmg
- Respondmg to congratulations - Lexico-modal markers ta congratalatmg.
Such is her hope that the research
"An English-Vietnamese Cross-Cullural Study of Congratulating" is nsefiil and helpfiil m raismg tateractants' awareness of English-Vietnamese crpss-cultaial differences ta cpngiamlating, fpr avoidance culture shock.
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TAP CHI KHQA HOC VA C 6 N G N G H 6 ^ S 0 ^ ^ T R | J 6 N G DAI HQC PHAM VAN BONG
REFERENCES
[1] Austin, J., How tg do things with words, Lpudon-Oxfprd-New Yprk, 1962.
[2] Blum-Kulka S., Indirecmess and Politeness in Requests: Same or Difference?.
Joumal of Pragmatics U, North Holland, 1987.
[3] Brown, P & Levmson, S.C, Universals In Language Use: Politeness Phenomena, Cambndge University Press, 1978.
[4] Brown P. & Levtason, S.C, Politeness - Some Universals m Language Usage, Cambridge University Press, 1990.
[5] Nguyen Thien Giap, Dung hoc Viet ngO-, NXB Dai hpc Quoc gia H4 Npi. 2000.
[6] Nguyin (Juang Ngpan, Some Viemamese-American Crgss-cultural Similarities and Differences In Disagreeing tyith Power-Unequals, M.A Thesis, Vietaam Nadpnal University - Hanpi, 2004
[7] Nguyen Quang, Giao tlip vd giao nip giao vdn hod, NXB Dai hpc Ouoc gia Ha Noi 2002 • . -<
[8] Nguyen Quang, Mot sd vdn di giao tlip not vdn hod vd giao vdn hod, NXB Dai hpc Quoc gia Ha Npi, 2003.
[9] Tran Ngpc Them, Ca sd vdn hod Viil Nam, NXB Giap Due, 1999.
NGHIEN CillU GIAO VAN HOA ANH-VlfiT VE CACH THUC CHUC MUNG Vo Thi Kim Hodng' TOM TAT
Kien thdc vi van hoa la nin tdng di giag liip Ihdnh cdng Vdi qugn dlim ndy, tdc gta da hoan thdnh ndi dung nghten ein, giao vdn hda vi cdch Mc chue ming Ndi dung nghien cut, khdng chi Ihdnh cdng yi muc do img hg each thdc chuc mimg trgng nhimg ttnh hugng dd chg md cdn chi rg mdc dd sir dgng eac chiin luac chite mimg nhin li, binh dten phgm u-u l,-uc Hep - gidn liip, lieh su duang linh - lieh su dm ttnh dual dnh hudng cut eac yeu lg xd hot nhu: khodng cdch xd hoi. quyin luc qugn he yd quan hi huyit thong, ph, huyet thdng Ti, dg Idc gid dd kham phd ra nhitng diim tuang ddng vd di biel giao van hoa Anh - Vie, trong qud Irlnh hien Ihtfc hda hdnh ddng chuc mimg, ddng thdi cung khg,ig dinh duoc Hnh hliu luc eiia cdc gid Ihuyil yi cdch Ihirc chiic mimg a hat nin van hoa khdc nhau.
Tir khoa: Cdch Ihiic chitc mimg cseo 'Khoa Ngoai Ngu, Tmtmg Dai hpc Pham Van D6ng;
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