7.1 Problems of word meanings in
English and Vietnamese
Presented by: Lê Thị Nhật Bình
CONTENTS OF THIS PART
1.1
Homonymy
1.2
Synonymy
1.3
Antonymy
1.4
Figures of speech
1.1
HOMONYMY
1.1 Homonymy
ENGLISH
a) Definition: (Lyons, 1995)
- Homonymy refers to two or more lexical terms
with the same spellings but completely distinct
in meaning under elements of semantic analysis.
(relation among homonyms)
- Homonyms: same forms/pronunciations +
different meanings.
Example:
- air (n) – air (v)
- address (n) – address (v)
- bat (animal) – bat (object)
VIETNAMESE
- Homonymy: hiện tượng
đồng âm
- Homonym: từ đồng âm
Example:
- đậu (n) – đậu (v)
- cặp (pair) – cặp (bag)
- lợi (lợi răng) – lợi (lợi
ích)
1.1 Homonymy
b) Classification in English (2 types) (Saeed, 2016)
● TYPE 1: Absolute homonyms = identical forms + grammatical
equivalence
E.x: Bank (n) – Bank (n)
TYPE 2: Partial homonyms.
a) Homophones = identical pronunciation + different spelling
E.x: morning – mourning; there – their
b) Homograph = identical spelling + different pronunciation
E.x: present (n) – present (v)
c) Perfect/ Full homonyms: identical forms + grammatical differences
E.x: Book (v) – book (n)
●
1.1 Homonymy
b) Classification in Vietnamese (3 types) (Nguyễn, 2016)
TYPE 1: Lexical: same category of speech parts (noun, verb, adjective,
adverb)
Đường (street) (n) – đường (sugar) (n)
TYPE 2: Lexico-grammatical: identical forms + different category of
speech parts
Đá (kick) (v) – đá (rock) (n)
TYPE 3: Homonymy through translation of foreign languages:
Con sâu – sâu diễn (show)
giảm sút – sút bóng (shoot)
SIMILARITIES: Both English and Vietnamese have:
+ absolute homonyms (identical forms, same grammar roles)
+ full homonyms (identical forms, different grammar roles)
DIFFERENCES:
+ Some types of English homonyms are different either in spelling or in
pronunciation. Vietnamese doesn’t have these types of homonyms.
+ Vietnamese has homonyms from translation of foreign languages (sâu show)
+ English words which are homonymous in a context may be not
homonymous in another one. Vietnamese doesn’t have these.
E.x: “aloud” & “allowed”
Allowed (Ved)  Yes
Allow (V present)  No
1.2
SYNONYMY
1.2 Synonymy - Definition
Synonymy
• is a relation in which various words
have different (written and sound) forms
but have the same or nearly the same
meaning. (Lyons, 1995)
Synonyms
• are actually words of the same parts of
speech which have similar or identical
denotation, but differ in shades of
meaning, connotation or combinability
with other words. (Lyons, 1995)
Ex 1: To make - to produce - to create – to fabricate - to
manufacture
Ex 2: Hide & conceal
1.2 Synonymy – Classification in English (5 types)
(Saeed, 2016)
TYPE 1: Absolute synonyms: identical
meanings in all contexts + semantic
equivalence in all meaning dimensions.
E.x: begin – start
TYPE 2: Semantic synonyms: differences in
denotations.
E.x: bad – terrible –
awful
1.2 Synonymy – Classification in English (5 types)
(Saeed, 2016)
TYPE 3: Phraseological synonyms:
differences in collocations.
E.x: do – make
TYPE 4: Territorial synonyms: words that
are used in different regions.
E.x: football – soccer
TYPE 5: Euphemism: words that are used to
reduce offensive effects.
E.x: die – pass away
1.2 Synonymy – Classification in Vietnamese (2 types) (Nguyễn, 2014)
TYPE 1: Absolute synonyms (đồng
E.x: vay – mượn; cha – bố;
nghĩa hoàn toàn)
mẹ - má; bệnh nhân – người
bệnh
TYPE 2: Partial synonyms (đồng nghĩa
E.x: ăn – xơi (more informal)
không hoàn toàn) differences in degrees
Chết – khuất núi (more
of expressions and symbology.
formal/ respectful)
SIMILARITIES:
Both English and Vietnamese cover all types of synonyms.
+ absolute synonyms
+ semantic synonyms (bad-terrible; tệ - thảm hại)
+ euphemism synonyms (die-pass away; chết – qua đời)
+ Territorial synonyms (football – soccer; bố - tía)
+ Phraseological synonyms (do – make; làm – thực hiện)
DIFFERENCES: English synonyms have more detailed
classifications (5 types) while Vietnamese only have 2 types.
1.3
ANTONYMY
1.3 Antonymy.
Classification in English (3 types) (Saeed, 2016)
TYPE 1: Relational antonyms:
E.x: front – back
Relationship between 2 opposites that co-exist.
TYPE 2: Graded antonyms:
Showing variation between 2 opposites.
E.x: Huge => big =>
full-size => petite =>
little => …
TYPE 3: Complimentary antonyms:
E.x: dead - alive
Relationship between 2 opposites that can’t coexist ịn a specific situation.
1.3 Antonymy.
Classification in Vietnamese (2 types) (Nguyễn, 2014)
TYPE 1: absolute antonyms: they E.x: ít – nhiều
have opposite meanings in all
contexts.
TYPE 2: Partial antonyms: They do E.x: In normal contexts, “cao”
not carry opposite meanings in some and”sâu” are not antonyms, but
contexts.
in “cao chót vót – sâu thăm
thẳm”, they carry opposite.
SIMILARITIES:
Both English and Vietnamese cover all types of antonyms.
DIFFERENCES:
They are classified based on different criteria.
+ English antonyms are classified based on the relationship
between the antonyms.
+ Vietnamese antonyms are classified based on their contextual
meanings.
1.4
FIGURES OF SPEECH
1.4 Figures of speech
1.4.1 METAPHOR: an implicit comparison to show the similarity
between two things that aren’t similar in normal occasions. (Lyons, 1995)
•
Cultural and social knowledge is required to understand a metaphor.
•
Cultural differences might result in mistranslation/ difficulty in
translating.
E.x: Mò kim đáy bể => you can’t get blood out of stone.
Vỏ quýt dày có móng tay nhọn => Diamond cuts diamonds.
Chủ vắng nhà, gà mọc đuôi tôm => When the cat’s away the mice will play.
1.4 Figures of speech
1.4.2 METONYMY: the substitution of one word for another with
which it is closely associated. (Saeed, 2016)
E.x: This afternoon, the White House is announcing …
=> important figures governing the US.
Cutural knowledge is required to understand a metonymy.
E.x: Áo chàm đưa buổi phân li.
1.4 Figures of speech
1.4.2. Metonymy - Classifications in English (6 types) (Saeed, 2016)
TYPE 1: Containment: the container is
used to refer to the contained subject.
E.x: A dish => referring to
food.
TYPE 2: Physical thing refers to a
related concept.
E.x: Stomach, belly =>
referring to hunger; mouth
=> referring to speech
TYPE 3: Tool/ instrument is used to
E.x: Apron => referring to
refer to a job/ the person who does the job. chefs and cooks
1.4 Figures of speech
1.4.2. Metonymy - Classifications in English (6 types) (Saeed, 2016)
TYPE 4: Product is used to refer to the E.x: book => the process of
process.
writing
TYPE 5: Punctuation marks
E.x: He's a big question to
me.
TYPE 6: Synecdoche (a part of
something is used to refer to the whole)
E.x: hands => assistants
1.4 Figures of speech
1.4.3. Metonymy - Classifications in Vietnamese (4 types) (Nguyen, 2014)
TYPE 1: Containment: the container is used E.x: Phòng số 6
to refer to the contained subject.
TYPE 2: Concrete things are used to refer
to an abstract concept.
E.x: Một cây làm chẳng
nên non, ba cây chụm lại
nên hòn núi cao
TYPE 3: Signals: referring to something by
using its signal.
E.x: Này, áo vàng kia!
TYPE 4: Synecdoche: using a part of
something to refer to the whole.
E.x: Tay cờ vua
SIMILARITIES:
Both English & Vietnamese cover all types of Metonymy.
DIFFERENCES:
Vietnamese categorizations are much broader and more general.
One Vietnamese category can combine several Englis. categories.
Ex: Type 5 in English - Punctuation marks
“Anh ấy là một dấu chấm hỏi lớn với tôi” is considered to belong to
type 2 in Vietnamese (using concrete things to refer to abstract
concepts)
References
1. Lyons, J. (1995). Linguistic Semantics: An Introduction. Cambridge: CUP.
2. Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (2014). “Phân biệt nghĩa và ý nghĩa trong ngôn ngữ học
hiện đại”. Tạp chí khoa học ĐHQGHN: Nghiên cứu nước ngoài, Tập 30, Số 3.
3. Saeed, J. I. (2016). Semantics (4th ed.). Oxford: WILEY-Blackwell.