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An Investigation into English and Vietnamese Idioms

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An Investigation into English and Vietnamese Idioms
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF DANANG
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This thesis has been completed at the University of Danang

ĐẶNG THỊ BÍCH HƯỜNG
Supervisor: NGUYỄN THỊ QUỲNH HOA, Ph.D.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO ENGLISH
AND VIETNAMESE IDIOMS CONTAINING WORDS
DENOTING WEATHER

Examiner 1: Assoc. Prof. Dr. TRẦN VĂN PHƯỚC

Examiner 2: NGŨ THIỆN HÙNG, Ph.D.

Field: THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Code: 60.22.15

This thesis will be defended at the Examination Council for the M.A.
Time: 16/1/2011
Venue: Danang University

M.A. THESIS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
(RESEARCH SUMMARY)

This thesis is available at:
- The Information Resources Center, the University of Danang

Danang, 2011

- The library of College of Foreign Languages, the University of
Danang

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. RATIONALE

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It is hoped that along with the understanding of the features of idioms in general and those of IWW in particular, the findings of the study

Idioms can be considered an attractive and popular phenomenon of

can help learners employ IWW more regularly, spontaneously and

every language. They can convey speaker’s intention more interestingly,

effectively. Hence, the syntax and semantics of EIWW and VIWW are the

persuasively and succinctly than a word. It is the reason why idioms are so

focus of the thesis. The thesis also can be a useful reference resource for

popular. They occur not only in everyday conversations but also in

teaching and studying EIWW in particular.

standard literature works. However, understanding an idiom by

1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

understanding its components is not enough because idioms’ meanings are

1.3.1. Aims of the study

unpredictable which derive from unusual forms, stylistic devices and

- Exploring the syntactic and semantic characteristics of EIWW in

knowledge on culture. Although idioms are not easy to comprehend, it is necessary for learners not to disregard idioms in studying languages because idioms are an unseparated element of

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