Colour Term Prototypes in English-Vietnamese: A Cognitive Perspective

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY --------------------------------------- NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM A COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE (TÍNH ĐIỂN DẠNG CỦA CÁC MÀU CƠ BẢN TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT DƢỚI GÓC ĐỘ NGÔN NGỮ HỌC TRI NHẬN) MAJOR: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 9220201 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Linguistics Hanoi, 2021 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY --------------------------------------- NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE FROM A COGNITIVE LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE (TÍNH ĐIỂN DẠNG CỦA CÁC MÀU CƠ BẢN TRONG TIẾNG ANH VÀ TIẾNG VIỆT DƢỚI GÓC ĐỘ NGÔN NGỮ HỌC TRI NHẬN) MAJOR: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS CODE: 9220201 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Linguistics Supervisor: Assoc. HOÀNG TUYẾT MINH Hanoi, 2021 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP The thesis entitled ―Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese from a cognitive linguistics perspective‖ has been submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. I, the undersigned, hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis, I have fully acknowledged and referenced the ideas and work of others, whether published or unpublished, in my thesis. The thesis does not contain work extracted from a thesis, dissertation or research paper previously presented for another degree or diploma at this or any other university.

Signature NGUYỄN ĐÔNG PHƢƠNG TIÊN i ABSTRACT This dissertation, with the aim of identifying the prototypes of black/đen, white/trắng, red/đỏ, yellow/vàng, green/blue/xanh, grey/xám colour terms, attempts to clarify the similarities and the differences among the prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data with further explanations from cognitive and cultural perspectives. Data is collected with as + basic colour terms + as/như + object referent X structure in English and Vietnamese data from literary works. Combined research methods are adopted in the following means: percentage identification of individual object referent is based on quantitative method whereas further explanations concerning distinctive features depend on qualitative method as well as the similarities and the differences among these prototypes count on contrastive method. The findings show: night as prototype of black colour term, snow as prototype of white colour term, blood and rose as two prototypes of red colour term, corn as prototype of yellow colour term, emerald as prototype of green colour term, sapphire as prototype of blue colour term, badger as prototype of grey colour term, mực as prototype of đen colour term, ngà as prototype of trắng colour term, son as prototype of đỏ colour term, nghệ as prototype of vàng colour term, tàu lá as prototype of xanh colour term, tro/gio as prototype of xám colour term.

Theoretically, this dissertation provides comprehensible explanations of cultural and cognitive characteristics of English and Vietnamese nations. Practically, the study results are helpful for English and Vietnamese learners in translating or interpreting these prototypes correctly from cultural and cognitive viewpoints. Profound knowledge of English and Vietnamese linguistic systems is beneficial for language learners for a more detailed description of the similarities and the differences. Last but not least, native readers or speakers understand the similarities and distinguish the differences for the appropriate daily usage.

ii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1.3: Theoretical framework of dissertation.2: Data analysis procedure of dissertation.1: Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data .2: Objects as culture-specific referents of basic colour terms in English data and Vietnamese data.3: Research outcome comparison about the most representative object referents or prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data. 170 APPENDIX 1: LITERATURE REVIEW.1: Main development representatives in terms of prototype & categories .2: Researches in English regarding lexicon research direction .3: Researches in English related to semantics research direction.4: Researches in English from culture research direction.5: Researches in English on the subject of cognition research direction .6: Researches in Vietnamese in regard to lexicon research direction.7: Researches in Vietnamese in terms of semantics research direction .8: Researches in Vietnamese connected to culture research direction. 184 APPENDIX 2: OBJECT REFERENTS OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA .1: Objects referents of black colour term in English data.3: Objects referents of red colour term in English data .4: Objects referents of yellow colour term in English data.5: Objects referents of green colour term in English.6: Objects referents of blue colour term in English data.7: Objects referents of grey colour term in English data .8: Objects referents of đen colour term in Vietnamese data .9: Objects referents of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data .10: Objects referents of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data .11: Objects referents of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data.12: Objects referents of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data.13: Objects referents of xám colour term in Vietnamese data. 292 APPENDIX 3: TABLES OF OBJECT REFERENTS AND 06-CLASS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORY SUB-CLASSIFICATION OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA .1: 27 English authors, 169 literary works and 430 tokens regarding black/white/red/yellow/green/blue/grey colour terms.2: 52 Vietnamese authors, 219 literary works and 443 tokens regarding đen/trắng/đỏ/vàng/xanh/xám colour terms.1: Object referents of black colour term in English data .2: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of black colour term in English data .3: Object referents of white colour term in English data .4: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of white colour term in English data .5: Object referents of red colour term in English data .6: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of red colour term in English data .7: Object referents of yellow colour term in English data .8: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of yellow colour term in English data .9: Object referents of green colour term in English data .10: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of green colour term in English data .11: Object referents of blue colour term in English.12: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of blue colour term in English data .13: Object referents of grey colour term in English data .14: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of grey colour term in English data .15: Object referents of đen colour term in Vietnamese data.16: 06-Class classification and category sub-classification of đen colour term in Vietnamese data.17: Object referents of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data .18: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data.19: Object referents of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data.20: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data.21: Object referents of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data .22: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data.27: Object referents of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data .28: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data.29: Object referents of xám colour term in Vietnamese data .30: 06-class classification and category sub-classification of xám colour term in Vietnamese data.

369 v TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP. Aims and Objectives. Scope of the study. Methodology of the study.

Significance of the study. Structure of the study. REVIEW ON PREVIOUS STUDIES. In Việt Nam.

Language-cognition-culture relation. An introduction of Category. Prototype and Prototype theory. An overview of Prototype terminology.

Viewpoints on Prototype theory. An overview of basic colour terms. Physical features and linguistic criteria of basic colour terms. Physical features of a basic colour term.

Linguistic criteria of a basic colour term. Basic colour terms in English. Basic colour terms in Vietnamese. Theoretical framework of dissertation.

Mixed research approach. Comparative-contrastive approach. Mixed research method. Comparative-contrastive method.

Procedures of data collection and data analysis. 80 CHAPTER 3: CLASS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORY SUB-CLASSIFICATION OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA. Class classification and category sub-classification of basic colour terms in English data. Class and category classification of black colour terms in English data.

Class and category classification of white colour term in English data. Class and category classification of red colour term in English data. Class and category classification of yellow colour term in English. Class and category classification of green colour terms in English data.

Class and category classification of grey colour term in English data. Class classification and category sub-classification of basic colour terms in Vietnamese data. Class and category classification of đen colour term in Vietnamese data. Class and category classification of trắng colour term in Vietnamese data.

Class and category classification of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese data. Class and category classification of vàng colour term in Vietnamese data. Class and category classification of xanh colour term in Vietnamese data. Class and category classification of xám colour term in Vietnamese data.

COMPARISON OF PROTOTYPES OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA. Prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data. Comparison of prototypes of basic colour terms in English and Vietnamese data 132 4. Prototype of black colour term in English compared to prototype of đen colour term in Vietnamese.

Prototype of white colour term in English compared to prototype of trắng colour term in Vietnamese. Prototype of red colour term in English compared to prototype of đỏ colour term in Vietnamese. Prototype of yellow colour term in English compared to prototype of vàng colour term in Vietnamese. Prototype of green colour term and prototype of blue colour term in English compared to prototype of xanh colour term in Vietnamese.

Prototype of grey colour term in English compared to prototype of xám colour term in Vietnamese. Limitations and suggestions for further study. 157 viii English references. 164 RESEARCHER‘S ARTICLES RELATED TO THE DISSERTATION.

170 APPENDIX 1: LITERATURE REVIEW. 170 APPENDIX 2: OBJECT REFERENTS OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA. 188 APPENDIX 3: TABLES OF OBJECT REFERENTS AND 06-CLASS CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORY SUB-CLASSIFICATION OF BASIC COLOUR TERMS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE DATA. Rationale The view on this diverse world results in different colour pictures, which clearly reflects the distinctive values in cognition and culture of one nation itself.

In other words, colour terms, besides the usual daily semantically expressive viewpoint, should be explored from deeper cognitive views underneath (Vũ Phương Anh, 2011) so as to explore the connections between one colour term and the equivalent prototypes in human beings‘ cognition. In the world, the issue of colour terms has been studied from various research aspects as follows: In terms of lexical aspect, the role of culture has been emphasized in researching colour terminologies, rather than researching colour terminologies in separation. Studies by Geiger (1869); Conklin (1955); Lakoff (1987); Kay & Maffi (1999) have influenced this current dissertation since cultural element used to be ignored in considering the connection between colour terminologies and their usage. In Vietnamese, Trịnh Thị Minh Hương (1999) paid more attention to lexical aspect, mainly towards one colour term or some basic colour terms in Vietnamese language.

Regarding semantic viewpoint, Kövecses (1986) and Lucy (1992) lay the foundation in which colour prototypes should be performed based on the semantic features of colour category. In Việt Nam, Hoàng Văn Hành (1982), Nguyễn Hoàng Phương Linh (2014) and Lê Phương Thảo (2018) compare and contrast the semantic values and meanings between colour terms in Vietnamese and English. Concerning culture factor, Chevalier and Gheerbrant (1997) as well as Wierzbicka (2006) provide knowledge about the role of culture in the diverse international system of colour symbols around the world. Nguyễn Khánh Hà (1995) confirms the existence of the parallel connection between one particular linguistic 1 expression (a lexical word unit) and its associated typical cultural national characteristics.

In respect of cognitive viewpoint, this research direction has been increasingly popular and widely applied.