LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF IDIOMS AND PROVERBS RELATING TO MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59266/houjs.2026.1137Keywords:
English, Vietnamese, idioms, proverbs, similarities, differences, linguisticsAbstract
This study studies the linguistic features of 105 idioms and proverbs relating to marital relationships in English and Vietnamese from a comparative perspective. The study focuses on semantic categories and pragmatic functions. The findings indicate that both languages reflect shared concerns such as marital harmony, commitment, and mutual support, yet they differ in linguistic realization. Vietnamese idioms and proverbs tend to be more explicit and prescriptive, frequently encoding moral instruction and social norms through parallel structures. In contrast, English idioms and proverbs are generally more implicit and metaphorical, allowing greater interpretive flexibility depending on context. Concerning pragmatics, Vietnamese proverbs function as instruments of moral guidance, whereas English ones primarily serve interpretive and experiential roles. The study underscores the close relationship between language, culture, and pragmatic force, offering implications for translation, intercultural communication, and language pedagogy.
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