MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS AN INVESTIGATION INTO SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH “GO” IDIOMS WITH REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS NGHIÊN CỨU CÁC ĐẶC TRƢNG CÚ PHÁP VÀ NGỮ NGHĨA CỦA CÁC THÀNH NGỮ TIẾNG ANH CÓ ĐỘNG TỪ ‗GO‘ TRONG SỰ LIÊN HỆ VỚI TƢƠNG ĐƢƠNG TIẾNG VIỆT NGUYEN THI THUY LINH Hanoi, 2016 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS AN INVESTIGATION INTO SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH “GO” IDIOMS WITH REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS NGHIÊN CỨU CÁC ĐẶC TRƢNG CÚ PHÁP VÀ NGỮ NGHĨA CỦA CÁC THÀNH NGỮ TIẾNG ANH CÓ ĐỘNG TỪ ‗GO‘ TRONG SỰ LIÊN HỆ VỚI TƢƠNG ĐƢƠNG TIẾNG VIỆT NGUYEN THI THUY LINH Field: English Language Code: 60220201 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Ph.D Hanoi, 2016 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled An Investigation into Syntactic and Semantic Features of English―Go‖ idioms with reference to the Vietnamese Equivalents submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person‘s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2016 Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh Approved by SUPERVISOR Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Ph.D Date……………… iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Ph.D, who has patiently supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher A special word of thanks goes to many other lecturers, without whose support and encouragement, it would have never been possible for me to have this thesis accomplished Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my family, my husband and my children for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work iv ABSTRACT Among the most popular English words being used currently worldwide, the verb ―GO‖ has been, without a doubt, of great concern by linguists so far Therefore, an initial investigation into syntactic and semantic features of ―GO‖idioms with reference to the Vietnamese equivalents would provide valuable experience to further studies of linguistics in general and help Vietnamese students as learners of foreign language in translation Numerous examples have been analyzed cautiously by applying qualitative approach and some other ones so as to achieve the set objectives v LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1: Syntactic structures of ―GO‖ combinations 16 Table 2: The semantic senses encoded by the verb GO 16 Table 3.The structure of ―GO‖ idioms with GO as a single verb .38 Table 4.The structure of ―GO‖ idioms with GO as a phrasal verb 39 Table Idioms with ―GO‖ denoting ―movement‖ 41 Table Common categories of noun phrases in ―GO‖ idioms 67 Table Frequency of ―GO‖ idioms denoting different meanings 73 Chart 1: The second component of ―GO‖ idioms with GO as a single verb 38 Chart 2: Phrasal verb "GO" + components .39 Chart 3: Common categories of noun phrases in ―GO‖ idioms .67 Chart 4: Frequency of ―GO‖ idioms denoting different meanings 73 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv ABSTRACT v LIST OF TABLES vi Chapter .1 INTRODUCTION .1 1.1 Rationale for the research 1.2 Aims of the research 1.3 Objectives of the research 1.4 Scope of the research 1.5 Significance of the research 1.6 Structural organization of the thesis Chapter .7 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Review of previous studies .7 2.2 Review of theoretical background 2.2.1 Definition of idioms 2.2.2 Aspects of idioms 2.2.3 Features of idioms 10 2.2.4 Source of idioms .11 2.2.5 Types of idioms 11 2.2.6 Verbal idioms 13 2.2.7 Collocations and idioms 14 2.2.8 Application of idioms .15 2.2.9 Overview of the verb ―GO‖ 15 2.3 Summary 17 Chapter 18 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 18 vii 3.1 Research orientations 18 3.1.1 Research questions 18 3.1.2 Research setting 18 3.1.3 Research approaches 19 3.1.4 Criteria for intended data collection and data analysis 19 3.2 Research methods 20 3.2.1 Major methods and supporting methods 20 3.2.2 Data collection techniques 21 3.2.3 Data analysis techniques 21 3.3 Summary 22 Chapter 23 Findings and Discussion 23 4.1 Syntactic features of ―GO‖ idioms 23 4.1.1 Group 1: Single verb (GO) +noun phrase 23 4.1.3 Group 3: Single verb (GO) + adjective .26 4.1.4 Group 4: Single verb (GO) + adverb 28 4.1.5 Group 5: Single verb (GO) + preposition 29 4.1.6 Group 6: Phrasal verb + noun phrase 30 4.1.7 Group 7: Gerund + noun phrases 34 4.1.8 Group 8: Phrasal verb + preposition + pronoun / noun phrase .35 4.1.9 Group 9: Comparison 36 4.1.10 Group 10: Others 39 4.2 Semantic features of ―GO‖ idioms 40 4.2.1 Go + NP indicating fruit 42 4.2.2 Go + NP indicating a work of art .44 4.2.3 Go + NP indicating a kind of weapon 45 4.2.4 Go + NP indicating distance .46 4.2.5 Go + NP indicating a kind of animals 47 4.2.6 Go + NP indicating kinds of material .49 4.2.7 Go + NP indicating an object 51 viii 4.2.8 Go + NP indicating a part of the house 56 4.2.9 Go + NP indicating sport equipment 58 4.2.10 Go + NP indicating body parts .60 4.2.11 Go + NP indicating living things and natural phenomena 62 Summary 75 Chapter 77 CONCLUSION 77 5.1 Recapitulation 77 5.2 Concluding remarks 77 5.3 Implications 78 5.3.1 Implication for learning ―GO‖ idioms .78 5.2.2 Implication for teaching ―GO‖ idioms .78 5.2.3 Implication for translating ―GO‖ idioms 79 5.3 Limitations of the study 80 5.4 Suggestions for further studies .80 REFERENCES 82 APPENDIX I LIST OF GO IDIOMS AND THEIR MEANINGS 85 APPENDIX II LIST OF GO IDIOMS AND THE VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS 99 APPENDIX III 105 SOURCES OF EXAMPLES USED IN THE STUDY 105 ix Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the research It is obviously undeniable that language is an indispensable part in the life of humanity Language is an effective and irreplaceable tool of expressing mind, thought, saying, etc English is a very rich language and when people want to be proficient in English, all the linguistic phenomena have to be covered In fact, we are daily dealing with different kinds of figurative language, like idiomatic expressions, metonymies and metaphors Some of them are conventional while some of them may be created as we speak (Caillies & Declercq, 2011:207) Accordingly, the comprehension of the former, usually idiomatic expressions, depends on retrieval of a figurative meaning stored in memory, whereas the comprehension of the latter, usually metaphors, depends on an online sense creation process (Caillies & Declercq, 2011: 219) According to Glucksberg (2001), ―metaphors and idioms reflect both universal and culture-specific ways of thinking‖ as well as being ―the traps in the language‖ Those who learn English desires to master English as the native speakers However, we usually face the difficulties that prevent us from gaining natural conversations One of the reasons for these problems lies in the way we perceive and use idioms The structural and semantic problems posed by idioms puzzle us because most idioms not mean what they appear to mean The sense of the whole idiom is usually different from the meanings of the combination of its component parts The study is carried out with the hope of minimizing the problems of understanding idioms It can be said that studying idioms is not new, but it has never been old Đã tệ lại tệ (17) Gone with the wind Theo gió trơi Tan theo gió mây (18) Go for a spin Làm chuyến xe (19) Go to bat (for sb/sth) Ủng hộ nhiệt tình Ra sức ủng hộ (20) Go to the bad Xuống cấp đạo đức; tƣ cách đạo đức; hƣ hỏng (21) Go to someone‘s head Tự hào vỗ ngực ta đây; Tự mãn (22) Go to rack and ruin Xuống cấp nghiêm trọng thiếu chăm sóc (23) Go to bed with the chickens Ngủ từ lúc gà lên chuồng (24) Go about one‘s business Thản nhiên nhƣ khơng Bình chân nhƣ vại (25) Go to the way of the earth Về với giới bên kia; lìa đời (26) Go to heaven / kingdom- Về với tổ tiên come/one‘s long rest / own Về nơi an nghỉ cuối place / last home Về với đất mẹ (27) Go to sea Trở thành thủy thủ, làm lính thủy (28) Go up the line Ra mặt trận chiến đấu (29) Go on the stage Trở thành diễn viên, làm diễn viên (30) Go on the streets Làm nghề bán trôn nuôi miệng Làm gái bán hoa Làm gái đứng đƣờng (31) Go down in history Đƣợc ghi danh vào lịch sử; vào lịch sử (32) Go up in smoke Tan thành mây khói; tan tành; tan 100 biến (33) Go down in flames Bị thiêu rụi; bị biến thành tro bụi; sụp đổ hoàn tồn (34) Go into (fly into) a passion Giận tím mặt; giận (35) Go in peace Ra thản, nhẹ nhàng (36) Go to seed - Xuề xòa hình thức - Thiếu nhanh nhẹn, hoạt bát, trở nên già yếu (37) Go to one‘s heart Động lòng (38) Go to the wall Thua trận, bị đánh bại (39) Go into particulars Đi vào cụ thể, chi tiết (40) Go into overdrive Bắt đầu tăng tốc, bắt đầu hăng say làm (41) Go to pot / haywire Làm ăn bi đát, bi bét (42) Go to the bitter end Dốc tâm, dốc sức làm (43) Go into details Giải thích tỉ mỉ, cặn kẽ (44) Go into a huddle Bàn bạc, hội ý (45) Go to waste Lãng phí, uổng phí (46) Go into a rage Nổi tam bành; bốc hỏa; đóa lên (47) Go mad / crazy Phát điên, phát rồ, phát dại, phát cuồng lên (48) Go postal Điên tiết đến mức muốn đập phá (49) Go bankrupt Phá sản, kiệt quệ (50) Go red (of the face) Ngƣợng đỏ mặt Thẹn đỏ mặt 101 (51) Go white Tái nhợt sợ Sợ tái xanh tái mét (52) Go steady (with somebody Hẹn hò lãng mạn với (53) Go hard/ ill (with somebody) Gây khó cho (54) Go wrong Trục trặc, không suôn sẻ (55) Go pear-shaped Trục trặc, không xuôi chèo mát mái (56) Go spare Không xuôi chèo mát mái, không thuận buồm xi gió (57) Go astray Sa chân lỡ bƣớc (58) Go likewise Làm nhƣ (59) Go well! Đi mạnh giỏi, may mắn nhé! (60) Go overboard Nhiệt tình mức, cƣ xử thái (61) Go under Bị phá sản (công ty), bị suy sụp (tinh thần) (62) Go between Giảng hòa, giải mâu thuẫn hai bên (63) Go for Trị giá bao nhiêu, có giá (64) Go through Trải qua đau khổ, trải qua đắng cay (65) Go above and beyond Cố gắng hết mức (66) Go off the deep end Nổi giận đùng đùng, giận khôn (67) Go off the rails Cƣ xử kỳ quặc, thiếu kiểm soát (68) Go off on a tangent Quay ngoắt sang chủ đề khác (69) Go off with a bang Thành công rực rỡ (70) Go out Sập tiệm, phá sản of business 102 (71) Go out of your way Cố gắng (72) Go out the window Tiêu tan, (73) Go through the roof Nổi trận lơi đình (74) Go through the mill Vƣợt qua khó khăn thử thách (75) Go through the motions Bắt buộc phải làm khơng nhiệt tình, thích thú (76) Go through a rough patch Trải qua tram đắng nghìn cay, gian go through a bad / difficult / nan, vất vả, khổ cực sticky patch (77) Go against the grain Đi ngƣợc với mong muốn ai, làm điều trái khoáy (78) Go on the rocks Bên bờ vực thẳm (cơng ty), có nguy tan vỡ (hôn nhân) (79) Go on a tear Đang gặp vận đỏ (80) Go on the block Đem bán đấu giá (81) Go on business Đi công tác (82) Go off the hooks Chết, lìa xa cõi đời, mãi (83) Go out on a limb Liều giúp (84) Go through fire Trải qua mn vàn khó khăn and water (85) Go on a journey Đi chơi xa, du ngoạn (86) Go on a spending spree Ăn chơi phỡn, tiêu tiền xả láng (87) Go on strike Đình cơng (88) Go on the dole Sống hƣởng trợ cấp phủ (89) Go off at half-cock Hành động nông nổi, bộp chộp, thiếu chin chắn 103 (90) Go off the beaten track Gây bứt phá, tạo khác biệt, ―gây bão‖ (91) Go off the air Khơng phát sóng, khơng lên sóng (92) Go along for the ride A dua, a tòng (93) Go out of use Khơng thịnh hành (94) Going concern Năng động phát triển, có nhiều khả thành công (95) Going places Nhiều tiềm dẫn đến thành công (96) Go up in smoke (kế hoạch) đổ bể, tan tành mây khói (97) Go belly up Rơi vào tình trạng phá sản (98) Go hell for leather Hối hả, cắm đầu cắm cổ (99) Go to hell in a handcart Càng ngày tồi tệ, bi đát (100) Anything goes Không theo quy tắc, luật lệ nào; tự phát (101) Go one better Chơi trội (102) Go missing Biệt tăm biệt tích (103) Go all out Dốc (104) Happy-go-lucky Lạc quan, vô tƣ lự (105) Go like hot cakes Chạy nhƣ tôm tƣơi (106) Go like the wind Đi nhanh nhƣ cắt, nhƣ ma đuổi (107) Go with a swing Thành cơng mỹ mãn (108) Go for nothing Vơ tích sự, công toi, công cốc (109) Go from bad to worse Càng ngày bi đát (110) Go in at one ear and out at the Nghe tai sọ tai other 104 APPENDIX III SOURCES OF EXAMPLES USED IN THE STUDY Examples [1] The audience went mad with excitement when the elephant Sources https://www.oxforddictionaries.com stepped on to the stage [2] One can go mad from love, one can go mad over the songs of Madness and the Mad in Russian Culture by Angela Brintlinger & Ilya Vinitsky, some singer, from fear, and so on 2007 [3] Need to go Dutch with your friends, roommates? New Delhi, August 25, 2016 [4] Collins did not walk to Rosings, and not many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1813 [5] Hilary Clinton has been going between the Palestinians and the CBS News-25 September, 2016 Israelis to solve the conflict between the two groups [6] How much is the house down the street going for? - It‘s going for Real Estate Secrets by Alex Reid, Rhonda Reid , 2005 $ 189,000 105 [7] I hesitate to say this because I think Russell Westbrook is about www.dailymail.co.uk › Home › 2016 to go on a historic tear and he's going to be the league's MVP this Daily Mail-30 September, 2016 season [8] In spite of last night's terrorist attack, most people seem to be Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2008 : 613) going about their business as if nothing had happened [9] When Colin Kaepernick decided not to stand for the National When Athletes go Against the Grain by Anthem, he went against the grain He chose to something that Saliek Ruffin (31 August, 2016) was not expected of him https://goodmenproject.com [10] Israel was happy to go along for the ride But it had a separate Mintpress News (blog)-29 September, 2016 goal–to garner European support for its nuclear effort [11] South Africa Express is required to demonstrate its ability to http://www.ch-aviation.com continue operating on a going concern basis for a period of at least 12 months [12] Get in with a company going places www.indeed.com/q-Going-Places-Travel106 jobs.html [13] David Cameron will go down in history as the man who lost uk.businessinsider.com Europe and split the UK (12 September, 2016) [14] If Americans elect the wrong person, he contended, the United Washington Post-4 August, 2016 States would never recover and might go down in flames [15] Routine falsehoods, unfounded claims and inflammatory www.straitstimes.com/world/ /trumplanguage have long been staples of Mr Trump's anything- lowers-bar-for-election goes campaign [16] A happy-go-lucky person does not plan much and accepts what happens without becoming worried Cambridge University Press – 2008 [17] Well, George, when he gets mad, he goes bananas Furious George Goes Bananas: A Primate Parody by Michael Rex, 2010 [18] In the hole you have so much time, if you don't something Go Hard Into the Wind and Waves By Barbara Perrier (2003: 123) you'll go nuts [19] My piano lessons were going great guns, so I thought this put http:// www.oxforddictionaries.com 107 me in the elite and obviously endeavored to impress my teacher and probably my parents [20] ―Going the extra mile will help to surprise and delight your Customer services by Sally Bradley, 2003 customers and will probably give you more job satisfaction, too‖ [21] The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement English Idioms by Ahmed Abouleel, 2014 [22] The joy and fulfillment that you receive will be worth the I'm Hungry! I'm Bored! by Carol McComich, 2014 expense Go out of your way to make someone's life better and always try to be generous [23] Competition Commission of India said consumers as a whole have realized that in a fight against a giant, they will have to go the Economic Times -September, 2016 whole hog [24] If there‘s one thing most people can agree on these days it‘s The New Yoker (blog, 1/10/2012.) that political reporting has gone to the dogs [25] He continued to work out to stay in shape, getting up each Going for broke at Bonneville by Ann morning at 3:30 and going to bed with the chickens It's a schedule O'Neill – CNN (22 August, 2016) that softens the early mornings at the speedway [26] When Colin Kaepernick decided not to stand for the National When Athletes go Against the Grain by 108 Anthem, he went against the grain He chose to something that Saliek Ruffin, 2016 was not expected of him [27] Shwetha doesn‘t like asking people for help It goes against the www.thehindu.com grain (23 September, 2013) [28] He is going against the grain by trying to be an honest www.thehindu.com politician (23 September, 2013) [29] So if you get given the new ball, then go hell for leather www.cricket.com.au/news/ New boy Tremain eyes new-ball role By Cricbuzz (25 September, 2016) [30] Things at the company went to pot / went haywire/went to https://www.italki.com/question rack and ruin because the management was lazy [31] Our picnic went to pot/ rack and ruin once the rain started https://www.italki.com/question [32] Without us, everything would collapse – and it'd be going to hell Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada (2010) in a handcart! [33] A collection of Trump's most odious quotes – ―I'm not a 10 Things That Actually Came Out Of 109 schmuck Even if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, I won't Donald Trump's Mouth (The Globe and Mail, October, 2016) lose a penny.‖ [35] I can go into overdrive when necessary and can pull back Women in Overdrive: Find Balance & when it gets to be too much Overcome Burnout at Any Age (By Nora Isaacs – 2006) [36] HIV kills white blood cells – the warriors of the immune system One in 10 children has 'Aids defence' – and when the body‘s defences go into overdrive, even more of BBC News - BBC.com them can be killed by chronic levels of inflammation (29 September, 2016) [37] I didn‘t want to see you break up because you were going Walking Back To Happiness (by Lucy Dillon, 2010) through some rough patch! [38] In particular, we should eliminate laws that cause healthy food New York Times – 22 September, 2016 to go to waste https://blogs.harvard.edu/ /eliminate-lawsthat-cause-healthy-food [39] In spite of their efforts, they went to the wall idioms.thefreedictionary.com 110 [40] These guys will go to the wall for you dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english [41] When the plant closed down, all hopes of finding a job went out English Idioms by Ahmed Abouleel (2014) the window [42] Privacy went out the window when the Gestapo took over the When the Lamps Go Out By Megan Spurgin, 2012, p.35 state police [43] My father went through the roof when Paul damaged his new www.learn-english-today.com car [44] Oil is going through the roof following a Reuters report citing sources that say OPEC has reached a deal to limit oil production www.businessinsider.com Business Insider- 28 September, 2016 [45] ―I‘ve said before, I don‘t believe that any single party has a President Barack Obama (White House 111 monopoly on good ideas And I will go bat for whatever works, no transcript, 28 February, 2011) matter who or where it comes from.‖ [46] ―…the Justice Department has refused to go bat for the Defense The New York Times (14 November, of Marriage Act, legislation that established the definition of marriage 2011) as between a man and a woman‖ [47]When he believes in a project, he's willing to go to the mat for it idioms.thefreedictionary.com [48] It goes to his heart to see so much misery Rajpal Dictionary Of English Idioms & Phrases by Shori, A K - 2010 [49] Don‘t let success go to your head consciousmagazine.co/consciousdailymar6-2015/ [50] The loss of his property made him go off his head Idioms and Phrases by Sura College of Competition (2004:126) [51] All advice to some young people is useless It goes in at one ear Idioms and Phrases by Sura College of Competition (2004) and out at the other 112 [52] Now, all of this is gone with the wind Wind energy sees millions gone with the wind (Emmetsburg News, 17 October 2016) [53] Our national leaders went through fire and water to achieve Rajpal Dictionary Of English Idioms & Phrases by Shori, A K - 2010 freedom [54] Their marriage is (going) on the rocks www.thefreedictionary.com [55] The firm is (going) on the rocks www.thefreedictionary.com [56] Donald Trump‘s reality show is about to go off the air Donald Trump's reality show is about to go off the air (12 August, 2016) business.financialpost.com [57] China's "Heavenly Palace" Space Station will go down in flame (Motley Fool -September, 2016) [58] Will our $100 billion Chinese investments go up in smoke? (The Independent - October, 2016) [59] Is Eric willing to go out on a limb to secure Karen's love? https://www.amazon.com [60] Rob Thompson, the producer, admits the series is going out on a www.asbiuro.pl/szkola/forum/nauka limb in that it is quite different to anything else currently on television 113 [61] He has gone to seed since we last him He used to dress smartly online-english-lessons.eu and always wore a tie – now he looks untidy and dirty [62] The town I used to live in has really gone to seed The shops are online-english-lessons.eu boarded up and there's litter everywhere [63] Republican national committee chairman Reince Priebus said on https://www.theguardian.com › US News › Sunday that when it came to personnel issues with the Donald Trump Donald Trump campaign, ―I go with the flow‖ 114 ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS AN INVESTIGATION INTO SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH “GO” IDIOMS WITH REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS. .. decision to conduct my thesis titled AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH “GO” IDIOMS WITH REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS By studying cautiously into a... well, the author decided to a research in ―GO‖ idioms That is the reason why the study with the title An Investigation into Syntactic and Semantic Features of English “GO” idioms with Reference to