QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS

1. What is Contrastive Analysis? Give an example to illustrate the definition.

Answers: (4 points)
- Fisiak (1981) defines CA as "a sub-discipline of linguistics concerned with the comparison
of two or more languages or subsystems of language in order to determine both the
differences and similarities between them.“
In other words, CA is a branch of applied linguistics that is concerned with studying and
finding the similarities and differences between a pair of languages or more based on the
assumption that languages can be compared then applying these findings to the area of
teaching and learning languages.
E.g., A study on vowels in English and Vietnamese – A contrastive analysis
2. What is interference/transfer? Discuss positive & negative transfer.

Answers: (4 points)
- The term transfer/interference is dealt with in CA to explain the difficulties learners face in
learning a second language. To avoid any misunderstanding, transfer is used interchangeably
with interference. Transfer refers to the influence of L1 on L2 in both positive and negative
way. Odlin (1989) presents a definition of transfer as "The influence resulting from the
similarities and differences between the target language and any other language that has been
previously acquired”.
- Positive transfer occurs where a language item in L1 is also present in L2, so acquisition of
this item makes little or no difficulty for the learners. Negative transfer occurs when there is
no concordance between L1 and L2 and thus, acquisition of the new L2 structure would be
more difficult and errors reflecting L1 structure would be produced. (Powell: 1998)
3. What is the procedure for contrastive analysis? Give an example to illustrate. (4
points)

According to Lado (1957), Contrastive analysis goes through 4 stages:

1. Description: linguist explicitly describes the two languages under study
2. Selection: he selects forms (rules, structures) for contrast
3. Contrast: he compares and draws one linguistic system on the other to specify the
relationship of one system with the other.
4. Prediction based on the analysis.

4. What is a vowel? What is a consonant? What is the difference between a vowel and a
consonant? (4 points)

Definition:
A vowel is a speech sound in which the airstream from the lungs is not blocked in any way in
the mouth or throat – and which is usually pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords, e.g.
English /i:/ in /si:/ see and /u:/ in /tu:/ too.
A consonant is a speech sound where the air stream from the lungs is either completely
blocked (STOP), partially blocked (LATERAL), or where the opening is so narrow the air
escapes with audible friction (FRICATIVE). With some consonants (NASAL) the air stream
is blocked in the mouth but allowed to escape through the nose.
Difference between a vowel and a consonant:
A vowel is produced without any stoppage of the airstreams in the oral cavity meanwhile
there is obstruction in the production of a consonant.
A vowel is syllabic, i.e., it forms the centre or nucleus of a syllable meanwhile a consonant is
not except some syllabic consonants. Ex: are (V), car (CV), art (VC), cart (CVC)
5. What is a vowel? Compare and contrast English and Vietnamese vowels? (4 points)

Definition: A vowel is a speech sound in which the airstream from the lungs is not blocked
in any way in the mouth or throat – and which is usually pronounced with vibration of the
vocal cords, e.g. English /i:/ in /si:/ see and /u:/ in /tu:/ too.
Compare and contrast English and Vietnamese vowels
English vowels: There are 5 long vowels: i: u: ɜ: ɔ: a: and 7 short vowels: ə ɪ e æ ʌ ʊ
ɒ. And there are 12 diphthongs: /ɪə/, /eə/, /ʊə/, /ei/, /ai/, / /ɔɪ/, /əʊ/
Eg:
Vietnamese vowels: The vowel is the nucleus of words in Vietnamese. Each word contains
one vowel or a group of vowels with or without a consonant preceding or following. There
are 13 vowels: /i, e, ε, ɤ, ɤˇ, a, ɯ, ă, u, o, ɔ, ɔˇ, εˇ/, and 3 diphthongs: /ie, ɯɤ, uo/. In
spelling, we have these vowels: a, ă, â, e, ê, i, o, ô, ơ, u, ư, y.
Eg:
6. What is a consonant? Compare and contrast English and Vietnamese consonants.

Answers: (4 points)
Definition: A consonant is a speech sound where the air stream from the lungs is either
completely blocked (STOP), partially blocked (LATERAL), or where the opening is so
narrow the air escapes with audible friction (FRICATIVE). With some consonants (NASAL)
the air stream is blocked in the mouth but allowed to escape through the nose.
Compare and contrast English and Vietnamese consonants:
+ English consonants: 24 consonants: Plosive stop: Ex: /b/, /p/, /d/, /t/, /g/, /k/; Fricative:
Ex: /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /h/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/; Affricate: Ex: /tʃ/, /dʒ/; Nasal: Ex: /m/, /n/, /ŋ/;
Lateral: Ex: /l/; & Gliding or semi-vowel consonants: Ex: /w/, /r/, /j/
+ Vietnamese consonants: 22 initial consonants: /b, m, f, v, t, t’, d, n, z, ʐ, s, ş, c, ʈ, ɲ, l, k,
χ, ŋ, ɣ, h, ʔ/ and 8 ending/ closing consonants in which there are 6 consonants /m, n, ŋ, p, t,
k/ and 2 semi-vowels /-w, -i/.

7. What does word mean? What do morphemes mean? Give examples in English &
Vietnamese. (4 points)

Word means dialectical unity of form and content, independent unit of language capable to
form a sentence by itself.
E.g.:
In English: book, bookish, unlucky, lexicology, whitewash, kiss-me-quick, happy-go-lucky
In Vietnamese: tôi, bác, hoa, sông, nói cười, đường sắt, câu lạc bộ
Morphemes may be defined as the minimal meaningful language units. In Vietnamese,
morphemes may coincide with syllables.
E.g:
In English: book + -ish = bookish; un- + luck + -y = unlucky
In Vietnamese: đường + sắt = đường sắt; câu + lạc + bộ = câu lạc bộ

8. What is the definition of homonyms in English? How are homonyms classified in

English and Vietnamese? Give an example for each.

Answers: (4 points)
Def: Homonyms are words identical in pronunciation and/or spelling but different in
meaning. Eg: ‘here – hear’ in English; ‘con ngựa đá đá con ngựa đá’ in Vietnamese
How are homonyms classified in English and Vietnamese?
In English: There are 3 types of homonyms:
- Homophones: are words identical in pronunciation only, eg, buy – by
- Homographs: are words identical in spelling only, e.g., tear – tear
- Full (perfect) homonyms: are words identical in both pronunciation and spelling: e.g.,
fast (go without food or some kinds of food),fast (quickly) – fast (deeply, soundly)
In Vietnamese: There are 2 types:
- Full homonyms: are words identical in all parts of speech such as verbs, nouns, adjectives,
e.g., đường (đường để ăn) – đường (đường để đi); cầu (cầu xin) – cầu (cây cầu)
- Morpheme (syllable) homonyms: are words whose morpheme or syllable is identical in
pronunciation & spelling, e.g., yếu (tình trạng sức khỏe) – trọng yếu
9. What is the definition of figures of speech? Name types of figures of speech in English
and their equivalents in Vietnamese. Give an example for each.
Answers: (4 points)
Def: A figures of speech is ‘‘a word or phrase which is used for special effect, and which
does not have its usual or literal meaning’’
Types of figures of speech in English and their equivalents in Vietnamese
1. Simile and metaphor (Ví von/so sánh và ẩn dụ):
Eg: Simile: As fresh as a daisy; Trắng như tuyết
Metaphor: She is a fox (a cunning person)
“Êm đềm trướng rủ màn che
Tường đông ong bướm đi về mặc ai” (Nguyễn Du)
2. Personification (Nhân cách hóa)
Eg: - the thirsty ground, pitiless cold
- Em có nghe thấy gió nói gì không?
3. Metonymy (Hoán dụ)
Eg: - We live under the same roof (house)
- “Áo nâu cùng với áo xanh
Nông thôn cùng với thị thành đứng lên” (Tổ Hữu)
4. Synecdoche (Cải dung)
Eg: - She captured the hearts of the nation
 - “Vì sao trái đất nặng ân tình
Nhắc mãi tên Người Hồ Chí Minh” (Tố Hữu)
5. Hyperbole (Nói quá)
Eg: - She sheds floods of tears.
“Độc ác thay, trúc Nam sơn không ghi hết tội
Dơ bẩn thay, nước Đông hải không rửa sạch mùi”
6. Litotes (Nói giảm)
Eg: - I don’t think I would agree with you.
- “Bác đã đi rồi sao Bác ơi!” (Tố Hữu)
7. Irony (Mỉa mai/ châm biếm)
Eg: - What a lovely day it was! Everything I had went wrong.
- Nếu tên bạn không phải là Google thì đừng có hành động như bạn biết tất cả mọi thứ
vậy.
8. Euphemism
Eg: - He breathed his last.
- Ông ấy đã trút hơi thở cuối cùng.
9. Onomatopoeia (Sound imitation)
Eg: - Hiss, cuckoo
- quạc quạc, ào ào, rì rầm

10 Give the definition of simile and metaphors. Give examples in English and
Vietnamese. (4 points)

Simile is ‘‘the use of comparison of one thing with another’’.

Ex: - He runs as fast as the wind.
- Đỏ như son/máu
Metaphor is the transference of names based on the association of similarity. In other words,
metaphor is a hidden comparison.
Ex: - She has a heart of stone.
- Người Cha mái tóc bạc
Đốt lửa cho anh nằm

11. What is the definition of metonymy? Give examples in English and Vietnamese.

Answers: (4 points)
Definition: Metonymy is metonymy is the transference of name based on the association of
contiguity. The name of one thing is changed for that of another to which it is related.
Ex: - The kettle is boiling.
- “Áo nâu cùng với áo xanh,
Nông thôn cùng với thị thành đứng lên”
12. What aspect of contrastive linguistics do you like most? Discuss it. (2 points)