Luận Văn A Contrastive Analysis of adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese

The background of the study
Nowadays, English is considered as an international language. By far the greater part of usage raises no controversies and poses no problems for native speakers of English, just because it is their native language. However, there are certain problems for learners of English as a foreign language, especially English constructions.
Adverbial clauses play an important roles in Grammar in English and Vietnamese. Vietnamese learners have made many mistakes in using adverbial clauses. In order to help Vietnamese learners of English overcome these difficulties, researches on contrastive analysis of the adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese should be done. There have been many researches on adverbial clauses so far. However, the problems posed for Vietnamese learners of English concerning contrastive analysis of adverbial clauses have not yet been adequately investigated. Therefore, a study on contrastive analysis of adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese is believed to be of great importance and significance. The findings from the research would partly help learners of English to avoid mistakes, hence cultural shock and unnatural communication will be minimized.
This paper is intended to investigate the detail of English and Vietnamese adverbial clauses in order to help the learner using the adverbial clauses in two languages more accurately. This topic can be traced back because of the following reasons:
In the first place, adverbial clauses act widely as adverbial in the clause constituent. Despite the fact that most of the grammatical references have at least one part dealing with clauses of this type, learners still have difficulties understanding and using them correctly. However, there have been so few studies on such a challenging but interesting topic.
In the second place, the common use of adverbial clauses both in spoken and written English and the differences existing in English and Vietnamese in this linguistic area have grabbed the author’s. It is hoped that, a detailed research work, especially the one using contrastive analysis device, will satisfy any people of the same interest.
2. The aim of the study
Within the framework of an M.A. thesis, “A Contrastive Analysis of adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese” is mainly aimed at finding out the similarities and differences between the adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese in conceptual and descriptive terms.
3. The objective of the study
To fully achieve this aim, the study should answer the following question:
What are similarities and differences of adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese?
4. The objects of the study
The objects of the study are adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese.
5. Scope of the study
In this paper, the general points about English and Vietnamese adverbials have been analyzed thoroughly. Then, a comparison is carried out between adverbial clauses in English and Vietnamese.
6. The Methods of the study
This study is conducted by collecting materials by well-known English and Vietnamese scholars and comprehensively analyzed the materials to build up the framework.
This is a study on English and Vietnamese adverbials so that the main research method will be based on contrastive analysis. The two steps of contrastive analysis method : description and comparison will be especially of full use in chapter 3 dealing with adverbial clauses in the two languages: English and Vietnamese.
Samples of data containing simple sentences will be mainly selected from different sources, but primarily from short stories in English and Vietnamese such as Perfect Spy by Larry Berman, Điệp viên hoàn hảo by Nguyễn Đại Phượng, Gone with the wind by Magaret Mitchel, Cuốn theo chiều gió by Dương Tường, Đời thừa, Chí phèo, Đôi mắt by Nam Cao, Vợ chồng A Phủ, Dế mèn phiêu lưu kí by Tô Hoài, Mảnh trăng cuối rừng by Nguyễn Minh Châu, Người lái đò sông Đà by Nguyễn Tuân, Mùa lạc by Nguyễn Khải, etc. Besides, the examples to illustrate the argumentation have also been taken from books by Quirk, R., Green Baum, S., Leech, G. & Svartivik, J., Ramsay, O.C, Nguyễn Minh Thuyết & Nguyễn Văn Hiệp, Diep Quang Ban, etc. Apart from those publications named above, other studies are also consulted when necessary.
7. Significance of the study
Problems associated with grammar in general and adverbial clauses in particular often exist during the study of English language. Therefore, mistakes are not easily excluded. This research has been conducted with a view to providing readers with an insight into English adverbial clauses. Furthermore, a contrastive analysis between English adverbial clauses and Vietnamese equivalents is also used. Expectantly, this study could help Vietnamese learners of English to avoid their mistakes when using adverbial clauses in specific cases.

8. Design of the study
Beside the introduction, the conclusion and the references, the thesis consists of three chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 discusses the theoretical background in which definitions, characteristics and classification of adverbial clauses in two languages have been dealt with. Review of contrastive analysis has been done also.
Chapter 2 deals with methodology in which the method of the study, research questions and research procedures have been mentioned.
Chapter 3 concerns the findings and discussion of the findings. Also, some implications of the study have been mentioned.