- This paper focuses on English and Vietnamese negative questions in term of structures and word using. - The author wishes only to concentrate on four types of negative questions: negative Yes/ No question, negative Tag- question, negative Wh- question, negative alternative question. - The similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese negative questions have been analysed and pointed out. - The thesis mainly focuses on the structures of four types of negative questions in English and Vietnamese, the negative words that are used in negative questions are also considered. - Aims of the study . - Scope of the study . - Methods of the study . - Design of the study . - Negative questions in English . - 2.2 The semantic and pragmatic approach to English negative questions………….. - Chapter 2: A contrastive analysis of the English and Vietnamese negative questions 1. - English negative questions . - A contrastive analysis of negative questions in English and Vietnamese equivalents.. - 4.3.1 Use of “not” in English negative question and negative words in Vietnamese equivalents . - Chapter 3: Common errors made by Hanoi commercial and tourism college (HCTC) students in using English negative questions and suggested solutions 1. - Summary of the findings . - There are a lot of types of question in English but in this paper I would like to devote all my interest in English negative questions in order to get more understanding of this type of questions and we can be able to use it flexibly and fluently. - The contrastive analysis of English and Vietnamese negative questions also reveals the similarities and differences in both languages. - Aims of the study. - Examining how structures and negative words of English and Vietnamese negative questions are built and used in details · Making a comparison of English negative questions with Vietnamese equivalents · Exposing some common mistakes made by Vietnamese students and presenting some suggested solutions · Heightening learner’s awareness in teaching and learning English and Vietnamese negative questions. - Scope of the study. - The study “English negative questions in English and Vietnamese - a contrastive analysis” focuses on English negative questions in English and Vietnamese equivalents within the frame of structures and using negative words. - Especially, only negative questions that use negator “not” will be discussed, other will be suggested for further study. - Methods of the study. - The study is conducted by carefully collecting materials from various sources to have full –blown information of English and Vietnamese negative questions. - And lastly, the contrastive analysis is made intra- and interlingually: English negative questions with Vietnamese counterparts, contrastive analysis involves two stages: description of the structures and the use of negative words in both languages. - Design of the study. - Part 1 is the Introduction of the study. - Part 2 contains three chapters, in which Chapter 1 provides readers some theoretical background on negation, negative questions in English and Vietnamese in brief. - Chapter 2 is also the main part of the study, provides the contrastive analysis of English and Vietnamese negative questions. - Chapter 3 presents a small research of the author to find out some common mistakes made by Vietnamese students in using English negative questions and suggested solutions. - Part 3 is the Conclusion of the study. - It also gives out implication for teaching and learning Negative questions and some suggestions for further studies. - Chapter 1: Theoretical background This chapter focuses on some theoretical background on negation, negative questions in English and Vietnamese in brief. - It is the opposition of the affirmative category. - The scope of negation formally extents from the negative words to the end of the clause or to the beginning of a final adjunct. - Negative questions in English 2.1 What is a negative question? Negative questions differ in meaning from normal questions only in that the speaker expresses an implied assumption or hope for which he is requesting affirmation or denial. - 2.2 The semantic and pragmatic approach to English negative questions. - Ladd (1981) presents a first look at the semantics and pragmatics of negative questions. - Bob uses the negative question here for a very different reason: he had previously assumed the truth of the proposition there is a vegetarian restaurant around here, but has now inferred from what Kathleen says that this proposition is actually false, and is using the negative questions to check this new inference. - (We couldn’t go out because of the bad weather). - English negative questions Negative questions are used in many different situations. - Don’t you buy that book?. - An affirmative statement is often followed by a negative tag question, in order to ask for confirmation of the affirmative statement. - Are you coming or aren’t you? However, sometimes alternative questions may be concentrated on part of the whole clause. - A contrastive analysis of negative questions in English and Vietnamese equivalents 4.1 Introduction. - We also would like to give the comparison of the use of “not” (Subclause negation) in English negative question and negative words in Vietnamese equivalents. - This form of negative questions is rendered into Vietnamese in the same way as the form with not plus non-assertive words. - Sometimes we use negative questions with “be” and “do” for emphasis, especially with descriptions. - Negative questions can express feelings surprised and suggestions lobbying, criticizing others, admirers or invitation. - E.g.1: Haven’t you done your homework? (the deadline is close) (You have not done your homework? The deadline is approaching!). - Won’t you help me? (=Please help me). - In Vietnamese, this type of questions is formed with interrogative pronouns such as: ai (who/ whom), của ai (whose), gì (what), cái nào (which), khi nào (when), đâu, ở đâu (where), như thế nào, bằng cách nào (how), vì sao, tại sao, thế nào (why), bao nhiêu (how much, how many), bao lâu (how long)… In Vietnamese questions, interrogative pronouns are located in the place of the word, which it replaces. - It is not necessary to invert it to the beginning of the sentence like in English. - But in English questions, wh- words always come first, on the other hand in Vietnamese ones, they can come first, jump in the middle or come at the end of the questions. - In Vietnamese questions, people tend to use modal particles in the final position of the sentence. - In the previous part, we have just presented a contrastive analysis of the structure (clausal negation) between English negative questions and Vietnamese equivalents. - And in this part we would like to discussed the Use of “not” in English negative question and negative words in Vietnamese equivalents. - 4.3.1 Use of “not” in English negative question and negative words in Vietnamese equivalents Negation is a process of sentence. - However, in this study the writer wishes only focus on the use of “not” in English and make a comparison between “not” in English negative questions and other negative adjuncts in Vietnamese ones. - The position of “not” and “không” in English and Vietnamese negative sentence is often similar, they are both placed before the verbs. - In English “not” can be contracted to “n’t” and added to the operators but “không” in Vietnamese is not contracted at all. - E.g.1: Don’t you drink coffee?. - Chapter 3: Common mistakes made by Hanoi commercial and tourism college (HCTC) students in using English negative questions and suggested solutions. - The first two questions are designed in order to find out the frequency and the aim of using negative questions of students. - In the next question, we ask students to form negative questions using suggested words (there are four types of negative questions are presented). - And the last question, students are requested to translate the negative questions into English and Vietnamese. - Those questions are designed with the only aim to find out the cognitive ability (reaction) in using negative questions in English and Vietnamese in term of structures and word using. - Sheets of survey questionnaire were delivered to the subjects · The finished sheets were collected · The collected data were analyzed and synthesized to yield results · Conclusion were drawn from the results 2.4 Findings For the first questions, only 10% of students often use negative question, it seems to be reasonable, because in Vietnamese the negative questions are not popular as other types of questions, and as discussed above Vietnamese people tend to transfer their forms and meanings of their native language to English. - For question “In which situation(s) do you use English negative questions. - 72% of students use negative questions when they think the other person will answer in agreement with them, 64% of students use negative questions when they are very sure and only want to check information, 28 % use negative questions to ask for confirmation, and 18% for the last choice. - Forming negative questions by using subject operator inversion may probably be hard work since the word-order for questions in Vietnamese is almost the same as that for statements. - instead of “Why didn’t you come to work last week?”. - As mentioned above, in the last part of the questionnaire - translation, the author only wish to find out whether students can form the negative questions in English and Vietnamese as well. - However, there exist some mistakes for students who have not understood about English and Vietnamese negative questions thoroughly. - There still exist more mistakes of the students when they practise and use English negative questions. - Generally, during the process of learning English, Vietnamese learners may face with some problems and difficulties when dealing with English negative questions. - Teachers can ask students to do these kinds of exercise and then give them the feedback, at the same time teachers should emphasize the forms, structures and situational meanings when we use English negative questions. - Exercise 1: Following the model of the examples, rewrite the following affirmative statements as questions, negative statements, negative questions without contractions, negative questions with contractions, and affirmative statements followed by negative tag questions. - Exercise 2: Change the following affirmative statements into negative questions. - Won’t you help me? 2. - Make a conversation between A & B, remember to use as many negative questions as possible. - Summary of the study. - The study has analyzed and discussed a contrastive analysis of negative questions in English and Vietnamese. - The structures of English negative questions ( negative Yes/No-question, negative Tag-questions, negative Wh-questions, and negative alternative-questions) have been described and compared with Vietnamese equivalents to find out the similarities and differences to help learners fully understand them in both languages. - And another more important part in my study is to find how to use “not” in English negative questions and “không”, “chưa”, “chẳng”, “chả” in Vietnamese equivalents. - However, in negative questions, “không” in Vietnamese is not placed before the subject meanwhile “not” can be place before or after subject (negative full form and negative short form). - I hope that my study on the contrastive analysis of English and Vietnamese equivalents can help other learners and I myself know how to use English negative questions correctly and profoundly. - Moreover, this study also helps us to improve the language competence in order to avoid mistakes and have a deep understanding about negative questions as well. - Generally speaking English negative questions are not the same as its Vietnamese equivalents, so for students, they must be aware of the structures and know how to use English negative questions for different purposes. - It is a must to focus on structures and lexical devices when introducing English negative questions to Vietnamese learners. - This paper has investigated the contrastive analysis of English and Vietnamese negative questions, and the author has subjectively drawn out some findings about the structures and lexical devices that are used in English and Vietnamese negative questions. - A study on the semantic and pragmatic approach to English and Vietnamese negative questions · A study on the lexical devices used in English negative questions and Vietnamese equivalents Bibliography Vietnamese. - (1972), A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, Longman. - http://en.allexperts.com/q/English-Second-Language-1815/English-negative-questions-1.htm. - http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/19011-responding-negative-questions.html. - SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE This questionnaire is conducted with a view to investigating the common mistakes made by Vietnamese students in using English negative questions. - How often do you use English negative questions. - In which situation(s) do you use English negative questions. - Use suggested words to form negative questions