1. Name of researcher Birth: Li Lijuan 2. Gender: female
3. Day born: 23/9/1984 4.Place of birth: Kunming City, China National
5. Decision to admit doctoral students: Number Decision No. 3012/QD-XHNV, dated December 31, 2021, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process (if any) Yes): Adjust the title of the doctoral dissertation:
Previous title: Survey of the characteristics of Chinese vocabulary in the online newspaper Saigon Liberation (in comparison with Standard Chinese and Vietnamese)
New topic title: Survey of vocabulary characteristics"西贡解放日报"- A special section of the Saigon Liberation Newspaper's online edition.((Comparison with Standard Chinese and Vietnamese). According to Decision No. 7483/QD-XHNV.
7. Name topic dissertation: Surgery close characteristic vocabulary above "西贡解放日报" - Specialist page of Saigon newspaper Cotton electronic release(compare with standard Mandarin Chinese and other languages. Vietnamese)
8. Major: Comparative Linguistics opposite to mat9. Codenumber: 9229020.03
10. Scientific supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoang Anh; Dr. Vo Thi Minh River
11. Summarize the new findings of the thesis. case:
- Research subjects
The subject of this thesis is the vocabulary system used in “西贡解放日报"—Saigon Liberation Newspaper's online publication. Specifically, the thesis focuses on surveying the semantic characteristics, structure, word combinations, and frequency of use of these lexical units, while also examining the socio-cultural factors that influence their formation and development."
- Research objectives
The purpose of this thesis is to clarify the phenomenon of semantic transfer and vocabulary transformation in the Vietnamese socio-cultural environment through the analysis of the vocabulary system on the Saigon Liberation Newspaper's online platform. The research results aim to contribute to identifying the mechanisms of Sino-Vietnamese language contact in journalistic life and to highlight the unique characteristics of Vietnamese Chinese.
- Research methods used
(1) Corpus linguistics method:
This method plays a core role, providing initial data and analytical tools.
Building a specialized corpus: Using web data collection techniques to build an electronic text corpus from the Saigon Giai Phong online newspaper, period March 2017-March 2025. The corpus was cleaned and marked with a consistent format.
Quantitative analysis: Using tools (AntConc, LancsBox) to statistically analyze vocabulary frequency, distribution, and word combination analysis (through MI and T-score indices), in order to quantify and identify key words and characteristic phrases.
(2) Comparison and contrast method:
This method is used to establish a frame of reference for identifying and highlighting the characteristics of vocabulary in the newspaper. The focus is on making comparisons in two main directions:
Firstly, a comparative analysis was conducted, comparing the Chinese vocabulary in the newspaper with standard Mandarin Chinese (using the 7th edition of the Modern Chinese Dictionary as a benchmark). Secondly, a cross-lingual comparison was conducted, comparing the Chinese vocabulary in the newspaper with its corresponding Sino-Vietnamese words in Vietnamese (using the Vietnamese Dictionary with Chinese character annotations for Sino-Vietnamese words, edited by Professor Hoang Phe, as a benchmark).
(3) Descriptive and analytical techniques:
Classification and description: Based on the quantitative results, classify and describe the vocabulary system in the newspaper.
Semantic analysis: A detailed analysis of the differences in meaning, semantic features, scope of use, and expressive nuances of the words selected as the subject of study.
- Main results
This dissertation has constructed a highly reliable corpus of Vietnamese-Chinese vocabulary, comprising over 130,000 vocabulary units extracted from the online edition of the Saigon Giai Phong newspaper. This is a crucial data source, not only directly serving the analyses in the dissertation but also having long-term reference value for further research on Chinese vocabulary in the Vietnamese context. Based on this corpus, the dissertation has established a comprehensive analytical framework for the semantic differences in Vietnamese-Chinese vocabulary. From a comparative perspective with Standard Chinese, the differing vocabulary units are divided into three main groups: endemic words reflecting indigenous cultural phenomena and objects; synonymous heteromorphic words showing diversity in syllable number, morpheme selection, and word order; and homomorphic words with different meanings demonstrating the flexible transformation mechanism of semantic structure. From a comparative Chinese-Vietnamese perspective, the thesis also analyzes the influence of Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary on Chinese vocabulary in newspapers.
The thesis analyzed the causes of the differences, affirming that these factors not only lead to differences but also act as intrinsic drivers promoting the richness and systematization of Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary. On a broader level, the thesis summarized the characteristics and development trends of Vietnamese Chinese within the global Chinese language system, asserting that Vietnamese Chinese possesses both high compatibility with Standard Chinese, clearly demonstrating the characteristic of "greater similarity than difference," and diversity and creativity through seemingly "non-standard" phenomena that are actually the convergence points of linguistic creation mechanisms and blended expressive pathways.
- Novel contributions of the thesis
Theoretically, firstly, this thesis is a systematic study of Vietnamese-Chinese vocabulary in online journalism, with a corpus comprising over 130,000 vocabulary units. In the analysis process, the thesis combined foundational theories: lexicology, sociolinguistics, contrastive linguistics, and corpus linguistics, creating a robust interdisciplinary methodology. Secondly, the thesis proposed a model for analyzing vocabulary using two parallel approaches: comparing Vietnamese-Chinese with Standard Chinese and comparing it with Vietnamese, thereby creating a comprehensive approach to vocabulary research in the context of multidimensional language contact. This model is not only valuable for the study of Vietnamese-Chinese but can also be applied to other Chinese variants in Southeast Asia and around the world. Third, the thesis clearly established and systematized the different semantic types in Vietnamese-Chinese vocabulary, including endemic words, synonymous heteromorphic words, and homomorphic words with different meanings. This classification was based on scientifically grounded semantic-formal criteria, contributing important empirical arguments to the field of global Chinese language research and contact languages. Fourth, the thesis clarified the interaction mechanism between Vietnamese-Chinese and Vietnamese (especially the Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary), with dialects such as Cantonese and Minnan, and with Classical and Modern Chinese. These analyses contribute to deciphering the "localization" process of Chinese in the multilingual environment of Vietnam, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the evolution and adaptation of Chinese in the Vietnamese context.
In practical terms, the thesis offers many specific applications. Firstly, in the field of dictionary compilation, the research provides empirical data for the construction of regional dictionaries such as the Global Chinese Dictionary, contributing to the comprehensive and accurate recording of the regional characteristics of the Chinese language in Vietnam. Secondly, for media language, the research results can serve as a reference for the standardization of the language in Chinese-language media outlets in Vietnam, helping journalists better identify the localized characteristics of the Chinese language in the contemporary media context.
- Conclude
This dissertation systematically surveyed the characteristics of Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary on the online edition of the Saigon Giai Phong newspaper (Chinese version), based on a self-constructed corpus of over 130,000 vocabulary units, combining theories of lexicology, sociolinguistics, comparative linguistics, and corpus linguistics.
The research results show that, compared to Standard Chinese, the Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary system clearly exhibits the characteristic of "greater similarity than difference," with differences concentrated in three main groups: endemic words, synonymous heteromorphic words, and homomorphic words with different meanings. These differences stem from linguistic contact factors such as the influence of Vietnamese, the persistence of dialects, the preservation of classical and modern Chinese, and the impact of media discourse. The thesis affirms that, in the global Chinese language system, diversity and creativity are two parallel characteristics, and linguistic homogeneity is not about eliminating differences but about accepting different expressive possibilities within a relatively standardized framework.
Theoretically, the thesis contributes to supplementing empirical evidence for research on global Chinese and contact languages; practically, the research results are valuable for dictionary compilation and for guiding the standardization of Chinese-language journalism.
Due to limitations in the scope of the survey, this thesis has only focused on written journalistic language and does not include the spoken language system. Further research could expand the survey to include spoken Vietnamese Chinese and conduct a cross-regional comparison between different Chinese variants in Southeast Asia.
12. Further research directions according to:
Firstly, the scope of the study should be expanded to include the spoken Chinese system in Vietnam. The thesis currently focuses only on written journalistic language, while spoken language more directly and vividly reflects linguistic contact and the process of localization. Studying spoken language will help to provide a more comprehensive picture of the Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary.
Secondly, the study expands to include a cross-regional comparative study between Vietnamese Chinese and other Chinese variants in Southeast Asia, such as Singaporean, Malaysian, and Thai Chinese. The survey results in this thesis show that some homophones in Vietnamese Chinese also appear in other Chinese variants, raising questions about the spread and reciprocal influence among Southeast Asian Chinese communities. Conducting a cross-regional comparative study will contribute to clarifying the similarities and differences between these variants, thereby providing an important empirical basis for the theory of global Chinese.
Thirdly, we need to continue refining the classification framework for semantic differences in Vietnamese-Chinese vocabulary. Some complex semantic phenomena within the corpus can still be considered and classified in more detail, aiming to build an increasingly sophisticated and comprehensive analytical system.
Fourth, apply modern discourse analysis theories to conduct more in-depth research on the linguistic characteristics of journalism. The thesis currently focuses primarily on the lexical aspect, while features such as discourse organization, coherence, expressive strategies, and interaction in journalistic texts remain unexplored. Incorporating discourse analysis theories into the research will contribute to broadening the depth of analysis, providing a more comprehensive explanation of the linguistic characteristics of Chinese-language journalism in Vietnam.
13. Published works related to the thesis case:
1.李丽娟(2024)越南华文报刊华语与普通话的词汇差异初探, Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on Comparative Linguistics and Comparisons Between Languages. The World Publishing House, pp. 1587-1592, ISBN: 9786043923773.
2.李丽娟(2025),词语搭配视域下"力量”的语义特征研究,学知(06), p. 52-55, ISSN:3029-0740.
3.阮黄英，李丽娟(2025),基于词表的两岸词语差异比较及对越汉语教学.新时代两岸华语教学国际学术研讨会论文集. pp.51-63, ISBN: 9789865265724.
4.李丽娟(2025),语料库在国际中文词汇教学中的应用研究But基于越南华文报刊语料的实证分析.数字时代汉语教学与研究论文集, p. 495-501. ISBN: 9786326074161.
5. Ly Le Quyen (2025), “The phenomenon of borrowing, preserving and creating vocabulary in Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper in Chinese style”, Language Magazine (08), pp.22-30. ISSN:0866-7519.
INFORMATION ABOUT DOCTORAL THESIS
1.Full name: Li Lijuan
2. Sex: Female
3.Date of birth: September 23, 1984
4.Place of birth: Kuming, China
5.Admission decision number: 3012/QD-XHNV, dated 31 December 2021, issued by VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi.
6.Changes in academic process: Adjusting the title of the doctoral thesis of a graduate student under Decision No. 7483/QD-XHNV.
7.Official thesis title: A survey of vocabulary characteristics on西贡解放日报– a special section of the Saigon Liberation Newspaper (the online version) (compared with standard Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese)
8.Major: Comparative and Contrastive Linguistics
9. Code: 9229020.03
10. Associate Professor Nguyen Hoang Anh; PhD. Vo Thi Minh Ha
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis
Research Subject
The subject of this disertation is the vocabulary system used in西贡解放日报 (the online version of Saigon Liberation Newspaper). specifically, the study examines the semantic, morphological, combinational, and frequency-related characteristics of lexical units, while also considering the socio-cultural factors that influence their formation and development.
Research Objectives
This disertation aims to elucidate the phenomenon of semantic transfer and lexical transformation within the Vietnamese socio-cultural context through an analysis of the vocabulary system used on the online platform of Saigon Liberation Newspaper. The findings are expected to contribute to identifying the mechanisms of Sino-Vietnamese language contact in journalistic discourse and to highlight the distinctive features of Vietnamese Chinese.
- Research Methods
(1) Corpus Linguistics Approach
This approach plays a central role by providing both primary data and analytical tools.
Corpus construction: A specialized electronic corpus was built using web-scraping techniques to collect texts from the Saigon Liberation Newspaper website, covering the period from March 2017 to March 2025. The corpus was subsequently cleaned and standardized.
Quantitative analysis: Tools such as AntConc and LancsBox were used to analyze word frequency, distribution, and collocational patterns (using MI and T-score indices), thereby identifying key lexical items and characteristic expressions.
(2) Comparative and Contrastive Method
This method establishes a reference framework to identify distinctive lexical features. It operates along two dimensions:
Intralingual comparison: Comparing the Chinese variant used in the newspaper with Standard Chinese (based on the Modern Chinese Dictionary, 7th edition).
Interlingual comparison: Comparing Chinese vocabulary in the newspaper with corresponding Sino-Vietnamese equivalents (based on the Vietnamese Dictionary with Chinese Characters, edited by Hoang Phe).
(3) Descriptive and Analytical Techniques
Classification and description: Vocabulary is categorized and described based on quantitative findings.
Semantic analysis: Detailed analysis is conducted on differences in meaning, semantic features, usage scope, and expressive nuances.
Main Results
This disertation constructs a highly reliable corpus of Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary, including over 130,000 lexical items extracted from the online edition of Saigon Liberation Newspaper. This corpus serves not only as the empirical foundation for the study but also as a valuable resource for future research on Chinese in the Vietnamese context.
Based on this corpus, the disertation develops a comprehensive analytical framework for semantic variation in Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary. From a comparison with Standard Chinese, lexical differences are categorized into three main groups: (1) Endemic words reflect local cultural phenomena; (2) Synonymous heteromorphic words (varying in syllable count, morpheme selection, and word order); (3)Homomorphic words exhibiting semantic divergence. From a Chinese–Vietnamese comparative perspective, the study further analyzes the influence of Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary on Chinese usage in journalistic contexts.
The disertation also examines the causes of these differences, demonstrating that they not only generate variation but also function as intrinsic drivers of lexical richness and systematization. More broadly, the study identifies key characteristics and developmental trends of Vietnamese Chinese within the global Chinese linguistic system. It argues that Vietnamese Chinese exhibits both a high degree of compatibility with Standard Chinese—characterized by “greater similarity than difference”—and a notable degree of diversity and creativity, manifested through seemingly “non-standard” forms that in fact represent innovative linguistic convergence.
Novel Contributions
Theoretical Contributions
First, this disertation provides a systematic study of Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary in electronic journalism, supported by a large-scale corpus of over 130,000 lexical items. It integrates multiple theoretical frameworks—lexicology, sociolinguistics, contrastive linguistics, and corpus linguistics—into a robust interdisciplinary methodology.
Second, it proposes a dual comparative model that examines Vietnamese Chinese in relation to both Standard Chinese and Vietnamese. This model offers a multidimensional approach to studying vocabulary in language contact contexts and is applicable to other Chinese varieties in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Third, the disertation establishes a systematic classification of semantic variation types in Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary, including endemic words, synonymous heteromorphic words, and semantically divergent homomorphic words. This classification is grounded in rigorous semantic and formal criteria, contributing valuable empirical evidence to the study of Global Chinese and contact linguistics.
Fourth, the disertation clarifies the interaction mechanisms between Vietnamese Chinese and Vietnamese (especially Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary), as well as with Chinese dialects (eg, Cantonese and Minnan) and both Classical and Modern Chinese. These findings shed light on the localization process of Chinese in Vietnam's multilingual environment.
Practical Contributions
The study also offers practical applications:
It provides empirical data for the compilation of regional dictionaries, such as the Global Chinese Dictionary.
It offers insights for the standardization of language use in Chinese-language media in Vietnam, helping journalists better understand localized linguistic features.
Surgery
This disertation scientific investigates the characteristics of Vietnamese Chinese vocabulary in the online edition of Saigon Liberation Newspaper, based on a self-constructed corpus of over 130,000 lexical items and drawing on theories from lexicology, sociolinguistics, contrastive linguistics, and corpus linguistics.
The findings indicate that, in comparison with Standard Chinese, Vietnamese Chinese exhibits a pattern of “greater similarity than difference,” with variations concentrated in three main categories: endemic words, synonymous heteromorphic words, and semantically divergent homomorphic words. These differences arise from factors such as Vietnamese influence, dialectal retention, the coexistence of Classical and Modern Chinese, and media discourse practices.
The thesis argues that within the global Chinese linguistic system, diversity and creativity coexist with standardization, and that linguistic unity does not require the elimination of variation but rather the acceptance of multiple expressive possibilities within a shared framework.
Due to scope limitations, this study focuses exclusively on written journalistic language and does not include spoken data.
12. Future research directions:
Expanding the scope to include spoken Vietnamese Chinese, which more directly reflects language contact and localization processes.
Conducting cross-regional comparative studies between Vietnamese Chinese and other Southeast Asian Chinese varieties (eg, Singaporean, Malaysian, and Thai Chinese).
Further refine the classification framework for semantic variation, particularly for complex phenomena observed in the corpus.
Applying discourse analysis frameworks to examine higher-level linguistic features such as coherence, rhetorical strategies, and interactional patterns in journalistic texts.
13. Thesis-related publications
[1] Li, Lijuan (2024). A Preliminary Study on Lexical Differences between Overseas Chinese Newspapers in Vietnam and Standard Chinese. In Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on Contrastive Linguistics and Cross-linguistic Comparison, pp. 1587-1592. Publishers World. ISBN: 9786043923773.
[2] Li, Lijuan (2025). A Study on the Semantic Features of "Liliang" (Strength/Power) from the Perspective of Collocation. Xuezhi, (06), pp. 52-55. ISSN: 3029-0740.
[3] Nguyen, Hoang Anh, & Li, Lijuan (2025). A Comparison of Lexical Differences between the Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait Based on Word Lists and Its Application in Teaching Chinese to Vietnamese Students. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Cross-strait Chinese Language Teaching in the New Era, pp. 51-63. ISBN: 9789865265724.
[4] Li, Lijuan (2025). Research on the Application of Corpus in International Chinese Vocabulary Teaching: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Corpus of Vietnamese Chinese-language Newspapers. In Proceedings of the Conference on Chinese Language Teaching and Research in the Digital Age, pp. 495-501. ISBN: 9786326074161.
[5] Ly, Le Quyen (2025). Phenomena of Borrowing, Retention, and Lexical Innovation in the Chinese-language Edition of Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper. Journal of Language (Ngôn ngữ), (08), pp. 22-30. ISSN: 0866-7519.
Author:Department of Training and Non-profit Organization
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