TTLA: Definition in an explanatory dictionary for elementary students

INFORMATION ABOUT DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name of the researcher:Hoang Thi Nhung

2. Gender: Female.

3. Date of birth: September 10, 1975.

4. Place of birth: Hanoi.

5. Decision on recognition of PhD students No. 2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, dated December 30, 2013 of the Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in training process: No

7. Thesis topic name:Definition in an explanatory dictionary for elementary students.

8. Major: Vietnamese Language Code: 62.22.01.02

9. Scientific instructor:Prof. Dr. Ly Toan Thang, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Hung Viet.

10. Summary of new results of the thesis:

An overview of research works related to the topic shows that in the world, definitions in children's dictionaries have had many achievements. The works have mentioned issues such as the necessity of definitions, the methods of definition used in children's dictionaries, the way children explain word meanings, and children's ability to acquire word meanings. In Vietnam, there are some works that mention explaining words to children from the perspective of pedagogy. Research works on definitions in children's dictionaries, on how children define and acquire semantics are very few.

The thesis studies theories of word meaning, traditional lexicography theory, systematic lexicography, cognitive lexicography, theories of children's word meaning perception and uses that as a basis to deal with related issues.

The thesis has studied the similarities and differences in the definition methods as well as the content of the definition in the definitions in dictionaries for children and adults. The results show that in dictionaries for children, the common explanations are still the traditional ways (5 ways) like in general dictionaries. Regarding the definition content, three cases can be seen: 1) the same, 2) the number of meanings is less than in dictionaries for general users; 3) the number of meanings is the same but the number of semantic features is different.

The survey of students' word meaning explanations showed that: students used 12 definition models. Some of the explanations used in all word parts are: explaining by describing the situation, explaining by example, explaining by stating the function of the word, explaining by stating the word part. The survey results also showed that students still had many difficulties in understanding the meaning of words.

Based on the above results, the thesis proposes some definition principles and definition models according to lexicographic theories.

11. Practical application:

The thesis has contributed to the theory of lexicography in the field of definitions for children in Vietnam.

The thesis has contributed to the theory of didactic pedagogy in the field of studying children's ability to perceive word meaning.

Proposing principles and definition patterns helps prepare the theoretical and practical basis for compiling explanatory dictionaries for primary school students.

12. Further research directions:

Compiled "Vietnamese Dictionary for Primary School Students", used to learn Vietnamese as a mother tongue.

Research and compile "Vietnamese Dictionary for Primary School Students" used to learn Vietnamese as a second language.

Research on word meaning acquisition in primary school children.

13. Published works related to the thesis:

1. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "Definition of function words in explanatory dictionaries for primary school students", Lexicography & Encyclopedia (6), pp.48-55.

2. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "Ability to understand the meaning and explanation of function words of primary school students", Human Resources in Social Sciences (11), pp.84-89.

3. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "On the definition of modal words in the explanatory dictionary for primary school students", National Linguistics 2015, learning and research forum (Proceedings of the scientific conference), Saigon University - Vietnam Linguistics Association, Hanoi National University Publishing House, pp.244-250.

4. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "Traditional cultural knowledge through examples of Vietnamese dictionaries for primary school students", Vietnamese studies - traditional cultural aspects (Proceedings of scientific conference), Vol. 1, Hong Bang International University - Vietnam Institute of Lexicography and Encyclopedia, Social Sciences Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 1040-1047.

5. Hoang Thi Nhung (2016), "Learning how primary school students explain nouns", Preserving the purity of Vietnamese and language education in schools, Proceedings of the 2016 scientific conference, Vol. 2, Quang Binh University - Vietnam Linguistics Association - Institute of Linguistics, Dan Tri Publishing House, pp. 1415-1422.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name: Hoang Thi Nhung 2. Sex: Female.

3. Date of birth: September 10, 1975. 4. Place of birth: Hanoi.

5. Admission decision number: 2999/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH, Dated December 30, 2013, by VNU President.

6. Changes in academic process: None

7. Official thesis title: On the Definition in the dictionaries for primary school students.

8. Major: Vietnamese linguistics. Code: 62.22.01.02

9. Supervisors: Prof. Sc.D Ly Toan Thang, Assoc. Prof. Ph.D. Pham Hung Viet

10. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

The overview of studies related to the subject shows that the definition of children's dictionaries has had many achievements. The works mentioned some issues such as the necessity or not of the definition, definition methods in children's dictionaries, explanations of word meaning and the semantic acquisition of children. In Vietnam, there are only some works dealing with the explanations of word meaning for children from the perspective of didactics. The number of works on definition methods in children's dictionaries, on explanations of word meaning and on the semantic acquisition of children is quite limited.

This thesis also studied on theories of word meaning, on traditional lexicography, systematic lexicography, cognitive lexicography, and on cognitive theories of word meaning of children, on which we consider the related questions.

This thesis examines the similarities and differences in method and content of definitions in two children's dictionaries and one adults' dictionary. The results show that, in the children's dictionaries, the authors still use the traditional definitions. On the content of definitions, we can see three cases: 1) the same, 2) the number of meanings is smaller than that of adults' dictionaries; 3) the number of meanings is the same but the number of sememes is different.

The survey of students' explanations shows that students have used 12 models of definition. Some explanations are used in all the parts of speech: explanation by describing situations, explanation with examples, explanation by giving the function of words, explanation by the part of speech. Survey results also show that the children are facing many difficulties in understanding the word meanings.

Based on the resulting analysis, the thesis has suggested some definition principles and definition patterns for children from the lexicographic theory.

11. Practical applicability:

The thesis has contributed to the lexicographic theory in the definition for children in Vietnam.

The thesis has contributed to didactics in the cognitive abilities of children on word meanings.

The proposition of definition principles and definition patterns will help prepare the theoritical and practical basis of compiling Vietnamese dictionaries for primary school students.

12. Further research directions:

Compile “Vietnamese dictionary for primary school students” that is used to learn Vietnamese as an L1.

Search and compile “Vietnamese dictionary for primary school students” that is used to learn Vietnamese as an L2.

Search semantic acquisition of primary school students.

13. Thesis-related publications:

1. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "The definition of formal words in the explanatory dictionary for primary school students," Lexicography & encyclopedia (6), pp.48-55.

2. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "Primary school students' ability in understanding and explaining formal words", Journal of Social Sciences Manpower (11), pp.88-89.

3. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "On the definition of the modal particles in the explanatory dictionary for primary school students", Proceedings of National Conference on Linguistics 2015, University of Saigon - Vietnam Linguistics Association, Hanoi National University Publisher, H., pp. 244-250.

4. Hoang Thi Nhung (2015), "Traditional cultural knowledge through examples of Vietnamese dictionaries for primary school students", in Proceedings of National Conference on "Vietnamese study, aspects of traditional culture", Volume 1, Hong Bang International University - Vietnam Institute of Lexicography and Encyclopedia, Social Sciences Publishing House, H., pp.1040-1047.

5. Hoang Thi Nhung (2016), "Explaining nouns of primary school students", in Proceedings of National Conference on "Maintaining Standard Vietnamese and Teaching Language in the school", Volume 2, Quang Binh University- Vietnam Linguistics Association - Institute of Linguistics, Dan Tri Publishing House, pp. 1415-1422