TTLA: The phenomenon of interruptions in Vietnamese communication (compared with English)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name of the doctoral candidate:Pham Hong Van                  

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: September 3, 1978

4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision No. 2999/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 30, 2013, of the Director of Hanoi National University, recognizing the doctoral student.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Thesis title:The phenomenon of interruptions in Vietnamese communication (compared with English)

8. Major: Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

9. Scientific supervisor:Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khang

10. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

Firstly, through the survey, the phenomenon of interruption in Vietnamese and English dialogues is divided into successful and unsuccessful interruptions. Successful interruptions are divided into two subgroups: competitive interruptions and collaborative interruptions. Unsuccessful interruptions are divided into two subgroups: interjections with and without interjections. Interjections are used by communicators in Vietnamese and English dialogues for the following purposes: (1) Interrupting to develop the topic of the conversation; (2) Interrupting to express support; (3) Interrupting to complete an utterance; (4) Interrupting to express disagreement; (5) Interrupting to change the topic of the conversation; (6) Interrupting to protest the change of topic of the conversation; (7) Interrupting to deviate from the topic of the conversation; (8) Interrupting to gain control of the conversation. There are three ways in which interruptions occur in Vietnamese and English dialogues: Method 1: A second utterance interrupts the first utterance before the first utterance reaches its corresponding transition point; Method 2: A second utterance interrupts the first utterance when the first utterance may have already reached its corresponding transition point; Method 3: A word or phrase from the first utterance appears in the second utterance. Interrupting utterances in Vietnamese dialogues are expressed in a more diverse and varied way than in English.

Secondly, the survey results show a difference in the purpose of using interruptions between men and women in Vietnamese and English communication. In Vietnamese dialogues, men tend to use interruptions more successfully, while women tend to use them more unsuccessfully. Comparing this to the phenomenon of interruptions in same-sex and opposite-sex English dialogues, the survey results show that men in English dialogues use more collaborative and unsuccessful interruptions than women; while women tend to use competitive interruptions more often than men. Regarding the level of word usage in speeches intended to interrupt, the use of words and phrases in Vietnamese dialogues containing interruptions by men and women is more diverse and varied compared to dialogues by men and women in English.

11. Practical applications:

The findings of this thesis will help clarify the nature and function of interruptions in communication. This will enable participants to gain a correct understanding and use interruptions effectively, leading to successful communication. Furthermore, the thesis contributes to the study of Vietnamese communication under the influence of gender factors. Through the phenomenon of interruptions in communication, we can observe changes in the cultural and linguistic behavior of Vietnamese people, as well as changes in their perceptions of gender.

12. Further research:

This thesis has limited its research scope to the phenomenon of interruption in verbal communication, and has only examined the impact of gender on communication. Therefore, investigating the phenomenon of interruption in nonverbal communication or under the influence of other factors such as age, status, etc., will be our next research after this thesis.

13. Published works related to the dissertation:

1. Pham Hong Van (2013), “Some issues on the phenomenon of interrupting in conversational communication”, Language and Life Magazine (6), pp.8-11.

2. Pham Hong Van (2016), “Interrupting behavior in Vietnamese communication from a gender perspective”, Language and Life Magazine (1), pp.29-31.

3. Pham Hong Van (2016), “Discourse function of interruption in conversation”, Language and Life Magazine (9), pp.16-20.

4. Pham Hong Van, Nguyen Tran Van Trang (2016), “Gender expression through interrupting behaviors in interactive communication”, Journal of Educational Management (10), 47-53.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name: Pham Hong Van 2. Sex: female

3. Date of birth: September 3, 1978 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

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

6. Changes in academic process: None

7. Official thesis title: Interruptions in Vietnamese Interaction (in contrast with English equivalence)

8. Major: Linguistics Code: 62.22.02.40

9. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khang

10. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

Firstly, for classification, interruptions in Vietnamese and English conversations are classified into successful interruptions and unsuccessful interruptions. Successful interruptions are sub-classified into competitive interruptions and cooperative interruptions. Unsuccessful interruptions are sub-classified into interruption with overlapping and interruption without overlapping. For functions, interruptions are used by participants in Vietnamese and English conversations to develop the topic of the conversation; to show one's agreement; to finish one's utterance; to show one's dissent; to change the topic of the conversation; to resist to topic shift; to tangentialize the topic of the conversation; to take the conversation floor. There are three models of interruptions in conversations, specifically: Model 1: the second utterance begins while the first utterance has not reached the TRP (Transition Relevance Place); Model 2: the second utterance continues the first utterance at the TRP; Model 3: the second utterance overlaps one part of the first utterance. In contrast with English equivalence, interruptions in Vietnamese interaction are more varied and abundant.

Secondly, sex plays an important role in conversations. The results of the research show that there is a purposeful difference in using interruptions between men and women in Vietnamese and English interaction. In Vietnamese conversations, men tend to be more successful in interrupting others than women. Men also tend to be more interrupted than women in conversations. On the contrary, in English conversations, men tend to be not as successful in interrupting others like women. The result also shows that both men and women in Vietnamese and English interaction tend to use similar structures for interruptive utterances.

11. Practical applicability:

The findings help to clarify the nature as well as the functions of interruptions in interaction. In addition, the findings also help recognize the effect of sex on Vietnamese and English interaction, which reveals the changes in socio-lingual behaviors among Vietnamese and English men and women in interaction.

12. Further research directions:

Interruptions in nonverbal communication as well as the effects of other social factors such as age, status…on interruptions in communication are likely to be our further research directions.

13. Theses related publications:

1. Pham Hong Van (2013), “Some discussion on the act of interruptions in everyday conversations”, Language and Life (6), pp.8-11.

2. Pham Hong Van (2016), “Gender effects on Vietnamese conversational interruption”, Language and Life (1), pp.29-31.

3. Pham Hong Van (2016), “Discourse functions of interruptions in conversation”, Language and Life (9), pp.16-20.

4. Pham Hong Van, Nguyen Tran Van Trang (2016), “Gender in interruptions at interactive conversations”, Journal of education management (10), pp.47-53.