TTLV: Research on the semantic development of body part nouns in Portuguese (in relation to Vietnamese)

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name: Hoang Quynh Chi 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: February 14, 1998 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision to recognize the student: Decision No. 4058/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process: Decision Decision No. 6934/QD-XHNV dated December 16, 2024, on extending the study period for postgraduate students, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Decision No. 4670/QD-XHNV dated June 24, 2025, on extending the study period for postgraduate students, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Decision No. 9099/QD-XHNV dated December 25, 2025, on extending the study period for postgraduate students, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

7. Thesis title: A study on the semantic development of body part nouns in Portuguese (in relation to Vietnamese)

8. Major: Linguistics; Code: 8229020.01

9. Scientific supervisor: Dr. Duong Xuan Quang.

The scientific advisor's workplace is the Department of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies.

10. Summary of the thesis results:

Research shows that,The meanings of words referring to body parts in Portuguese and Vietnamese are:expansion trend,mainly by  Metaphor and metonymy are two forms of expression, linked to sequential and parallel dimensions. Metaphor plays a prominent role due to its ability to flexibly expand meaning. Portuguese has a more complex network of meanings, while Vietnamese tends towards a more linear approach.

In terms of the content characteristics of semantic development, figurative meaning Both languages ​​are centered around five symbols.:space,shape,function, receiveAwareness – psychological and social.

11.Practical applications:

This study has practical implications for teaching and learning Portuguese and for bilingual Portuguese-Vietnamese translation. The research results help learners understand the mechanisms of word meaning development, avoid literal interpretations, and improve their ability to use words appropriately in context. Simultaneously, the study assists translators in identifying symbolic meanings and cultural nuances between the two languages, contributing to increased accuracy and naturalness in translation.

12. Future research directions: TheseI hope to expand the scope of this topic further to investigate the semantic development of other word groups in Portuguese and relate them to Vietnamese, for the benefit of learning, teaching, and translation.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Hoang Quynh Chi 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: February 14, 1998 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number 4058/2022/QD-XHVN, dated December 28th, 2022, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: Decision No. 6934/QD-XHNV dated December 16th, 2024 on the extension of the study period for graduate students; Decision No. 4670/QD-XHNV dated June 24th, 2025 on the extension of the study period for graduate students; Decision No. 9099/QD-XHNV dated December 25th, 2025 on the extension of the study period for graduate students.

7. Official thesis title: Research on the Semantic development of body-part terms in Portuguese (related to Vietnamese)

8. Major: Linguistics Code: 8229020.01

9. Supervisors: Duong Xuan Quang, PhD.

10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The study shows that the meanings of body-part terms in Portuguese and Vietnamese tend to expand, mainly through metaphor and metonymy, following two directions of semantic development: sequential and parallel. Among these, metaphor plays a prominent role due to its flexibility in extending meanings across different domains. Portuguese displays a more complex semantic network, whereas Vietnamese tends to exhibit a more linear pattern of semantic development.

In terms of the content characteristics of semantic development, the transferred meanings in both languages ​​are concentrated in five symbolic domains: space, shape, function, cognition and psychology, and society.

11. Practical applicability:

This study has practical significance for the teaching and learning of Portuguese as well as for Portuguese – Vietnamese translation. The findings help learners better understand the mechanisms of semantic development, avoid literal interpretations, and improve their ability to use words appropriately in different contexts. At the same time, the study also supports translators in identifying symbolic meanings and cultural nuances between the two languages, thereby contributing to greater accuracy and naturalness in translation.

12. Further research directions:

We hope to further broaden the scope of this study in order to investigate the semantic development of other lexical groups in Portuguese and relate them to Vietnamese, thereby contributing to language learning, teaching, and translation.

13. Thesis-related publications: None