Semantic Features of Southern Vietnamese Dialectal Words in the National Vocabulary

Abstract

In the process of socio-cultural interaction—particularly under the influence of mass media and social networks—a considerable number of Southern Vietnamese dialectal words have penetrated the speech and writing of Northern speakers. This paper examines this phenomenon from a semantic perspective, focusing on describing the semantic features of Southern Vietnamese words as they are integrated into Northern usage. The findings reveal three prominent tendencies: (1) words retaining their original meanings, (2) words undergoing semantic or connotative expansion, and (3) words experiencing semantic or connotative narrowing. The study thereby contributes to clarifying the role of the Southern dialect in enriching the vocabulary and expressive nuances of the national Vietnamese language.