KINSHIP TERMINOLOGY IN ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE: A COMPARATIVE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article examines kinship terminology in English and Vietnamese through a comparative
lens, highlighting structural, semantic, and pragmatic differences and their sociocultural underpinnings.
While English kinship terms are relatively simple, general, and restricted to nuclear family structures,
Vietnamese kinship terminology constitutes a highly elaborated system encoding age, gender, lineage,
and hierarchy. Drawing on linguistic anthropology, sociolinguistics, and translation studies, the study
demonstrates that Vietnamese kinship expressions serve as both reference terms and pragmatic markers
of respect, solidarity, and social identity, whereas English kinship terms primarily denote biological and
legal relationships. The analysis underscores the implications of these differences for language learning,
intercultural communication, and translation practice. Recommendations are provided for learners,
translators, and educators to address challenges posed by kinship-based address systems.