Student’s full name: Lê Công Tuyền

Student’s code: 220000684

REFLECTION
ON CONTRASTIVE LINGUISTICS
Chapter 5
In chapter 5 we have learned about level of above sentence, paragraph and paratone,
genre in English and Vietnamese.
The definition of a sentence should be given first. The largest unit of grammatical
organization is a sentence, which includes parts of speech like verbs, nouns, and
adverbs. ) as well as grammatical classes (such as words, phrases, and clauses) are
grammatically arranged to work. One independent clause with a finite verb typically
makes up a sentence in any language. Language used in "above-sentence" examples is
that which is longer than a single sentence, like a paragraph. The level of the
aforementioned sentence can thus be understood as the level of a paragraph or a paratone.
which is superior to the sentence in terms of rank and organization. Beginning now,
whenever the author refers to the aforementioned sentence, he means "paragraphs,
paratones,.”.
There are some interesting definitions for the word "paragraph." For instance, a
paragraph is a stand-alone section of a written discourse that deals with a particular point
or idea. As an alternative, a paragraph is a collection of sentences that introduce, discuss,
and elaborate on one central idea related to the topic. The topic sentence, the body
sentences providing details to support the topic sentence, and the concluding or closing
sentence make up its three main components. The length of a paragraph is not a deciding
factor. Even if you have brilliant ideas, readers will stop reading if you can't clearly
communicate them. Richards likewise asserts that J. C. , J. Platt and Henry According to
Platt (1997), a paragraph is a unit of linguistic organization that serves to highlight the
arrangement of a written text's main ideas. As a result, according to the rules of each
language, sentences that belong together and frequently address the same subject are
arranged or grouped. A new paragraph therefore denotes a change in topic or sub-topic.
English paragraphs typically start on a new line with the first sentence inserted from the
margin. In text linguistics and discourse analysis, paragraphs are viewed as indicators of
the macro-structure (another term for scheme, schema, genre-scheme, discourse structure,
or rhetorical structure) of a text. diverse texts and discourses, such as poems, reports,
letters, and narratives. ) are distinguished by the ways in which the topic, propositions,
and other information are linked together to form a unit. The underlying structure is the
macro- or scheme-structure. One illustration is the fact that many stories can be said to
have a macro-structure.For instance, the macro-structure underlying a lot of stories can be
understood as follows: Story Setting (state + state +...)+ Episodes (Event(s) + Reaction).
The paragraph is frequently used as the main compositional unit in languages. Multiple
sentences placed next to one another make up a paragraph. These sentences cover a
single crucial topic as a whole. These three components make up an academic English
paragraph. These three components are the opening sentence, the detailed or multi-
faceted body sentences, and the concluding or closing sentence. Let's quickly review the
following details in the paragraphs that follow:
a) paragraph's topic sentence is always the first sentence in the paragraph. It typically
communicates the paragraph's main idea, aids the writer in maintaining focus on the
subject, and clarifies to the reader what the paragraph is about.
b) The main idea of the topic sentence is supported by the body sentences, which also
provide examples and expand on the subject. Strong, persuading evidence from the body
sentences that the topic sentence is credible enough to stand alone should be used to
support it.
c) The concluding/closing sentence It is a reflection of the main idea expressed in the
topic sentence; it summarizes what the topic sentence and the supporting details discuss;
it can remind the reader of what they should value; it is necessary for the completion of
the paragraph unity; it eventually indicates the end of a paragraph; and it prepares the
reader for a smooth transition to the next paragraph, if there is one.
About paratone, According to Tench (1996), it is a phonological category meant to serve
as the equivalent of the paragraph in orthography (spelling). One of paratone's most
important roles is to organize the discourse's organizational structure so that the listener
or listeners can more clearly understand the speaker's intention. Tench (1996) proposes
two categories of paratone: (i) high and (ii) low. Postulation is the act of putting
something forward as fact or accepting something as true. A change in topics is indicated
by a high paratone, whereas a low paratone alludes to a brief detour (from the main topic
that does not follow the expected or usual course).
It has been observed that the tone of voice is lowered to signify the conclusion of a story,
specifically the punch line (i.e., a special use of intonation). Linguists have noted that this
shift in tone is a type of rhetorical device used to emphasize the conclusion of a narrative.
The definition and examples of paratone are provided here to serve as a jumping off point
for the contrast in the sections that follow. One common method of the discourse
functions of intonation is the paratone or speech paragraph. For a formal, coherent
sequence of intonation units that is analogous to or similar to the idea of a paragraph in
writing, the term "paratone" is occasionally used in phonology (Crystal, 2008). What
about paratone in Vietnamese, that is still a matter of debate.
About The Genre In English The concept of genre has recently been redefined as social
action or as a standardized rhetorical response to recurring situations, and this
reinterpretation has been used to shed light on the various genres of school writing as
well as professional and workplace discourse. How teachers should use this new
information is a natural question that arises from this theory and research. Two tentative
responses are offered to this question, specifically, can explicit teaching of genre features
and rules enhance or facilitate students' acquisition of such genres? Each response is
based on current knowledge about first language acquisition, writing development, and
second language acquisition. A genre is thought to be a specific kind or style, particularly
of literary or artistic works grouped according to their format or subject matter, for
instance:.
a) A narrative.
It is an account of events that can be told orally or in writing. Like a narrator in a play,
the narrative paragraph tells a story.
b) Describer.
The paragraph's description creates a picture. It offers a description of a specific
individual, location, object, or concept.
c) Arguing a point.
A persuasive argument is made in writing to persuade an opposing audience to change
their minds using supporting data.
d) Explanatory
The expository paragraph "exposes" information about a topic. Given that it provides
details about a person, place, thing, or idea, it is also sometimes referred to as an
informational paragraph.
e) Procedure-based or educational.
The reader can learn how to make or do something by reading this. In other words, it is a
set of actions carried out in a specific order.
About Vietnamese genre. Due to the same idea of genre, which seems to be universal,
genre in Vietnamse is generally similar to genre in English. If there are any distinctions
between the genres of Vietnamese and English, it may be in the phonology, lexicon, and
grammar used to expose each language. The big question will receive a variety of
responses.
The focus of Chapter 5's "English - Vietnamese Contrastive Analysis on the Level of
Above-Sentence" is on a number of crucial issues that are closely related to the chapter's
subject. They are: the level of the aforementioned sentence; the paragraph and paratone;
the genre in both English and Vietnamese; contrastive rhetoric and applied linguistics;
academic institutions; contrastive rhetoric and the field of rhetoric and composition;
contrastive rhetoric and text linguistics in English and Vietnamese; writing as a cultural
activity; contrastive rhetoric and translation studies; and some research and teaching
implications. The "Contrastive Linguistics" course title will come to an end here.
 References
Nguyễn Huy Kỷ (2016) Giáo Trình Ngôn Ngữ Học Đối Chiếu(Contrastive Linguistics)