Culture Reflected in Address Terms in Thai and Vietnamese Languages

Abstract

This article analyzes certain cultural characteristics that are reflected in address terms in Thai and Vietnamese languages used in family conversations. The data were collected from the conversations of ten Thai and Vietnamese novels published during the period 2011 to 2015. The results show that the terms of address in families in these two languages demonstrate similar cultural characteristics, such as respecting elders, being kind to younger people, and being humble and praising others. However, they also reveal certain differences in thinking styles. For example, Thai people emphasize age and familiarity, but kinship rank is more important in Vietnamese thinking.