Vietnam’s Resplendent Civilization & Rich Language

This video describing an easy lesson with Vietnamese language.

Vietnam: A Resplendent Civilization and a Richly Distinct Language

 

                   With a history spanning nearly 5,000 years, Vietnam proudly stands as one of humanity’s earliest cradles of civilization. Through the currents of time, the Vietnamese language has formed and developed, becoming a vivid symbol of the nation’s unique cultural identity. Notably, Vietnamese culture and language, over millennia, have witnessed a fusion and reception of essences from major civilizations like China, India, and the West. Thus, modern Vietnamese is a language that maintains and carries on ancient linguistic roots, combined with the blending and adoption of new, refined elements, creating a truly distinct and rich character.

 

 

 

SPECIAL OUTLINE

 

1. A Glorious History: From the dawn of nation-building to the wet-rice civilization.
2. Vietnamese – The Soul of the Nation: Its formation, characteristics, and cultural interplay.
3. Spoken and Written Vietnamese: A debated journey of script.
4. Quốc ngữ and the Modern Alphabet: Origins and structure.
5. Cultural Identity Through Language: Language as a bridge to preserve and promote cultural values.
6. The Importance of Vietnamese Today: Preserving and developing Vietnamese in an era of integration and globally.
7. Vietnamese and the Linguistic Diversity of 54 Ethnic Groups: Respecting and preserving identity.

 

 

 

 

DISCOVER THE FASCINATING JOURNEY OF VIETNAM’S LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, FROM ANCIENT ROOTS TO GLOBAL RECOGNITION!

Now, let’s delve into the detailed content to uncover the captivating story of Vietnam and its vibrant language.

 

 

 

 

1. A Glorious History: From the Dawn of Nation-Building to the Wet-Rice Civilization

 

Vietnam, first known as Văn Lang under the Hùng Kings, has endured thousands of years of arduous yet glorious nation-building and defense. From archaeological sites like the Đông Sơn bronze drums, we can see a vibrant wet-rice civilization that emerged and flourished early on. This was not only the foundation for material life but also shaped the distinct cultural traits and customs of the Vietnamese people.

 

 

• Wet-rice culture profoundly influenced not just agriculture but also beliefs, festivals, and way of life.
• A spirit of patriotism and unity was forged over thousands of years of struggle against foreign invaders.
• The village communal system formed the basic structure, preserving many traditional values.

When you visit Vietnam, you’ll often hear locals greeting each other warmly. A simple phrase like “Xin chào!” (Hello!) can start many interesting conversations.

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: TO HAVE A MORE LOOK ON DIVERSE LANGUAGES & COMMUNICATIONS IN VIETNAM, PLEASE CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

2. Vietnamese – The Soul of the Nation: Its Formation, Characteristics, and Cultural Interplay

 

Vietnamese, a language belonging to the Austroasiatic language family, has a long and truly special development process. Despite thousands of years of Northern domination, Vietnamese retained its unique identity. What makes modern Vietnamese so rich and distinctive is its ability to interact with and absorb the best elements from various major civilizations.

 

• Influence from China: Throughout centuries of Chinese rule, Vietnamese absorbed and adapted a large number of Sino-Vietnamese words, especially in academic, administrative, and literary fields. This allowed Vietnamese to express abstract and complex concepts, enriching its vocabulary.
• Imprint from India: Through Buddhism and ancient trade routes, Indian culture and language also left some marks in Vietnamese, though less distinct than Chinese. Some terms related to Buddhism, philosophy, and religious practices can show this influence.
• Reception from the West: Particularly evident through the formation and development of Quốc ngữ, Vietnamese adopted the Latin alphabet, creating a scientific and easily popularized writing system. Many French and English words have also been “Vietnamese-ized” and are widely used in modern life, especially in science, technology, and commerce.

 

 

Thanks to this process of maintaining ancient linguistic roots (like its isolating grammar and tones) and adopting and blending new, refined elements from major civilizations, Vietnamese has become a vibrant, expressive, and highly adaptable language.

 

• Isolating language: Vietnamese does not change word forms (like verb conjugations or plural nouns), making it easier to learn and use.
• Rich in tones: With 6 tones (flat, falling, sharp, rising-falling, creaky rising, heavy-falling), Vietnamese creates a flexible and melodious quality in communication. This is also one of the most unique features of Vietnamese.
• High expressiveness: Reduplication (repeated words with slight sound changes), proverbs, and idioms are widely used, making speech more vivid and descriptive.

 

 

Want to know how someone is doing? Ask “Bạn có khỏe không?” (How are you?). Vietnamese people truly appreciate this kind of care.

 

 

 

NOTE: TO KNOW ABOUT A LIST OF EXCELLENT VIETNAMESE PEOPLE, PLEASE CLICK HERE

 

 

 

3. Spoken and Written Vietnamese: A Debated Journey of Script

 

Language exists in two main forms: spoken language and written language. For spoken language, Vietnamese people from ancient times to today have always used Vietnamese for daily communication. However, regarding written language, there’s much speculation and debate about whether Vietnamese had its own early writing system.

 

• Spoken language: Vietnamese has been the official and natural means of communication for the Vietnamese people throughout all periods, passed down from generation to generation.
• Chinese characters (Chữ Hán) and Chữ Nôm in feudal times: During the feudal period, Vietnam was heavily influenced by Chinese culture, so Chinese characters were widely used in administrative documents, education, and literature. Alongside this, the Vietnamese people created Chữ Nôm – a complex writing system based on Chinese characters to record the Vietnamese language, showing their persistent effort to preserve their mother tongue in a challenging historical context. Chữ Nôm was a unique script but involved significant borrowing and adaptation from Chinese characters.

When shopping at traditional markets, you can ask “Cái này giá bao nhiêu?” (How much is this?) to find out the price of an item.

 

4. Quốc ngữ and the Modern Alphabet: Origins and Structure

 

Quốc ngữ is the official writing system of Vietnamese today, built upon the Latin alphabet. The creation of Quốc ngữ originated from the need for Western missionaries to spread their faith in the 17th century.

 

• Who first used Latin transliteration to create Vietnamese? The person most credited with Latinizing the Vietnamese language is missionary Alexandre de Rhodes (French). He authored the Vietnamese-Portuguese-Latin Dictionary (Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum) published in 1651, marking a crucial milestone in the formation and development of Quốc ngữ. Although many Portuguese and Italian missionaries also participated in this process earlier, Alexandre de Rhodes compiled and perfected it, laying the foundation for modern Quốc ngữ.
• The modern Vietnamese alphabet: Vietnamese today uses 29 letters in its alphabet. However, if we only count independent single letters without diacritics (like vowels with circumflexes or hooks), there are 12 vowels and 17 consonants. Compared to the English alphabet, Vietnamese does not use the letters F, J, W, Z in native Vietnamese words, although they may appear in borrowed words or foreign proper nouns.
  • Vowels (12): A, Ă, Â, E, Ê, I, O, Ô, Ơ, U, Ư, Y
  • Consonants (17): B, C, D, Đ, G, H, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X
• Unique feature of Quốc ngữ: Quốc ngữ has the remarkable ability to be spelled exactly as it’s spoken. This is a rare advantage globally, helping learners pronounce accurately when reading and writing, and making learning Vietnamese much more convenient.

 

 

 

NOTE: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VIETNAMESE CULTURAL IDENTITIES & VALUES, A SERIES OF TOPICS, PLEASE CLICK HERE

 

 

 

5. Cultural Identity Through Language: Language as a Bridge to Preserve and Promote Cultural Values

 

Language is not merely a tool for communication; it is also a mirror reflecting the culture of a nation. Vietnamese carries within it the spiritual values, thoughts, and philosophies of the Vietnamese people across many generations.

 

• Folk songs (Ca dao) and proverbs (Tục ngữ): A treasure trove of folk wisdom, expressing life experiences, ethics, and worldviews.
• Folk and modern literature: Language is the medium for conveying stories, historical lessons, and the dreams and aspirations of the Vietnamese people.
• Forms of address: Clearly show the cultural hierarchy, respect for elders, and the strong bond within families and communities.
• Ceremonies and customs: Many traditional festivals are preserved and transmitted through songs and chants in Vietnamese.

 

After enjoying a delicious meal, don’t hesitate to say “Ngon quá!” (Delicious!). This will surely please the chef or restaurant owner.

6. The Importance of Vietnamese Today: Preserving and Developing Vietnamese in an Era of Integration and Globally

 

In the context of globalization, preserving and promoting Vietnamese has become more important than ever. Vietnamese is not only a means of communication but also a bridge for Vietnamese generations both inside and outside the country to understand their roots and national identity. Especially with Vietnam’s strong development on the international stage in terms of economy, trade, tourism, and politics, the importance of Vietnamese is increasingly being elevated.

 

Currently, many countries around the world have recognized the potential and importance of Vietnamese, opening Vietnamese language departments, research programs, and specialized teaching. This aims to foster cultural, economic, commercial, and political exchange and enhance mutual understanding between Vietnam and other nations.

 

• Preserving the purity of Vietnamese: Countering unnecessary foreign influences and ensuring the language develops correctly.
• Promoting Vietnamese on the international stage: Introducing Vietnamese culture and people to the world through language.
• Teaching and learning Vietnamese: Encouraging the younger generation to love and master their mother tongue, while also providing opportunities for foreigners to learn about Vietnamese.
• Using standard Vietnamese: In all fields from education and media to daily life.

 

A few examples of countries that teach Vietnamese at universities and research institutes include:

 

• United States: Many major universities like Harvard, Berkeley, UCLA, Cornell, and Yale offer Vietnamese language and studies programs.
• France: Due to historical ties, Vietnamese is taught at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO), Paris Diderot University (Paris Cité), and various other institutions.
• Australia: Universities such as Monash University and Australian National University (ANU) offer Vietnamese language courses.
• Russia: Moscow State University (MSU) and Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) have Vietnamese studies departments and teach Vietnamese.
• China: Many universities like Guangxi University for Nationalities and Peking University also offer Vietnamese language programs.
• South Korea: Universities like Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Seoul National University are increasingly focusing on teaching Vietnamese due to strong economic exchange.
• Japan: Universities such as Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and Osaka University also have Vietnamese language departments.

 

Before saying goodbye to someone, you can say “Chúc bạn chuyến đi vui vẻ!” (Wish you a happy trip!) or “Hẹn gặp lại!” (See you again!).

 

 

 

NOTE: TO DELVE INTO VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL CRAFTS & ATTIRES, PLEASE CLICK HERE

 

 

 

7. Vietnamese and the Linguistic Diversity of 54 Ethnic Groups: Respecting and Preserving Identity

 

Vietnamese is the National Language, and the official and administrative language in Vietnam. All state activities, education, media, and community communication primarily use Vietnamese. However, Vietnam is a multi-ethnic nation with 54 ethnic groups, each possessing its distinct cultural traits, customs, traditions, and languages.

 

With profound respect for this cultural diversity, the Vietnamese Constitution and laws always respect and guarantee the rights of the remaining ethnic groups to maintain their own languages, cultures, and traditional identities. This is clearly demonstrated through policies such as:

 

• Preserving and promoting the spoken and written languages of ethnic minorities: Many ethnic groups with their own scripts have seen their languages researched and incorporated into bilingual education in ethnic regions.
• Encouraging the maintenance of traditional festivals, costumes, and customs: Contributing to the richness of Vietnam’s cultural tapestry.
• Ensuring freedom of belief and religion: Reflecting the diversity in spiritual life.
• Equality among ethnic groups: All ethnic groups are treated equally, without discrimination.

 

 

Thanks to these policies, Vietnam not only upholds Vietnamese as the common language but also preserves the richness and diversity of its ethnic minority cultures and languages, creating a united and colorful nation.

Vietnam, with its long history and richly distinct Vietnamese language, stands as a powerful testament to the resilience and vibrant vitality of a nation. Cherishing, preserving, and promoting Vietnamese is the best way to protect and develop Vietnam’s unique culture, while also expanding its influence on the international stage and maintaining the cultural diversity of its 54 ethnic groups.

 

 

 

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NOTE: TO EXPLORE VIETNAM’S ADMINISTRATION & SOCIETY,  PLEASE CLICK HERE