Cultural and ethnic characteristics represented by Vietnamese idioms and proverbs starting by the word ăn

Abstract

Language reflects objective reality through the subjective lens of human worldview. It is considered the “universal key” allowing people to open doors to explore nature, society, and even themselves. Folk idioms and proverbs are the distilled experiences of life, reflecting the speech patterns, ways of thinking, communications, and specific cognitive styles of the Vietnamese people. These idioms and proverbs are a rich and invaluable resource for studying the cultural and ethnic characteristics of linguistic thought. Through the exploration of idioms and proverbs containing the word “ăn” (eat), we aim to elucidate the cultural and ethnic traits of Vietnam. These traits include the unique aspects of an agricultural lifestyle centered around wet rice cultivation, the cultural nuances in speech and communication, and particularly the characteristics in personality, qualities, spirit, religion, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people.