by Hồng Vân 

To promote and preserve the clarity and purity of Vietnamese language, a literature teacher and some high school students in HCM City have started a project to encourage people to use proper Vietnamese.

Trịnh Thị Minh Hương, literature teacher of Phú Nhuận high school came up with the idea after witnessing the increasing use of text-speak and secret online language among teenagers.

“The Vietnamese language is rich, diverse and beautiful. As Vietnamese, we are proud to use our national language. Yet in reality, there is an increasing tendency by youths to use ‘distorted’ online language and mix Vietnamese with foreign languages. This poses a threat to the clarity and purity of the Vietnamese language. We also aim to preserve national identity in an era of world integration,” said Hương.

The project was launched in October last year and completed last week. Up to 150 students participated in the project. They were divided into 10 groups, each in charge of different tasks.

The project was aimed at giving students knowledge about the characteristics of Vietnamese, the special flavour of the Vietnamese language and its purity, said Hương.

“Through the project, students helped to spread love for the Vietnamese language and called on people to use the language properly,” she said.

“Vietnamese language is so beautiful, it’s affectionate like love of mother and sweet like a lullaby,” the lyrics say. The lyrics and music were produced by two ten-grade students at the school.

The research group studied the current state of language use among youths as well as common mistakes in using language. The surveys were conducted in schools and libraries.

A painting group created drawings and short mangas that carried the message of preserving the clarity and purity of Vietnamese, while the movie making group produced a short film named Vietnamese Language at a Glance — with the same message.

Võ Thiên Phương, a tenth grade member of the project said: “We use Vietnamese language, text, read newspapers every day, yet the long process of the establishment and development of what we are using is little known. What makes me proudest is that regardless of the test of time, Vietnamese language still has its purity and diversity.

“We stayed up all night to seek materials, planning and collecting statistics. We learned a lot at the same time. It’s not only about language, but also presentation and management skills,” Phương said.

Twelfth grade student Nguyễn Từ Lộc Phúc said the project helped to invoke pride in the national language. “I played a role in the film, thus had the opportunity to learn a lot about the spoken and written language. When implementing the project, I also realised the importance of the purity of the Vietnamese language in daily life.”

Hương said they will co-operate with other high schools and secondary schools in the neighbourhood to expand the project. — VNS