Abstract

The article explores the descriptive expressions of reference  (DER) with a structure as the nominal phrase in Vietnamese dialogues, based on the linguistic data from Tô Hoài's "Dế Mèn phiêu lưu ký - Diary of a Cricket"; it investigates and presents the current situation of translating these expressions into modern Chinese through corresponding translations. The study elucidates translation options across three dimensions: descriptive meaning, referential meaning, and contextual meaning. Research findings reveal that referential expressions with a nominal structure in Vietnamese are diverse in construction, rich in emotions, and reflect the users' attitudes. Translating them into another language, in general, and into modern Chinese, in particular, demands focused analysis and a genuine understanding of the author's ideas.