| Abstract | 第1-9页 |
| 摘要 | 第9-10页 |
| Table and Figure List in the Thesis | 第10-11页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第11-15页 |
| ·Research Background | 第11-12页 |
| ·Purpose of the Present Study | 第12页 |
| ·Research Significance | 第12-13页 |
| ·Layout of the Thesis | 第13-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-21页 |
| ·Researches on Indirect Complaints Abroad | 第15-18页 |
| ·Researches on Indirect Complaints at Home | 第18-20页 |
| ·Summary | 第20-21页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第21-34页 |
| ·Speech Act Theory | 第21-23页 |
| ·Distinguishing performatives and constatives | 第21页 |
| ·Speech Act Theory | 第21-22页 |
| ·Searle’s Speech Act Theory | 第22-23页 |
| ·Co-operative Principle | 第23-24页 |
| ·Politeness Theories | 第24-28页 |
| ·Leech’s Politeness Principle | 第24-26页 |
| ·Brown and Levinson’s Face Theory | 第26-28页 |
| ·The Speech Act of Complaints | 第28-32页 |
| ·Definition of the Speech Act of Complaints | 第28页 |
| ·The Speech Act of Indirect Speech | 第28-29页 |
| ·Situational Variables of the Speech Act of Indirect Complaints | 第29页 |
| ·The Realization Patterns of the Speech Act of Indirect Complaints | 第29-30页 |
| ·The Response Strategies of the Speech Acts of Indirect Complaints | 第30-32页 |
| ·language and culture | 第32-34页 |
| ·The definition of culture | 第32页 |
| ·Relationship between language and culture | 第32-34页 |
| Chapter Four Research Design | 第34-37页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第34页 |
| ·Participants | 第34页 |
| ·Research Instrument | 第34-35页 |
| ·Research Procedures | 第35-37页 |
| Chapter Five Results and Discussion | 第37-50页 |
| ·Similarities and differences between two groups | 第37-44页 |
| ·Similarities and differences between two groups in performing the realization patterns | 第37-41页 |
| ·Similarities and differences between two groups in performing the response strategies | 第41-44页 |
| ·Analyses on Indirect Complaints Based on the Cultural Perspective | 第44-50页 |
| ·American and Chinese Value Systems | 第45-47页 |
| ·High Context Culture and Low Context Culture | 第47-50页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第50-53页 |
| ·Conclusions of the study | 第50-51页 |
| ·Limitations of the study | 第51-52页 |
| ·Theoretical implications | 第52-53页 |
| References | 第53-57页 |
| Appendix I | 第57-59页 |
| Appendix II | 第59-61页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第61页 |
