| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-12页 |
| CHAPTER ONE GENERAL INTRODUCTION | 第12-19页 |
| 1.1 Background of the study | 第12-13页 |
| 1.2 Working definitions of key terms | 第13-15页 |
| 1.2.1 Definition of vague language | 第13-14页 |
| 1.2.2 Definition of hedges | 第14页 |
| 1.2.3 Differences between hedges and vague language | 第14-15页 |
| 1.3 Rationale of the present study | 第15-16页 |
| 1.4 Data collection and methodology | 第16-17页 |
| 1.5 Research questions | 第17页 |
| 1.6 Organization of the thesis | 第17-19页 |
| CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW | 第19-28页 |
| 2.1 Hedges | 第19-24页 |
| 2.1.1 Different definitions of hedges | 第19-21页 |
| 2.1.2 Different classifications of hedges | 第21-24页 |
| 2.2 Previous studies of hedges at home and abroad | 第24-26页 |
| 2.2.1 Studies of hedges abroad | 第24-25页 |
| 2.2.2 Studies of hedges at home | 第25-26页 |
| 2.2.3 Summary of the previous studies | 第26页 |
| 2.3 Study of hedges in corporate agreements | 第26-27页 |
| 2.4 Summary | 第27-28页 |
| CHAPTER THREE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK | 第28-38页 |
| 3.1 Making choices | 第28-30页 |
| 3.2 Three properties of language | 第30-31页 |
| 3.3 Four angles of investigation | 第31-35页 |
| 3.3.1 Contextual correlates of adaptability | 第31-33页 |
| 3.3.2 Structural objects of adaptability | 第33页 |
| 3.3.3 Dynamics of adaptability | 第33-34页 |
| 3.3.4 Salience of the adaptation process | 第34-35页 |
| 3.4 An adaptive framework for analyzing hedges in the corporate agreements | 第35-38页 |
| CHAPTER FOUR AN ADAPTATION APPROACH TO HEDGES IN CORPORATE AGREEMENTS | 第38-60页 |
| 4.1 Research procedure | 第38页 |
| 4.2 Case study | 第38-58页 |
| 4.2.1 Adaptation to the physical world | 第39-47页 |
| 4.2.2 Adaptation to the social world | 第47-49页 |
| 4.2.3 Adaptation to the mental world | 第49-58页 |
| 4.3 Reasons for different application of hedges in the three worlds based onthe corporate agreements | 第58-59页 |
| 4.4 Summary | 第59-60页 |
| CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUDING REMARKS | 第60-63页 |
| 5.1 Major findings and implications | 第60-62页 |
| 5.2 Limitations and suggestions | 第62-63页 |
| REFERENCES | 第63-65页 |
| APPENDIX | 第65-68页 |
| 在校期间发表论文清单 | 第68页 |
