| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| 中文摘要 | 第7-10页 |
| Abstract | 第10-14页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第14-16页 |
| ·Aim of the research | 第14页 |
| ·Research methodology | 第14-15页 |
| ·Framework of the thesis | 第15-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-29页 |
| ·Context | 第16-17页 |
| ·A survey of the context theories | 第17-24页 |
| ·Anthropological view of the context | 第17-18页 |
| ·London School's view of the context | 第18-19页 |
| ·Functionalist view of the context | 第19-20页 |
| ·Sociolinguistic view of the context | 第20页 |
| ·Semantic view of the context | 第20-21页 |
| ·Pragmatic view of the context | 第21-24页 |
| ·Advantages of the above views of the context | 第24-27页 |
| ·Limitations of the above views of the context | 第27-29页 |
| ·Conclusion | 第29页 |
| Chapter Three Relevance-theoretic Account of the Context | 第29-46页 |
| ·Introduction | 第29页 |
| ·Definition of the context | 第29-32页 |
| ·Classification of the context | 第32-36页 |
| ·Dynamic nature of the context | 第36-44页 |
| ·The context not given but chosen | 第36-39页 |
| ·Key to choice of the context—optimal relevance | 第39-44页 |
| ·Comparative analysis of the relevance-theoretic context and early views | 第44-45页 |
| ·Conclusion | 第45-46页 |
| Chapter Four Context Inference | 第46-57页 |
| ·Nature of the context inference | 第46-50页 |
| ·Mode of the context inference | 第50-57页 |
| ·Xiong Xueliang's mode | 第50-53页 |
| ·Inferential mode of the context of the thesis | 第53-57页 |
| Chapter Five Conversational Implicature and the Relevance-theoretic Context | 第57-78页 |
| ·Gricean and relevance-theoretic approaches to conversational implicature | 第57-61页 |
| ·Gricean approach to the conversational implicative | 第57-59页 |
| ·Relevance-theoretic approach to conversational implicative | 第59-61页 |
| ·Gricean and relevance-theoretic approaches to the context | 第61-66页 |
| ·Gricean approach to the context | 第61-64页 |
| ·Relevance-theoretic approach to the context | 第64-66页 |
| ·Gricean and relevance-theoretic approaches to inference of conversational implicative | 第66-69页 |
| ·Gricean approach to inference of conversational implicative | 第66-68页 |
| ·Relevance-theoretic approach to inference of conversational implicative | 第68-69页 |
| ·The roles of the relevance-theoretic context in conversational implicature inference | 第69-78页 |
| ·Implicature arising from flouting quantity maxim | 第70-72页 |
| ·Implicature arising from flouting quality maxim | 第72-75页 |
| ·Implicature arising from flouting relevance maxim | 第75页 |
| ·Implicature arising from flouting manner maxim | 第75-78页 |
| Chapter Six Metaphor and the Relevance-theoretic Context | 第78-91页 |
| ·Pragmatic approaches to metaphor | 第78-84页 |
| ·Traditional pragmatic approaches to metaphor | 第79-81页 |
| ·Relevance-theoretic approach to metaphor | 第81-84页 |
| ·Production of metaphor from the perspective of relevance-theoretic context | 第84-87页 |
| ·Speaker's intention | 第84-85页 |
| ·Estimation of hearer's cognitive environment | 第85-86页 |
| ·Speaker's responsibility | 第86-87页 |
| ·Interpretation of metaphor from the perspective of relevance-theoretic context | 第87-91页 |
| ·Optimal relevance of metaphor | 第87-89页 |
| ·Otherness of metaphor interpretation | 第89-90页 |
| ·Hearer's responsibility | 第90-91页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第91-96页 |
| ·Findings of the present study | 第91-93页 |
| ·Significance of the findings | 第93-94页 |
| ·Limitations of the present research and suggestions for further studies | 第94-96页 |
| Bibliography | 第96-99页 |
| Index for Tabls and Diagrams | 第99页 |
