| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-7页 |
| 内容摘要 | 第7-9页 |
| Introduction | 第9-12页 |
| Chapter 1 Ambiguity and Pragmatics | 第12-20页 |
| ·Creativity of language: the breeding ground of ambiguity | 第12页 |
| ·The necessity of studying ambiguity within the framework of pragmatics | 第12-13页 |
| ·Literature review | 第13-19页 |
| ·Researches on context | 第13-14页 |
| ·Researches on ambiguity | 第14-19页 |
| ·The brief presentation of the related pragmatic theories | 第19-20页 |
| Chapter 2 Pragmatic Ambiguity: the Co-operative Principle Approach | 第20-31页 |
| ·The main points of co-operative principle | 第20-23页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and conversational implicature | 第23-29页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and generalized conversational implicature | 第24-25页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and particularized conversational implicature | 第25-29页 |
| ·Functions of pragmatic ambiguity in terms of co-operative principle | 第29-31页 |
| ·Self-protection | 第29-30页 |
| ·Avoidance of conflicts | 第30-31页 |
| Chapter 3 Pragmatic Ambiguity: the Speech Act Theory Approach | 第31-44页 |
| ·The main points of Austin's speech act theory | 第31-35页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and the three facets of a speech act | 第35-37页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and indirect speech act | 第37-41页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and the indirect speech act of the declarative | 第38-39页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and the indirect speech act of the interrogative | 第39-41页 |
| ·Functions of pragmatic ambiguity in terms of speech act theory | 第41-44页 |
| ·Realization of purposes | 第41页 |
| ·Fulfillment of tasks | 第41-44页 |
| Chapter 4 Pragmatic Ambiguity: the Face Theory Approach | 第44-51页 |
| ·The main points of face theory | 第44页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and face theory | 第44-46页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and politeness strategies | 第46-48页 |
| ·Functions of pragmatic ambiguity in terms of face theory | 第48-51页 |
| ·Achievement of politeness | 第49页 |
| ·Preservation of face | 第49-51页 |
| Chapter 5 Pragmatic Ambiguity: the Relevance Theory Approach | 第51-60页 |
| ·The main points of relevance theory | 第51-55页 |
| ·Pragmatic ambiguity and relevance theory | 第55-58页 |
| ·Rhetoric functions of pragmatic ambiguity in terms of relevance theory | 第58-60页 |
| Conclusion | 第60-62页 |
| References | 第62-64页 |
