| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-9页 |
| 内容摘要 | 第9-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-13页 |
| ·Background to the Study | 第10-11页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第11页 |
| ·Organization of the Study | 第11-13页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第13-23页 |
| ·Hedges | 第13-18页 |
| ·The Definition of Hedges | 第13-15页 |
| ·The Classification of Hedges | 第15-18页 |
| ·Studies of Hedges | 第18-23页 |
| ·Studies of Hedges Abroad | 第18-20页 |
| ·Studies of Hedges in China | 第20-23页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Basis | 第23-34页 |
| ·The Conversation between Doctors and Patients | 第23-27页 |
| ·Doctor-patient Communication | 第23页 |
| ·Factors Influencing Effectiveness of Doctor-patient Communication | 第23-24页 |
| ·Different Purposes in Doctor-patient Communication | 第24-27页 |
| ·The Doctor-patient Conversation | 第27页 |
| ·A Sketch of Theoretical Background | 第27-32页 |
| ·Conversational Implicature | 第27-29页 |
| ·Cooperative Principle | 第29-30页 |
| ·Politeness Principle | 第30-32页 |
| ·Connections and Comments | 第32-34页 |
| ·Hedges and Cancellability of Conversational Implicature | 第32页 |
| ·Hedges and Cooperative Principle | 第32页 |
| ·Hedges and Politeness Principle | 第32-34页 |
| Chapter Four Methods | 第34-37页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第34页 |
| ·Data Collection | 第34-35页 |
| ·Instruments | 第35页 |
| ·Procedure | 第35页 |
| ·Methodology | 第35-37页 |
| Chapter Five Pragmatic Analysis of Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第37-47页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Conversational Implicature | 第37-40页 |
| ·Approximators in Doctor-patient Conversations and Conversational Implicature | 第37-39页 |
| ·Shields in Doctor-patient Conversations and Conversational Implicature | 第39-40页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Cooperative Principle | 第40-43页 |
| ·Violation of the Maxim of Quantity in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第40-41页 |
| ·Violation of the Maxim of Quality in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第41-42页 |
| ·Violation of the Maxim of Relevance in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第42页 |
| ·Violation of the Maxim of Manner in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第42-43页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Politeness Principle | 第43-47页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Tact Maxim | 第43页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Generosity Maxim | 第43-44页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Approbation Maxim | 第44页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Modesty Maxim | 第44-45页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Agreement Maxim | 第45-46页 |
| ·Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations and Sympathy Maxim | 第46-47页 |
| Chapter Six Pragmatic Functions of Hedges in Doctor-patient Conversations | 第47-54页 |
| ·Achieving Politeness | 第47-50页 |
| ·Increasing Credibility | 第50-52页 |
| ·Enhancing Self-protection | 第52-54页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第54-57页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Study | 第54-55页 |
| ·Implications of the Study | 第55页 |
| ·Suggestions for the Further Studies | 第55-57页 |
| Referencens | 第57-61页 |
| Appendix | 第61-64页 |
