| Acknowledgement | 第1-5页 |
| 摘要 | 第5-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-9页 |
| Introduction | 第9-14页 |
| Chapter 1 A Review of Relevant Literature and the Theoretical Framework | 第14-25页 |
| ·Researches on ambiguity | 第14-16页 |
| ·Traditional studies on ambiguity | 第14-15页 |
| ·Current studies of ambiguity in the field of pragmatics | 第15-16页 |
| ·Achievements and limitations of past researches | 第16-17页 |
| ·The delimitation of intentional ambiguity | 第17-20页 |
| ·Definition of Intentional ambiguity | 第17-18页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity and unintentional ambiguity | 第18-19页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity and deliberate misinterpretation | 第19-20页 |
| ·Theoretical framework of the present study | 第20-25页 |
| ·Linguistic adaptation theory | 第20-22页 |
| ·Searle’s indirect speech acts theory | 第22-23页 |
| ·Grice’s cooperative principle | 第23-24页 |
| ·Brown & Levinson’s face theory | 第24-25页 |
| Chapter 2 Ways of Realizing Intentional Ambiguity | 第25-37页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by homonyms | 第25-27页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by polysemants | 第27-29页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by syntactic structure | 第29-31页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by rhetorical devices | 第31-33页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by metaphor | 第31-32页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by euphemism | 第32页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by understatement | 第32-33页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by context | 第33-34页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by indirect speech acts | 第34-35页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity by creating new meanings | 第35-37页 |
| Chapter 3 Functioning of Intentional Ambiguity | 第37-50页 |
| ·Contextual correlates affecting the choice of intentional ambiguity | 第37-43页 |
| ·Adaption to the social world | 第38-41页 |
| ·Adaptation to the mental world | 第41-43页 |
| ·Communicative functions of intentional ambiguity | 第43-50页 |
| ·Creating special communicative effects | 第43-46页 |
| ·Lessening the face-threatening effects | 第46-47页 |
| ·Protecting oneself | 第47-48页 |
| ·Realizing one’s purposes | 第48-50页 |
| Conclusion | 第50-54页 |
| Bibliography | 第54-57页 |
