| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract in Chinese | 第5-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-7页 |
| Table of contents | 第7-9页 |
| Chapter Ⅰ Introduction | 第9-13页 |
| ·Motivation | 第9-12页 |
| ·Layout of this paper | 第12-13页 |
| Chapter Ⅱ Theoretical background | 第13-26页 |
| ·Theories of vague language | 第13-20页 |
| ·Definitions of vague language | 第13-15页 |
| ·Sources of vagueness in language | 第15-17页 |
| ·Classifications of vague expressions | 第17-20页 |
| ·Theories of context relating to the interpretation of vague language | 第20-26页 |
| ·Intention of language user | 第22-23页 |
| ·Register of language use | 第23-26页 |
| Chapter Ⅲ Interpreting vague language by the speaker's intention | 第26-48页 |
| ·Intention of being polite | 第26-33页 |
| ·Politeness in interaction | 第26-29页 |
| ·Interpreting vague language by rules of politeness | 第29-33页 |
| ·Intention of observing cooperative principle | 第33-40页 |
| ·Cooperative principle | 第34-35页 |
| ·Interpreting vague language by cooperative principle | 第35-40页 |
| ·Intention of indicating conversational implicature | 第40-48页 |
| ·For self-protection | 第40-41页 |
| ·For persuasiveness | 第41-43页 |
| ·For filling lexical gaps | 第43-45页 |
| ·For creating an easy atmosphere | 第45-48页 |
| Chapter Ⅳ Interpreting vague language in different registers | 第48-56页 |
| ·In journalism | 第48-52页 |
| ·Factuality-oriented vague language | 第48-49页 |
| ·Timeliness-oriented vague language | 第49-51页 |
| ·Brevity-oriented vague language | 第51-52页 |
| ·In scientific writing | 第52-56页 |
| ·Accuracy-oriented vague language | 第52-54页 |
| ·Self-protection-oriented vague language | 第54-55页 |
| ·Writer-reader-relationship-oriented vague language | 第55-56页 |
| Chapter Ⅴ Conclusion and suggestions | 第56-59页 |
| ·Conclusion | 第56-57页 |
| ·Significance of the study of vague language in second language learning | 第57-58页 |
| ·Suggestions for further study | 第58-59页 |
| Bibliography | 第59-61页 |
