| 摘要 | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-10页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第10-14页 |
| ·Sources of the Study | 第10-11页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第11-12页 |
| ·Objective of the Study | 第12页 |
| ·Organization of the Thesis | 第12-14页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第14-31页 |
| ·An Overview of Past Research on English Euphemisms | 第14-16页 |
| ·Definition of English Euphemisms | 第16-18页 |
| ·Formation of English Euphemisms | 第18-23页 |
| ·Fundamental Principles | 第18-19页 |
| ·Linguistic Means | 第19-23页 |
| ·Pragmatic Studies of English Euphemisms | 第23-29页 |
| ·Indirect Speech Act Theory and English Euphemisms | 第23-24页 |
| ·Cooperative Principle and English Euphemisms | 第24-27页 |
| ·Politeness Principle and English Euphemisms | 第27-28页 |
| ·Face Theory and English Euphemisms | 第28-29页 |
| ·Limitations of Previous Studies | 第29-31页 |
| Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework | 第31-41页 |
| ·Ostensive-inferential Communication | 第31-33页 |
| ·Ostension from the Communicator | 第31-32页 |
| ·Inference from the Audience | 第32-33页 |
| ·Definition and Principles of Relevance | 第33-37页 |
| ·Definition of Relevance | 第33-34页 |
| ·Two Principles of Relevance | 第34-37页 |
| ·Cognitive Environment and Mutual Manifestness | 第37-39页 |
| ·Relevance-theoretic Comprehension Procedure | 第39-41页 |
| Chapter 4 A Relevance-Theoretic Account of English Euphemisms | 第41-61页 |
| ·Cognitive Process of Understanding English Euphemisms | 第41-54页 |
| ·Identification of Explicatures | 第41-44页 |
| ·Construction of Contextual Assumptions | 第44-48页 |
| ·Recovery of Implicatures | 第48-54页 |
| ·Major Obstacles to Understanding English Euphemisms | 第54-61页 |
| ·Obstacle Caused by Language | 第55-57页 |
| ·Obstacle Caused by Context | 第57-61页 |
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 第61-64页 |
| ·Major Findings | 第61-62页 |
| ·Implications | 第62-63页 |
| ·Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research | 第63-64页 |
| Bibliography | 第64-67页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第67页 |
