| Acknowledgements | 第1-9页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第9-10页 |
| ABSTRACT(Chinese) | 第10-11页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第11-16页 |
| ·The object of the present study | 第11页 |
| ·The rationale of the present study | 第11-12页 |
| ·Problems with the existing studies | 第12页 |
| ·The objectives of the present study | 第12-13页 |
| ·Methodology and data collection | 第13-14页 |
| ·Outline of the thesis | 第14-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-26页 |
| ·Definition of compliment and the distinctions between compliment and related concepts | 第16-18页 |
| ·Definitions of compliment | 第16-17页 |
| ·The distinctions among compliment, praise and flattery | 第17-18页 |
| ·Approaches to the study of compliments | 第18-24页 |
| ·Studies on compliments abroad | 第18-23页 |
| ·Domestic studies on compliments | 第23-24页 |
| ·Limitations of the past researches and perspective of the present study | 第24-26页 |
| Chapter Three Description of the Conceptual Framework | 第26-35页 |
| ·Verschueren's Linguistic Adaptation Theory | 第26-29页 |
| ·A functional perspective on language use | 第26-27页 |
| ·Making linguistic Choices | 第27-28页 |
| ·Three key notions | 第28页 |
| ·Four angles of investigation | 第28-29页 |
| ·Compliments as realization of adaptation | 第29-33页 |
| ·Cause of compliments | 第29-30页 |
| ·Targets of adaptation | 第30-32页 |
| ·The dynamics of adaptation | 第32-33页 |
| ·A tentative framework of the realization of compliments | 第33-35页 |
| Chapter Four Compliments as Realization of Adaptation | 第35-43页 |
| ·Introduction | 第35页 |
| ·Adaptation to the mental world | 第35-37页 |
| ·Adaptation to the social world | 第37-42页 |
| ·Adaptation to power and solidarity | 第38-39页 |
| ·Adaptation to social role | 第39-40页 |
| ·Adaptation to traditional Chinese culture | 第40-42页 |
| ·Summary | 第42-43页 |
| Chapter Five Social Functions of Compliments | 第43-50页 |
| ·Introduction | 第43页 |
| ·Establishing relationship | 第43-44页 |
| ·Changing pragmatic distance | 第44-45页 |
| ·Serving as gratitude | 第45页 |
| ·Serving as encouragement | 第45-46页 |
| ·Protecting face from being threatened | 第46-47页 |
| ·Avoiding conflict | 第47-48页 |
| ·Summary | 第48-50页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第50-53页 |
| ·Introduction | 第50页 |
| ·The major findings of this thesis | 第50-51页 |
| ·Limitations | 第51页 |
| ·Suggestions for further research | 第51-53页 |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY | 第53-56页 |
| Contents of Published Thesis | 第56-57页 |
