| Acknowlegements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract in English | 第5-8页 |
| Abstract in Chinese | 第8-10页 |
| Contents | 第10-13页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第13-18页 |
| ·Orientation of the present study | 第13页 |
| ·Research motivation | 第13-15页 |
| ·Data collection and research method | 第15-16页 |
| ·Research questions | 第16-17页 |
| ·The structure of the thesis | 第17-18页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第18-37页 |
| ·Introduction | 第18页 |
| ·The general understanding of public signs | 第18-24页 |
| ·The definitions of public signs | 第18-19页 |
| ·Public signs and communication | 第19-20页 |
| ·Verbal and non-verbal communication | 第19页 |
| ·Public and private communication | 第19-20页 |
| ·One-way and two-way communication | 第20页 |
| ·Functional classifications of public signs | 第20-23页 |
| ·The static and dynamic indications | 第23-24页 |
| ·Stylistic study on public signs | 第24-28页 |
| ·Graphological features | 第25-26页 |
| ·Full use of capitals | 第25页 |
| ·Prominent use of graphic symbols | 第25-26页 |
| ·Grammatical Features | 第26-27页 |
| ·Extensive use of imperative sentences | 第26页 |
| ·Wide use of the simple present tense | 第26-27页 |
| ·Preference for short sentences | 第27页 |
| ·Lexical features | 第27-28页 |
| ·Use of abbreviations | 第27页 |
| ·Frequent employment of nouns | 第27-28页 |
| ·Wide use of verbs and gerund | 第28页 |
| ·Sociolinguistic studies on public signs | 第28-30页 |
| ·Pragmatic study of public signs | 第30-31页 |
| ·Studies on public signs translation | 第31-35页 |
| ·Significance of public signs translation | 第31-32页 |
| ·Problems in public signs translation | 第32-34页 |
| ·Solutions to problems in public signs translation | 第34-35页 |
| ·Limitations of previous studies | 第35-37页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第37-49页 |
| ·Introduction | 第37页 |
| ·A General introduction to adaptation theory | 第37-43页 |
| ·Pragmatics as a functional perspective on language use | 第37-38页 |
| ·Key notions: three properties of language | 第38-40页 |
| ·Four angles of investigation | 第40-43页 |
| ·Public signs language | 第43-49页 |
| ·Public signs as linguistic adaptation | 第43页 |
| ·Contextual correlates involved in public signs | 第43-47页 |
| ·The role of participants in public signs | 第44-45页 |
| ·Adaptation to the mental world | 第45-46页 |
| ·Adaptation to the social world | 第46页 |
| ·Adaptation to physical world | 第46-47页 |
| ·An adaptation model illustrating public signs language | 第47-49页 |
| Chapter Four Investigation on Public Signs in China | 第49-73页 |
| ·Introduction | 第49页 |
| ·Classification of public signs in China | 第49-50页 |
| ·Investigation on public signs status of Zhengzhou | 第50-54页 |
| ·Statistic analysis of the survey in Ya Xing Residential Zone | 第51-53页 |
| ·Conclusions drawn from its analysis | 第53-54页 |
| ·The process of adaptation in public signs | 第54-72页 |
| ·Adaptation to the interpreters of public signs | 第55-57页 |
| ·Adaptation to the physical world | 第57-60页 |
| ·Use of bilingual translation | 第57-58页 |
| ·Use of graphic symbols with or without characters | 第58-60页 |
| ·Adaptation to the social world | 第60-66页 |
| ·Direct warning signs adapted to power relationship | 第60-62页 |
| ·Indirect warning signs and advocating signs adapted to solidarity relationship | 第62-65页 |
| ·The continuum of directness and indirectness adapted to social settings | 第65-66页 |
| ·Adaptation to the mental world | 第66-72页 |
| ·Use of additional words | 第68-69页 |
| ·Use of figures of speech | 第69-72页 |
| ·Summary | 第72-73页 |
| Chapter Five Findings and Conculsions | 第73-78页 |
| ·Introduction | 第73页 |
| ·Findings | 第73-75页 |
| ·Theoretical and practical implications | 第75-76页 |
| ·Limitations of this study | 第76页 |
| ·Suggestions for further research | 第76-78页 |
| Bibliography | 第78-82页 |
| Appendix | 第82-99页 |
