| 摘要 | 第1-4页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第4-8页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第8-9页 |
| CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION | 第9-13页 |
| ·BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY | 第9-10页 |
| ·PURPOSES OF PRESENT RESEARCH | 第10页 |
| ·SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY | 第10-11页 |
| ·ORIGINALITY OF THE RESEARCH | 第11-12页 |
| ·LAYOUT OF THE THESIS | 第12-13页 |
| CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW | 第13-30页 |
| ·VAGUE LANGUAGE | 第13-18页 |
| ·Concepts of Vague Language | 第13-16页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Vagueness | 第16-18页 |
| ·HEDGES | 第18-26页 |
| ·Definition of Hedges | 第18-21页 |
| ·Classification of Hedges and Vagueness of Modal Hedges | 第21-23页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Hedges | 第23-26页 |
| ·VAGUENESS IN LEGAL LANGUAGE | 第26-30页 |
| ·Legal Language | 第26-27页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Vagueness in Legal Language | 第27-30页 |
| CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY | 第30-37页 |
| ·INTRODUCTION | 第30页 |
| ·RESEARCH QUESTIONS | 第30-31页 |
| ·VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY | 第31页 |
| ·CORPORA ESTABLISHMENT AND DESCRIPTION | 第31-32页 |
| ·INSTRUMENT | 第32页 |
| ·RESEARCH DESIGN | 第32-33页 |
| ·DATA ANALYSIS | 第33-37页 |
| CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION | 第37-52页 |
| ·IRREMOVABLE VAGUENESS IN LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE | 第37-38页 |
| ·AUTHORIZATION OF LAW SHOWN BY THE TENDENCY IN THE USE OF “MAY” | 第38-41页 |
| ·Meanings of “may” | 第38-39页 |
| ·“may” in Legislative Language | 第39-41页 |
| ·COMPULSION OF LAW SHOWN BY THE TENDENCY IN THE USE OF “SHALL” | 第41-44页 |
| ·Meanings of “shall” | 第41-42页 |
| ·“shall” in Legislative Language | 第42-44页 |
| ·STABILITY OF LAW SHOWN BY PRIMARY MODAL HEDGES | 第44-47页 |
| ·Primary Modals, Secondary Modals and Mitigation | 第44-46页 |
| ·Primary Modals in Legislative Language | 第46-47页 |
| ·ANALYSIS OF MODAL HEDGES WHICH SHOW WEAK EPISTEMIC MEANINGS | 第47-50页 |
| ·Some Classifications of Modal Hedges related to Epistemic Modals | 第47-48页 |
| ·Epistemic Modal Hedges in Legislative Language | 第48-50页 |
| ·ANSWERS TO THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS | 第50-52页 |
| CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSIONS | 第52-56页 |
| ·MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH | 第52-54页 |
| ·PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS | 第54-55页 |
| ·LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS | 第55-56页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第56-57页 |
| REFERENCES | 第57-61页 |
| APPENDIX PUBLICATIONS | 第61页 |
| A 作者在攻读学位期间发表的论文目录 | 第61页 |
| B 作者在攻读学位期间取得的科研成果目录 | 第61页 |
