| Acknowledgements | 第4-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-13页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第13-15页 |
| 1.1 Background of the research | 第13页 |
| 1.2 Significance of the research | 第13-14页 |
| 1.3 Overall structure of the thesis | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-34页 |
| 2.1 Key terms and basic concepts | 第15-23页 |
| 2.1.1 English Puns | 第15-18页 |
| 2.1.1.1 Definitions of English Puns | 第15-16页 |
| 2.1.1.2 Classifications of English Puns | 第16-18页 |
| 2.1.1.3 Evaluation of English Puns | 第18页 |
| 2.1.2 Relevance Theory | 第18-23页 |
| 2.1.2.1 Definition of relevance | 第19-21页 |
| 2.1.2.2 Principle of relevance | 第21-23页 |
| 2.2 Theoretical Framework | 第23-27页 |
| 2.2.1 Code Communication Model | 第23-25页 |
| 2.2.2 Ostensive-inferential Communication Model | 第25-27页 |
| 2.3 A review of previous studies | 第27-34页 |
| 2.3.1 Brief introduction to the Big Bang Theory | 第27-28页 |
| 2.3.2 Previous studies on Situation Comedy and the Big Bang Theory | 第28-29页 |
| 2.3.3 Previous studies on English puns from the perspective of Relevance Theory | 第29-34页 |
| 2.3.3.1 Previous studies on English puns from the perspective of Relevance Theory abroad | 第29-31页 |
| 2.3.3.2 Previous studies on English puns in China from the perspective of Relevnce Theory at home | 第31-34页 |
| Chapter Three Methodology | 第34-40页 |
| 3.1 Research questions | 第34页 |
| 3.2 Research materials | 第34-35页 |
| 3.3 Data collection and data analysis | 第35-40页 |
| 3.1.1 Collection of homphonic puns and analysis | 第35-36页 |
| 3.1.2 Collection of homgraphic puns and analysis | 第36-37页 |
| 3.1.3 Collection of asteismus puns and analysis | 第37-40页 |
| Chapter Four Results and Discussion | 第40-58页 |
| 4.1 Mechanism of interpreting English puns | 第40-43页 |
| 4.1.1 Disambiguation | 第40-41页 |
| 4.1.2 Enrichment | 第41-42页 |
| 4.1.3 Association | 第42-43页 |
| 4.2 Process of interpreting homophonic puns | 第43-46页 |
| 4.2.1 Interpreting homophonic puns with only one meaning intended | 第43-45页 |
| 4.2.2 Interpreting homophonic puns with double meanings communicated | 第45-46页 |
| 4.3 Process of interpreting homographic puns | 第46-53页 |
| 4.3.1 Interpreting homographic puns with only one meaning intended | 第46-50页 |
| 4.3.2 Interpreting homographic puns with double meanings communicated | 第50-53页 |
| 4.4 Process of interpreting asteismus puns | 第53-57页 |
| 4.5 Summary | 第57-58页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第58-61页 |
| 5.1 Major findings | 第58-59页 |
| 5.2 Pedagogical implication | 第59-60页 |
| 5.3 Limitations of the research and suggestions for the further research | 第60-61页 |
| References | 第61-64页 |
| Appendix | 第64-81页 |
