| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-9页 |
| 摘要 | 第9-15页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第15-21页 |
| ·Rationale | 第16-17页 |
| ·Research Methods | 第17-18页 |
| ·Thesis Outline | 第18-19页 |
| ·Research Findings | 第19-21页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第21-35页 |
| ·Definition of Humor | 第21-23页 |
| ·A Brief History of Humor and Humor Studies in the West | 第23-27页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in Medieval Times | 第23-24页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies during the Renaissance Period | 第24-26页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in Post-Modern Western Societies | 第26-27页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in Chinese History | 第27-30页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in Feudal China | 第27-29页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in the 19~(th)and 20~(th)Centuries | 第29页 |
| ·Humor and Humor Studies in Modern China | 第29-30页 |
| ·Theories of Humor | 第30-35页 |
| ·Incongruity and Its Resolution | 第30-31页 |
| ·Humor as a Social Game | 第31-33页 |
| ·Psychoanalytical Tension-Release Models | 第33-35页 |
| Chapter 3 An Approach to Humor Based on Contextual Dimensions | 第35-47页 |
| ·A Review of Context in Humor | 第35-37页 |
| ·Meaning of Context | 第35页 |
| ·Significance of Context in the Exchange of Meanings | 第35-36页 |
| ·Context as Defined by Categories | 第36-37页 |
| ·New Development: Contextual Dimensions as the Framework of the Study | 第37-43页 |
| ·Dimensions in the Physical Universe | 第37页 |
| ·Dimensions of Context in the Linguistic Universe | 第37-43页 |
| ·Physical Dimension of Context | 第38-40页 |
| ·Temporal Dimension of Context | 第40-41页 |
| ·Experiential Dimension of Context | 第41-43页 |
| ·Role of Context in Interactive Humor | 第43-47页 |
| ·Humor through Physical Dimension of Context | 第43-44页 |
| ·Humor through Temporal Dimension of Context | 第44页 |
| ·Humor through Experiential Dimension of Context | 第44-47页 |
| Chapter 4 A Study of Humor in an English Language Situation Comedy –“Friends” | 第47-87页 |
| ·Introduction and Selection Criteria | 第47-49页 |
| ·History and Background of Selected Works | 第47-48页 |
| ·Background of Characters | 第48-49页 |
| ·Audience Reception | 第49页 |
| ·A Linguistic Analysis of Humor | 第49-87页 |
| ·An Overview of Analysis Methodologies | 第49-50页 |
| ·A Detailed Analysis | 第50-65页 |
| ·Discussions | 第65-87页 |
| ·General Observations | 第65-67页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Physical Contextual Dimension | 第67-71页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Temporal Contextual Dimension | 第71-77页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Experiential Contextual Dimension. | 第77-82页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through Multiple Contextual Dimensions | 第82-87页 |
| Chapter 5 A Study of Humor in a Chinese Language Situation Comedy –“我爱我家（I LoveMy Family）” | 第87-118页 |
| ·Introduction and Selection Criteria | 第87-89页 |
| ·History and Background of Selected Works | 第87页 |
| ·Background of Characters | 第87-88页 |
| ·Audience Reception | 第88-89页 |
| ·A Linguistic Analysis of Humor | 第89-118页 |
| ·An Overview of Analysis Methodologies | 第89-90页 |
| ·A Detailed Analysis | 第90-98页 |
| ·Discussions | 第98-118页 |
| ·General Observations | 第98-100页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Physical Contextual Dimension | 第100-103页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Temporal Contextual Dimension | 第103-107页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through the Experiential Contextual Dimension | 第107-112页 |
| ·Examples of Humor through Multiple Contextual Dimensions | 第112-118页 |
| Chapter 6 Comparisons and Discussions | 第118-127页 |
| ·Frequency of Humor | 第118-119页 |
| ·Type of Humor (Context) | 第119-122页 |
| ·Humor and the Physical Contextual Dimension | 第119-120页 |
| ·Humor and the Temporal Contextual Dimension | 第120-121页 |
| ·Humor and the Experiential Contextual Dimension | 第121-122页 |
| ·A Statistical Analysis | 第122-125页 |
| ·Comparison of Frequency of Humor between English and Chinese SituationComedies | 第122-123页 |
| ·Comparison of the Relative Usage of Each Contextual Dimension betweenEnglish and Chinese Situation Comedies | 第123-125页 |
| ·Summary of and Significance of Findings | 第125-127页 |
| Chapter 7 Conclusion | 第127-132页 |
| ·Summary of the Findings | 第129-130页 |
| ·Limitations of the Research | 第130-131页 |
| ·Some Thoughts on Future Research | 第131-132页 |
| Bibliography | 第132-138页 |
| Appendix A – Analytical Statistics of “Friends”– Episode 3 – 24 | 第138-146页 |
| Appendix B – Analytical Statistics of “I Love My Family”–Episode 3 – 24 | 第146-154页 |
