| Abstract | 第4-5页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-12页 |
| 1.1 Research Background | 第10页 |
| 1.2 Research Significance | 第10-11页 |
| 1.3 Organization of the Thesis | 第11-12页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第12-29页 |
| 2.1 Review of Memetics | 第12-17页 |
| 2.1.1 Origin and Definition of Memes | 第12-13页 |
| 2.1.2 Classification of Memes | 第13-16页 |
| 2.1.3 Life Cycle of Memes | 第16-17页 |
| 2.2 Review of Language Memes | 第17-24页 |
| 2.2.1 Definition of Language Memes | 第17页 |
| 2.2.2 Ways for Language Memes to be Transmitted and Replicated | 第17-20页 |
| 2.2.3 Variation of Language Memes | 第20-21页 |
| 2.2.4 Features of Language Memes | 第21-24页 |
| 2.3 Review of Verbal Humor | 第24-29页 |
| 2.3.1 Definition of Verbal Humor | 第25页 |
| 2.3.2 Review of Verbal Humor Abroad | 第25-26页 |
| 2.3.3 Review of Verbal Humor at Home | 第26-29页 |
| Chapter Three Research Methodology | 第29-32页 |
| 3.1 Research Questions | 第29页 |
| 3.2 Data Collection | 第29-31页 |
| 3.3 Research Procedure | 第31-32页 |
| Chapter Four An Analysis of Verbal Humor Produced by Language Memes | 第32-62页 |
| 4.1 Verbal Humor Produced by Transmission and Replication Ways of Language Memes | 第32-42页 |
| 4.1.1 Verbal Humor Produced by Repetition | 第32-39页 |
| 4.1.2 Verbal Humor Produced by Analogy | 第39-42页 |
| 4.2 Verbal Humor Produced by Variation of Language Memes | 第42-48页 |
| 4.2.1 Verbal Humor Produced by Rebirth of the Old Language Memes and Strengthening of Weak Language Memes | 第42-45页 |
| 4.2.2 Verbal Humor Produced by Emergence of the Memeplexes | 第45-48页 |
| 4.3 Verbal Humor Produced by Deliberate Misinterpretation of Language Memes .. 39 | 第48-57页 |
| 4.3.1 Deliberate Misinterpretation of Homophonic Language Memes | 第49-52页 |
| 4.3.2 Deliberate Misinterpretation of Polysemous Language Memes | 第52-54页 |
| 4.3.3 Deliberate Misinterpretation of the Literal Meaning of Language Memes .. 45 | 第54-57页 |
| 4.4 Verbal Humor Produced by Disharmony between Default Context and New Context of Language Memes | 第57-62页 |
| 4.4.1 Language Memes at Lexical Level | 第57-60页 |
| 4.4.2 Language Memes at Syntactical Level | 第60-62页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第62-65页 |
| 5.1 Major Findings | 第62-63页 |
| 5.2 Limitations of This Thesis and Suggestions for Further Studies | 第63-65页 |
| References | 第65-68页 |
| Appendix | 第68-72页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第72页 |
