| Abstract | 第4-5页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-14页 |
| 1.1 Background of the Study | 第10-11页 |
| 1.2 Significance of the Study | 第11-12页 |
| 1.3 Research Questions | 第12页 |
| 1.4 Layout of the Thesis | 第12-14页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第14-24页 |
| 2.1 Review on Vague Language and Business English Correspondence | 第14-18页 |
| 2.1.1 Definitions of Vague Language | 第14-16页 |
| 2.1.2 Studies of Business English Correspondence | 第16-18页 |
| 2.2 Previous Studies of Vague Language in Business English Correspondence | 第18-24页 |
| 2.2.1 Studies of Vague Language from Different Perspectives | 第19-21页 |
| 2.2.2 Studies of Vague Language in Business English Correspondence | 第21-24页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework and Methodology | 第24-31页 |
| 3.1 Linguistic Adaptation Theory | 第24-27页 |
| 3.1.1 Overview of Adaptation Theory | 第24-26页 |
| 3.1.2 Three Properties of Language | 第26-27页 |
| 3.2 Aspects of Language Adaptability | 第27-29页 |
| 3.3 Research Methodology | 第29-31页 |
| 3.3.1 Data Collection | 第29-30页 |
| 3.3.2 Quantitative Analysis of Vague Language | 第30页 |
| 3.3.3 Qualitative Analysis of Vague Language | 第30-31页 |
| Chapter Four Distribution and Analysis of Vague Language in Business English Correspondence | 第31-42页 |
| 4.1 Corpus-based Data Analysis | 第31-32页 |
| 4.2 Distribution and Analysis of Vague Language in Different Contexts | 第32-40页 |
| 4.2.1 Vague Language in Correspondence for Establishing Business Relations | 第33-34页 |
| 4.2.2 Vague Language in Correspondence for Enquiry | 第34-35页 |
| 4.2.3 Vague Language in Correspondence for Quotation | 第35-37页 |
| 4.2.4 Vague Language in Correspondence for Claim and Adjustment | 第37-38页 |
| 4.2.5 Vague Language in Correspondence for Shipment and Insurance | 第38-39页 |
| 4.2.6 Vague Language in Correspondence for Ordering and Payment | 第39-40页 |
| 4.3 Summary of the Results | 第40-42页 |
| Chapter Five Adaptation and Pragmatic Effects of Vague Language in Business English Correspondence | 第42-53页 |
| 5.1 Adaptation to Physical World | 第42-44页 |
| 5.1.1 Adaptation to Temporal Reference | 第43页 |
| 5.1.2 Adaptation to Spatial Reference | 第43-44页 |
| 5.2 Adaptation to Mental World | 第44-48页 |
| 5.2.1 Adaptation to Addressor’s Purposes | 第44-45页 |
| 5.2.2 Adaptation to Addressor’s and Addressee’s Emotions | 第45-47页 |
| 5.2.3 Adaptation to Addressee’s Wishes | 第47-48页 |
| 5.3 Adaptation to Social World | 第48-50页 |
| 5.3.1 Adaptation to Social Status | 第48-49页 |
| 5.3.2 Adaptation to Cultural Conventions | 第49-50页 |
| 5.4 Pragmatic Effects of Vague Language in Business English Correspondence | 第50-53页 |
| 5.4.1 Making the Expression More Polite and Objective | 第50-51页 |
| 5.4.2 Insuring the Flexibility | 第51-52页 |
| 5.4.3 Enhancing the Self-protection | 第52-53页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第53-57页 |
| 6.1 Major Findings | 第53-55页 |
| 6.2 Implications | 第55页 |
| 6.3 Limitations of the Research | 第55-56页 |
| 6.4 Suggestions for Further Research | 第56-57页 |
| References | 第57-61页 |
| Appendix Titles of the Sixty Correspondence | 第61-67页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第67页 |
