| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-12页 |
| LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS | 第12-13页 |
| CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION | 第13-21页 |
| 1.1 Research orientation | 第13-14页 |
| 1.2 The object of research: arbitrariness of linguistic signs | 第14-15页 |
| 1.3 Rationale for the study | 第15-17页 |
| 1.4 Objectives of the research | 第17-18页 |
| 1.5 Research Methodology | 第18-19页 |
| 1.6 Outline of the Thesis | 第19-21页 |
| CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE | 第21-31页 |
| 2.1 Introduction | 第21页 |
| 2.2 The pro-Saussurean views on the arbitrariness of linguistic signs | 第21-25页 |
| 2.2.1 The pro-Saussurean views on arbitrariness abroad | 第21-23页 |
| 2.2.2 The pro-Saussurean views on arbitrariness in China | 第23-25页 |
| 2.3 The anti-Saussurean views on the arbitrariness of linguistic signs | 第25-29页 |
| 2.3.1 The anti-Saussurean views on arbitrariness abroad | 第25-27页 |
| 2.3.2 The anti-Saussurean views on arbitrariness in China | 第27-29页 |
| 2.4 Summary | 第29-31页 |
| CHAPTER THREE ARBITRARINESS IS THE NATURE OF THE LANGUAGE SYSTEM | 第31-42页 |
| 3.1 Introduction | 第31页 |
| 3.2 Linguistic signs are arbitrary | 第31-36页 |
| 3.2.1 The origin of the principle of arbitrariness | 第31-33页 |
| 3.2.2 The first principle: the linguistic sign is arbitrary | 第33-34页 |
| 3.2.3 Absolute arbitrariness and relative arbitrariness in language | 第34-36页 |
| 3.3 Language as a system of signs | 第36-40页 |
| 3.3.1 The syntagmatic and associative relations of linguistic signs | 第37-38页 |
| 3.3.2 Two relations imply the systematicness of linguistic signs | 第38-40页 |
| 3.4 Summary | 第40-42页 |
| CHAPTER FOUR ABSOLUTE ARBITRARINESS AND SAUSSURE’S PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE | 第42-48页 |
| 4.1 Introduction | 第42页 |
| 4.2 Philosophy of language | 第42-44页 |
| 4.3 Absolute arbitrariness is the starting point of Saussure’s philosophy of language | 第44-47页 |
| 4.4 Summary | 第47-48页 |
| CHAPTER FIVE RELATIVE ARBITRARINESS AND SAUSSURE’S PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE | 第48-58页 |
| 5.1 Introduction | 第48页 |
| 5.2 Relative arbitrariness: the essence of Saussure’s philosophy of language | 第48-57页 |
| 5.2.1 Saussure’s opinions about the meaning of linguistic signs | 第48-50页 |
| 5.2.2 Meaning from the conceptual viewpoint | 第50-53页 |
| 5.2.3 Meaning from the material viewpoint | 第53-54页 |
| 5.2.4 The relation between language and thought | 第54-57页 |
| 5.3 Summary | 第57-58页 |
| CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSION | 第58-61页 |
| 6.1 Introduction | 第58页 |
| 6.2 Major findings | 第58-59页 |
| 6.3 Implications of this study | 第59-60页 |
| 6.4 Limitations | 第60页 |
| 6.5 Suggestions for further research | 第60-61页 |
| REFERENCES | 第61-64页 |
| 在校期间发表论文清单 | 第64页 |
