| Acknowledgements | 第4-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-8页 |
| 内容摘要 | 第9-10页 |
| Chapter one Introduction | 第10-13页 |
| 1.1 Research Background | 第10-11页 |
| 1.2 A Brief Introduction to Empresses in the Palace | 第11页 |
| 1.3 Objectives and Significance of the Research | 第11-12页 |
| 1.4 Organization of this Thesis | 第12-13页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第13-21页 |
| 2.1 Definitions and Classifications of Innuendo | 第13-17页 |
| 2.1.1 Definitions of Innuendo | 第13-14页 |
| 2.1.2 Classifications of Innuendo | 第14-16页 |
| 2.1.3 Features of Innuendo | 第16-17页 |
| 2.2 Functions of Innuendo | 第17-20页 |
| 2.3 The Merits and Limitations of Previous Researches | 第20-21页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Foundation | 第21-27页 |
| 3.1 Speech Act Theory | 第21-25页 |
| 3.1.1 Austin’s Speech Act Theory | 第21-23页 |
| 3.1.2 Searle’s Indirect Speech Act Theory | 第23-25页 |
| 3.2 Irony Principle | 第25-27页 |
| Chapter Four Manifestation of Innuendo in Empresses in the Palace | 第27-35页 |
| 4.1 Innuendo by Means of Rhetorical Devices | 第27-30页 |
| 4.1.1 Antiphrasis | 第27-28页 |
| 4.1.2 Analogy | 第28-29页 |
| 4.1.3 Pun | 第29-30页 |
| 4.2 Innuendo by Means of Idiomatic Patterns | 第30-35页 |
| 4.2.1 Quoting Folktales or Proverbs to Satire the Present Person or Thing | 第30-32页 |
| 4.2.2 Pointing at One but Abusing the Other | 第32-33页 |
| 4.2.3 Praising Ostensibly but Derogating in Reality | 第33-35页 |
| Chapter Five The Illocutionary Force of Innuendo | 第35-40页 |
| 5.1 Warning by Innuendo | 第35-36页 |
| 5.2 Mocking by Innuendo | 第36页 |
| 5.3 Satirizing by Innuendo | 第36-37页 |
| 5.4 Offending Verbally by Innuendo | 第37-38页 |
| 5.5 Enraging by Innuendo | 第38-40页 |
| Chapter Six Felicitous conditions for Understanding Innuendo and the PerlocutionaryActs Caused by innuendoes | 第40-55页 |
| 6.1 Felicitous Conditions for Understanding Innuendo | 第40-46页 |
| 6.1.1 Cooperative Principle for Understanding Innuendo in Empresses in thePalace | 第41-42页 |
| 6.1.2 Mutual Knowledge for Understanding Innuendo in Empresses in thePalace | 第42-45页 |
| 6.1.3 Hearer’s Communicative Competence and Inferential Ability forUnderstanding Inuendo in Empresses in the Palace | 第45-46页 |
| 6.2 The Perlocutionary Acts Caused by Innuendo | 第46-55页 |
| 6.2.1 Cooperative and Expected Responses to Innuendo by Indirect Strategies | 第47-50页 |
| 6.2.2 Cooperative but Unexpected Responses to Innuendos | 第50-53页 |
| 6.2.3 Uncooperative Responses to Innuendoes | 第53-55页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第55-57页 |
| 7.1 Summary of Findings | 第55-56页 |
| 7.2 Limitations of this Thesis | 第56页 |
| 7.3 Suggestions for Further Studies | 第56-57页 |
| References | 第57-60页 |
