| Abstract | 第5-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-11页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第11-17页 |
| 1.1 Background of the research | 第11-13页 |
| 1.2 Significance of the research | 第13-14页 |
| 1.3 Objectives and innovations of the research | 第14-15页 |
| 1.4 Data collection and analysis | 第15-16页 |
| 1.5 Organization of the research | 第16-17页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第17-27页 |
| 2.1 A review of hedges | 第17-24页 |
| 2.1.1 Hedges from the perspective of logical-semantics | 第17-19页 |
| 2.1.2 Hedges from the perspective of pragmatics | 第19-21页 |
| 2.1.3 Hedges from the perspective of sociolinguistics | 第21-22页 |
| 2.1.4 Hedges from the other perspectives | 第22-24页 |
| 2.2 A review of hedges in court arguments | 第24-27页 |
| 2.2.1 Foreign studies of hedges in court arguments | 第24-25页 |
| 2.2.2 Domestic studies of hedges in court arguments | 第25-27页 |
| Chapter 3 Classifications and Features of Hedges in Defendants’ Court Arguments | 第27-44页 |
| 3.1 Classifications of hedges in defendants’ court arguments | 第27-39页 |
| 3.1.1 Approximators | 第34-37页 |
| 3.1.2 Shields | 第37-39页 |
| 3.2 Features of hedges in defendants’ court arguments | 第39-42页 |
| 3.2.1 Accuracy and decency in meaning expression | 第40-41页 |
| 3.2.2 Euphemism and relaxation in tone expression | 第41-42页 |
| 3.3 Summary | 第42-44页 |
| Chapter 4 Self-protective Function of Hedges in Defendants’ Court Arguments | 第44-66页 |
| 4.1 Improving the utterance meaning from degree to achieve self-protection | 第45-53页 |
| 4.1.1 Reducing the ambiguity to make meaning exact | 第45-48页 |
| 4.1.2 Offering premises to make meaning accurate | 第48-50页 |
| 4.1.3 Denying the speaker’s implication to make meaning clear | 第50-53页 |
| 4.2 Limiting the utterance meaning from scope to achieve self-protection | 第53-60页 |
| 4.2.1 Using approximate numbers to make meaning authentic | 第53-55页 |
| 4.2.2 Restricting the topics to make meaning decent | 第55-58页 |
| 4.2.3 Blurring the precise words to make meaning appropriate | 第58-60页 |
| 4.3 Obscuring the utterance meaning from time to achieve self-protection | 第60-64页 |
| 4.3.1 Emphasizing the action’s frequency to make meaning truthful | 第60-62页 |
| 4.3.2 Summarizing the action’s frequency to make meaning credible | 第62-64页 |
| 4.4 Summary | 第64-66页 |
| Chapter 5 Polite Function of Hedges in Defendants’ Court Arguments | 第66-82页 |
| 5.1 Expressing the defendants’ opinions directly to show politeness | 第67-74页 |
| 5.1.1 Using the subjective expressions with first-person to make tone relaxing | 第67-69页 |
| 5.1.2 Using modal verbs to make tone gentle | 第69-72页 |
| 5.1.3 Using conditional sentences to make tone euphemistic | 第72-74页 |
| 5.2 Indicating the defendants’ views indirectly to show politeness | 第74-81页 |
| 5.2.1 Stating objective facts to make tone implicit | 第75-77页 |
| 5.2.2 Quoting relevant legal documents to make tone mild | 第77-80页 |
| 5.2.3 Using indirect refusing words to make tone placid | 第80-81页 |
| 5.3 Summary | 第81-82页 |
| Chapter 6 Conclusion | 第82-86页 |
| 6.1 Major findings of the research | 第82-84页 |
| 6.2 Implications of the research | 第84-85页 |
| 6.3 Limitations of the research | 第85-86页 |
| Bibliography | 第86-92页 |
| Appendix | 第92-93页 |
| 攻读硕士学位期间主要科研成果 | 第93-94页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第94页 |
