| Acknowledgments | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-9页 |
| 摘要 | 第9-16页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第16-21页 |
| ·Research Origin | 第16-19页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第19-20页 |
| ·Thesis Arrangement | 第20-21页 |
| Chapter Two Different Approaches to Language | 第21-45页 |
| ·Views of Language | 第21-24页 |
| ·The Object of Language Study | 第21-22页 |
| ·Brown's Definitions of Language | 第22-24页 |
| ·The Saussurean View of Language | 第24-31页 |
| ·The Complementary Nature of Language | 第24-26页 |
| ·Langue and Parole | 第26-27页 |
| ·Language as a Representational System | 第27-30页 |
| ·The Linguistic Sign | 第28-29页 |
| ·The Relational Nature of Language Units | 第29-30页 |
| ·Language as a Social Fact | 第30-31页 |
| ·The Chomskyan view of language | 第31-36页 |
| ·E-Language and I-Language | 第32-34页 |
| ·Competence and Performance | 第34-36页 |
| ·Universal Grammar | 第36页 |
| ·The Hallidayan View of Language | 第36-44页 |
| ·Systemic Grammar | 第37-39页 |
| ·Metafunctions of language | 第39-41页 |
| ·Language as Meaning Potential | 第41-42页 |
| ·Language as Social Semiotic | 第42页 |
| ·'Natural' Grammar | 第42-44页 |
| Summary | 第44-45页 |
| Chapter Three Different Approaches to Child Language Development | 第45-58页 |
| ·Main Approaches to Child Language Development | 第46-54页 |
| ·Behaviorism | 第46-49页 |
| ·Innatism | 第49-52页 |
| ·Functionalism | 第52-54页 |
| ·Other Approaches to Child Language Development | 第54-56页 |
| ·Connectionism | 第54-55页 |
| ·Interactionism | 第55-56页 |
| Summary | 第56-58页 |
| Chapter Four A Formal Approach to Child Language Development | 第58-77页 |
| ·Language Study as a Natural Science | 第59-60页 |
| ·Universal Grammar | 第60-68页 |
| ·Innateness Hypothesis | 第61-63页 |
| ·The Language Faculty Hypothesis | 第63-64页 |
| ·The Language Acquisition Device | 第64-65页 |
| ·Principles and Parameters | 第65-66页 |
| ·Modularity of Mind | 第66-68页 |
| ·The Alleged Evidence of Universal Grammar | 第68-73页 |
| ·The 'Critical Period' | 第68-70页 |
| ·Constraints | 第70页 |
| ·Poverty of the Stimulus | 第70-73页 |
| ·Contrary Evidence for Universal Grammar | 第73-75页 |
| Summary | 第75-77页 |
| Chapter Five A Functional Approach to Child Language Development | 第77-92页 |
| ·Language Function and Language Structure | 第77-79页 |
| ·Similarities and Divergences between Halliday and Chomsky | 第79-85页 |
| ·Language Development versus Language Acquisition | 第80-81页 |
| ·Society versus Individual | 第81-82页 |
| ·Inter-organism versus Intra-organism | 第82-84页 |
| ·Sufficient Input versus the Poverty of stimulus | 第84-85页 |
| ·Children Learn How to Mean | 第85-89页 |
| ·Origins of Child Language Development | 第85-87页 |
| ·Child Language | 第87页 |
| ·Functions of Child Language | 第87-89页 |
| ·Approaching Child Language Functionally | 第89-91页 |
| Summary | 第91-92页 |
| Chapter Six A Formal-functional Approach to Child Language Development | 第92-112页 |
| ·Aspects of Language System to be Acquired | 第92-98页 |
| ·Phonology | 第93-94页 |
| ·Morphology | 第94页 |
| ·Syntax | 第94-96页 |
| ·Semantics | 第96-97页 |
| ·Pragmatics | 第97-98页 |
| ·Communicative Competence | 第98-106页 |
| ·Hymes' Communicative Competence | 第99-100页 |
| ·Cognitive prerequisites | 第100-103页 |
| ·Sociolinguistic Development | 第103-106页 |
| ·Modality | 第104-105页 |
| ·Stylistic Consistency | 第105页 |
| ·Taking up an Identity | 第105-106页 |
| ·Form and Function | 第106-108页 |
| ·A Formal-functional Approach to Child Language Development | 第108-111页 |
| ·'Complementarity' Hypothesis | 第108-110页 |
| ·A Formal-functional Perspective | 第110-111页 |
| Summary | 第111-112页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第112-117页 |
| ·A Summery of the Dissertation | 第112-114页 |
| ·Limitations of this Research | 第114-115页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Research | 第115-117页 |
| Bibliography | 第117-128页 |
