| 英文摘要 | 第5页 |
| 中文摘要 | 第6-7页 |
| Table of Contents | 第7-9页 |
| 1． Introduction: the Universality of Vagueness in Language | 第9-13页 |
| 2． Historic View on Vague Terms | 第13-22页 |
| 2．1 What is vagueness | 第13-17页 |
| 2．1．1 Definition of vagueness | 第13-15页 |
| 2．1．2 Differing vagueness from other characteristics of language | 第15-17页 |
| 2．2 Sources of vagueness | 第17-22页 |
| 2．2．1 Objective world originating vagueness of meaning | 第17-18页 |
| 2．2．2 Discreetness of language and subjective interpretation | 第18-20页 |
| 2．2．3 The collision of objects and subjects in language resulting in vagueness of language | 第20-22页 |
| 3． Understanding Vague Terms from Different Angles | 第22-48页 |
| 3．1 Fuzzy set theory | 第22-25页 |
| 3．2 Fuzzy thinking | 第25-27页 |
| 3．3 Observing vague terms from semantic angle | 第27-39页 |
| 3．3．1 Types of vague terms | 第27-34页 |
| 3．3．2 Characteristics of vague terms | 第34-39页 |
| 3．4 Observing vague terms from pragmatic theories | 第39-48页 |
| 3．4．1 Cooperative Principle | 第39-42页 |
| 3．4．2 Politeness Principle | 第42-48页 |
| 4． Practical Values of the Study of Vague terms | 第48-72页 |
| 4．1 Communicative functions of vague terms | 第48-57页 |
| 4．1．1 Providing exact/adequate information | 第49-51页 |
| 4．1．2 Linguistic Inadequacy | 第51-52页 |
| 4．1．3 Changing the degree of one's commitment for different purposes | 第52-55页 |
| 4．1．4 Being Polite | 第55-57页 |
| 4．2 Lexicography and vague terms' application | 第57-62页 |
| 4．3 Vague terms in literary works | 第62-67页 |
| 4．4 Vagueness in meaning and words learning | 第67-72页 |
| 5． Conclusion: To Treat Vagueness of Language Scientifically | 第72-75页 |
| Bibliography | 第75-79页 |
