| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-9页 |
| 内容摘要 | 第9-10页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第10-12页 |
| ·Background to the Study | 第10页 |
| ·Purpose of the Study | 第10页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第10-11页 |
| ·Organization of the Thesis | 第11-12页 |
| Chapter Two Concept of "System" in General and in Linguistics:A Review | 第12-20页 |
| ·"System" in General Understanding | 第12-14页 |
| ·System and Systemics | 第12-13页 |
| ·Systems Analysis | 第13-14页 |
| ·A Brief Sketch of Concept of "System" | 第14-20页 |
| ·Definition of "System" in Linguistics | 第14-15页 |
| ·Systematicity | 第15-17页 |
| ·A Brief History of Concept of "System" in Linguistics | 第17-20页 |
| Chapter Three History and Assumptions of Systemic Linguistics | 第20-25页 |
| ·A Brief History of Systemic Linguistics | 第21-22页 |
| ·The Assumptions of Systemic Linguistics | 第22-23页 |
| ·"System" as the Central Category | 第23-25页 |
| Chapter Four Concept of "System" in Systemic Linguistics | 第25-42页 |
| ·Definition of "System" in Systemic Linguistics | 第27-28页 |
| ·The Essential Characteristics of Systems | 第28-29页 |
| ·The Entry Conditions for Systems | 第29-30页 |
| ·Systems and Their Realization | 第30-33页 |
| ·Systems and System Networks | 第33-34页 |
| ·System and Function | 第34-37页 |
| ·System and Structure | 第37-39页 |
| ·Children's Language System | 第39-42页 |
| Chapter Five "System" in Other Linguistic Approaches | 第42-57页 |
| ·"System" in the Saussurean Linguistics | 第42-44页 |
| ·Saussure's Concepts of "System" | 第42-43页 |
| ·The Link with Halliday | 第43-44页 |
| ·"System" in the Firthian Linguistics | 第44-49页 |
| ·Firth's Concepts of "System" | 第45-46页 |
| ·System and Structure | 第46-47页 |
| ·The Link with Halliday | 第47-49页 |
| ·"System" in the Chomskyan Linguistics | 第49-55页 |
| ·Chomsky's Ideas on System | 第49-51页 |
| ·The Link with Halliday | 第51-55页 |
| ·Summary | 第55-57页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第57-59页 |
| References | 第59-61页 |
