| Abstract | 第1-4页 |
| 摘要 | 第4-7页 |
| Introduction | 第7-10页 |
| Chapter One Literature Review | 第10-24页 |
| ·The Nature of Humor | 第10-13页 |
| ·Definitions of Humor | 第10-12页 |
| ·Classifications of Humor | 第12-13页 |
| ·Previous Theoretical Studies of Humor | 第13-22页 |
| ·Classical Theories of Humor | 第14-16页 |
| ·Modern Theories of Humor | 第16-22页 |
| ·The Previous Studies of British Verbal Humor | 第22-24页 |
| Chapter Two Theoretical Framework | 第24-35页 |
| ·The Definition of Relevance | 第24-25页 |
| ·Contextual Effects and processing effort | 第25-26页 |
| ·Ostensive-Inferential Communication | 第26-27页 |
| ·Principles of Relevance | 第27-29页 |
| ·Context and Cognitive Context | 第29-31页 |
| ·Relevance Theory and Verbal Humor | 第31-35页 |
| ·Relevance Theory and Humor | 第31-32页 |
| ·Relevance Theoretical Account of Humor at Home and Abroad | 第32-35页 |
| Chapter Three Relevance-Based Analysis of British Verbal Humor in Downton Abbey | 第35-60页 |
| ·Introduction to Downton Abbey | 第35-39页 |
| ·A Brief Introduction to Downton Abbey | 第35-38页 |
| ·Overview of British Verbal Humor in Downton Abbey | 第38-39页 |
| ·The Cognitive Process of British Verbal Humor Production in Downton Abbey | 第39-52页 |
| ·Humor Effect from Contrast between Maximal and Optimal Relevance | 第39-43页 |
| ·Humor Effect from Differences Between Informational Intention and Communicative Intention | 第43-48页 |
| ·Humor Effect from Differences in Cognitive Context | 第48-50页 |
| ·Humor Effect from Processing Effort | 第50-52页 |
| ·The Cognitive Process of BritishVerbal Humor Comprehension in Downton Abbey | 第52-55页 |
| ·Analysis of Rhetorical Techniques in British Verbal Humor of Downton Abbey under Relevance Theory | 第55-60页 |
| ·Irony | 第55-56页 |
| ·Metaphor | 第56-58页 |
| ·Hyperbole | 第58-60页 |
| Chapter Four Findings and Implications | 第60-63页 |
| ·Major Findings | 第60-61页 |
| ·Limitations | 第61-62页 |
| ·Suggestions | 第62-63页 |
| Conclusion | 第63-65页 |
| Bibliography | 第65-68页 |
| Acknowledgments | 第68-69页 |
| 作者简介 | 第69页 |
| 攻读硕士学位期间研究成果 | 第69-70页 |
