| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-7页 |
| 中文摘要 | 第7-13页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第13-21页 |
| ·The object of the present study | 第13-15页 |
| ·Motivation | 第15-16页 |
| ·The objective of the study | 第16-17页 |
| ·The research methodology and source of data | 第17-18页 |
| ·The use of the terms “speaker/hearer”and other synonymous terms | 第18-19页 |
| ·Overview | 第19-21页 |
| Chapter Two A Review of Previous Studies on Ambiguity | 第21-38页 |
| ·Introduction | 第21页 |
| ·Definition of ambiguity | 第21-24页 |
| ·Different approaches to the study of ambiguity | 第24-37页 |
| ·The philosophical approach | 第24-26页 |
| ·The linguistic approach | 第26-31页 |
| ·The psycholinguistic approach | 第31-36页 |
| ·The pragmatic approach | 第36-37页 |
| ·Summary | 第37-38页 |
| Chapter Three A Description of the Conceptual Framework | 第38-68页 |
| ·Introduction | 第38页 |
| ·The delimitation of intentional ambiguity | 第38-48页 |
| ·The working definition of intentional ambiguity | 第38-43页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity vs. pragmatic vagueness | 第43-45页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity vs. pun | 第45-46页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity vs. deliberate misinterpretation | 第46-48页 |
| ·A discussion of the theoretical basis of the framework | 第48-56页 |
| ·Verschueren’s linguistic adaptation theory | 第48-52页 |
| ·Brown and Levinson’s face theory | 第52-54页 |
| ·Grice’s cooperative principle and conversational implicature | 第54-56页 |
| ·Characterization of the conceptual framework | 第56-65页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity as a result of linguistic choice-making | 第56-58页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity as a product of negotiation and adaptation | 第58-64页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity as a way to satisfy communicative needs | 第64-65页 |
| ·Summary | 第65-68页 |
| Chapter Four Manipulation of Intentional Ambiguity | 第68-83页 |
| ·Introduction | 第68页 |
| ·The notion of linguistic manipulation | 第68-70页 |
| ·Linguistic manipulation for intentional ambiguity | 第70-82页 |
| ·Linguistic manipulation on the phonological level | 第72-75页 |
| ·Linguistic manipulation on the lexical level | 第75-77页 |
| ·Linguistic manipulation on the syntactic level | 第77-79页 |
| ·Linguistic manipulation on the pragmatic level | 第79-82页 |
| ·Summary | 第82-83页 |
| Chapter Five Adaptability of Intentional Ambiguity | 第83-95页 |
| ·Introduction | 第83页 |
| ·The notion of adaptability | 第83-84页 |
| ·Adaptation realized through intentional ambiguity | 第84-94页 |
| ·Adaptation directed by “self” | 第86-90页 |
| ·Adaptation directed by “others” | 第90-94页 |
| ·Summary | 第94-95页 |
| Chapter Six Functionality of Intentional Ambiguity | 第95-115页 |
| ·Introduction | 第95-96页 |
| ·Defining the notion of functionality | 第96-97页 |
| ·The communicative functions of intentional ambiguity | 第97-111页 |
| ·Enhancing the appropriateness of the utterance | 第97-103页 |
| ·Creating special communicative effects | 第103-108页 |
| ·Reversing unfavorable situation | 第108-111页 |
| ·The mechanism for the performance of the special functions | 第111-113页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: loose use of language | 第111-112页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: lower degree of accessibility and more functions | 第112-113页 |
| ·Summary | 第113-115页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第115-121页 |
| ·Introduction | 第115页 |
| ·Major findings | 第115-118页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: a highly motivated linguistic manipulation | 第116页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: a result of linguistic adaptation | 第116-117页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: an effective communicative strategy in verbal communication | 第117-118页 |
| ·Intentional ambiguity: a revelation of the dynamic process of language use | 第118页 |
| ·Implications | 第118-119页 |
| ·Limitations | 第119-120页 |
| ·Suggestions for further study | 第120-121页 |
| References | 第121-127页 |
