| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-9页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第9-14页 |
| ·Overview | 第9-11页 |
| ·Aim and significance of the study | 第11-13页 |
| ·Organization of the thesis | 第13-14页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第14-26页 |
| ·Language and culture | 第14-15页 |
| ·Speech act theory | 第15-18页 |
| ·Austin’s formation of speech act theory | 第16-17页 |
| ·Searle's development of speech act theory | 第17-18页 |
| ·Grice's co-operative principle | 第18-20页 |
| ·Politeness theories | 第20-26页 |
| ·Leech's politeness principle | 第20-22页 |
| ·Brown & Levinson's face theory | 第22-23页 |
| ·HelenSpencer-Oatey's face theory | 第23-24页 |
| ·Gu's theory of politeness in Chinese culture | 第24-26页 |
| Chapter Three Direct Complaints and Indirect Complaints | 第26-37页 |
| ·Definition of the speech act of complaints | 第26页 |
| ·The speech act of direct complaints | 第26-27页 |
| ·The speech act of indirect complaints | 第27-29页 |
| ·Situational variables of the speech act of indirect complaints | 第29-32页 |
| ·Social power | 第30-31页 |
| ·Social distance | 第31-32页 |
| ·Level of speaker's expectation | 第32页 |
| ·The realization patterns of the speech act of indirect complaints | 第32-34页 |
| ·Response strategies of the speech acts of indirect complaints | 第34-37页 |
| ·Showing agreement or commiseration | 第34-35页 |
| ·Making Suggestions | 第35页 |
| ·Expressing counterpleas | 第35-36页 |
| ·Purposely evading, skirting topics | 第36页 |
| ·Reasoning the offensive action | 第36-37页 |
| Chapter Four Research Design | 第37-39页 |
| ·Goals of the Research | 第37页 |
| ·Instrument | 第37-38页 |
| ·Questionnaires, subjects and procedures | 第38-39页 |
| Chapter Five Results and Analysis of the Study | 第39-56页 |
| ·Indirect complaints strategies used in Chinese and English | 第39-45页 |
| ·Below the level of reproach | 第40-42页 |
| ·Reasoning and discussing | 第42页 |
| ·Expressing annoyance and disapproval | 第42-43页 |
| ·Explicit complaint | 第43-44页 |
| ·Accusation and warning | 第44-45页 |
| ·Indirect complaint responses used in Chinese and English | 第45-48页 |
| ·Social variables as determinants in the choice of realization patterns of indirect complaints | 第48-53页 |
| ·Social power | 第49-51页 |
| ·Social distance | 第51-52页 |
| ·Level of S's expectation | 第52-53页 |
| ·Summary of the data analysis | 第53-56页 |
| Chapter Six AnAnalysis of Indirect Complaints in Chinese and English from the Cultural Perspective | 第56-60页 |
| ·Chinese and American cultural patterns | 第56-58页 |
| ·High context culture and low context culture | 第58-60页 |
| Chapter Seven Conclusion | 第60-64页 |
| ·Conclusions | 第60-61页 |
| ·Theoretical implications | 第61-62页 |
| ·Limitations and suggestions for future studies | 第62-64页 |
| Appendix | 第64-68页 |
| Bibliography | 第68-72页 |
