| Abstract | 第4-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-13页 |
| Introduction | 第13-19页 |
| 0.1 Research Background | 第13-15页 |
| 0.2 Research Questions | 第15-16页 |
| 0.3 Research Methodology | 第16页 |
| 0.4 Organization of the Thesis | 第16-19页 |
| Chapter One Literature Review | 第19-39页 |
| 1.1 Previous Studies on the Definition of Verbal Humor | 第20-25页 |
| 1.1.1 Definition in the Superiority Theory | 第20-21页 |
| 1.1.2 Definition in the Relief Theory | 第21-22页 |
| 1.1.3 Definition in the Incongruity theory | 第22-24页 |
| 1.1.4 Definition in the Communication Theory | 第24-25页 |
| 1.2 Previous Studies on the Interpretation Mechanism of VerbalHumor | 第25-35页 |
| 1.2.1 Mechanism Based on the Incongruity-Resolution Theory | 第26-27页 |
| 1.2.2 Mechanism Based on the Semantic Script Theory ofHumor | 第27-28页 |
| 1.2.3 Mechanism Based on the General Theory of VerbalHumor | 第28-29页 |
| 1.2.4 Mechanism Based on the Relevance Theory | 第29-32页 |
| 1.2.5 Mechanism Based on the Conceptual Blending Theory | 第32-35页 |
| 1.3 Comments on Previous Studies | 第35-39页 |
| Chapter Two Theoretical Foundation | 第39-51页 |
| 2.1 Conceptual Blending Theory | 第39-44页 |
| 2.1.1 Background Information of Conceptual Blending Theory | 第39-41页 |
| 2.1.2 Main Contents of Conceptual Blending Theory | 第41-44页 |
| 2.2 Relevance Theory | 第44-48页 |
| 2.2.1 Background Information of Relevance Theory | 第44-45页 |
| 2.2.2 Cognitive Inference | 第45-47页 |
| 2.2.3 Cognitive Context | 第47-48页 |
| 2.3 Summary | 第48-51页 |
| Chapter Three Definition and Characteristics of Verbal Humor | 第51-67页 |
| 3.1 Definition of Verbal Humor | 第51-57页 |
| 3.1.1 The Genus of Verbal Humor | 第54-56页 |
| 3.1.2 The Differentia of Verbal Humor | 第56-57页 |
| 3.2 Characteristics of Verbal humor | 第57-64页 |
| 3.2.1 Interior Characteristics of Verbal Humor | 第58-62页 |
| 3.2.2 Exterior Characteristics of Verbal Humor | 第62-64页 |
| 3.3 Summary | 第64-67页 |
| Chapter Four The Two-Step Interpretation Mechanism of VerbalHumor | 第67-83页 |
| 4.1 Connotation of the Two-Step Interpretation Mechanism of VerbalHumor | 第67-76页 |
| 4.1.1 The Two Steps Involved in the Interpretation | 第67-71页 |
| 4.1.2 The Mechanisms Involved in the Two Steps | 第71-76页 |
| 4.2 Motivations for the Two-Step Mechanism of Verbal Humor | 第76-80页 |
| 4.2.1 Cognitive Motivation for the Two-step InterpretationMechanism | 第76-78页 |
| 4.2.2 Pragmatic Motivation for the Two-step InterpretationMechanism | 第78-80页 |
| 4.3 Summary | 第80-83页 |
| Chapter Five Application of the Two-Step Interpretation Mechanismof Verbal Humor | 第83-103页 |
| 5.1 Step One: Conceptual-blending Interpretation of Stimulus ofLaughter in Verbal Humor | 第83-97页 |
| 5.1.1 Interpretation with Simplex Network | 第83-87页 |
| 5.1.2 Interpretation with Mirror Network | 第87-91页 |
| 5.1.3 Interpretation with Single-scope Network | 第91-94页 |
| 5.1.4 Interpretation with Double-scope Network | 第94-97页 |
| 5.2 Step Two: Cognitive-Inference Interpretation of Outburst ofLaughter in Verbal Humor | 第97-102页 |
| 5.2.1 Set-up Promises under Cognitive Context | 第97-99页 |
| 5.2.2 Interpretation of Semantic Conflict | 第99-102页 |
| 5.3 Summary | 第102-103页 |
| Conclusion | 第103-107页 |
| Bibliography | 第107-113页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第113-114页 |
