Original scientific paper
Referential Descriptions: A Note on Bach
Michael Devitt
Abstract
Bach fails to give a satisfactory pragmatic account of referential uses of definite descriptions because he does not explain how a description’s
quantificational meaning plays a “key role” in those uses. Bach’s criticism that my semantic account does not explain how the hearer understands
a description is misguided. Bach’s denial that a pragmatic account is committed to the attributive use being more fundamental detaches
meaning from use in an unacceptable way.
Keywords
Definite descriptions; indefinite descriptions; referential uses; attributive uses; implicatures; demonstrativesl
Hrčak ID:
93211
URI
Publication date:
30.10.2007.
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