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Document Details : Title: Meaning, Reference and Mental Works Author(s): DROSTE, Flip G. Journal: Leuvense Bijdragen - Leuven Contributions in Linguistics and Philology Volume: 102 Date: 2018-2020 Pages: 17-52 DOI: 10.2143/LB.102.0.3288683 Abstract : Linguistic meaning does not refer to a state of affairs in reality, but rather it is intrinsic to the process of language-use. The minimal entity of meaning is a thought, consisting of a subject-predicate frame-work into which meaning-bearing elements are inserted. These elements define their meaning in relation to other elements, similar and opposed. A message combines a thought and a sentence, operating in a closed circuit, a so-called dialogue, and refers to a representation in a Mental World. This representation, the so-called referent, results from the collaboration of meaning and knowledge. This implies that Reality does not play a part in the dialogue but only gets involved in a secondary sensory perception. |
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