Speech Act Theory And The Problem Of Meaning

Abstract

After clarifying how recent theories of meaning share a similar philosophical orientation, I specify the current version of the central problem of meaning and then invoke a four-stage dialectical scheme exhibiting recent theories as progressive attempts to rectify previous theories and solve the problem of meaning. I conclude that only a speech act theory can adequately account for the phenomenon of meaning because it construes language and meaning in terms of a rule-governed intentional activity directed to the needs and goals of communication. Finally, I argue that a satisfactory theory must rely on appropriately primitive semantic notions having the greatest explanatory value for the linguistic facts.