Philosophy of Language

Edited by Berit Brogaard (University of Missouri, St. Louis)

Assistant editor: Jiangtian Li (University of Western Ontario)

About this topic

Summary

"Philosophy of language" refers to an area of philosophy concerned with the syntactic properties as well as the meaning and reference of linguistic expressions, the things implied or indicated by linguistic expressions and the attributes of linguistic expressions as a function of linguistic and conversational contexts.

Key works

General collections of papers include The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Language, A Companion to the Philosophy of Language and The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Language. William Lycan's Philosophy of Language offers a good introduction to the area.

Introductions	Encyclopedia articles include Michael P. Wolf, Philosophy of Language, Mark Crimmins, Philosophy of Language and Jennifer Saul, Feminist Philosophy of Language

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In this area

Subcategories

Philosophy of Linguistics (6,186 | 1,218)Edison Barrios

Syntax* (745 | 316)

Semantics (3,170 | 2,814)Brendan Balcerak Jackson

Formal Semantics (201)

Generative Semantics (8)

Lexical Semantics (72)

Semantic Phenomena* (963 | 122)Brendan Balcerak Jackson

Semantic Theories* (1,155 | 368)

Specific Expressions* (6,907 | 195)

Semantics-Pragmatics Distinction* (243)

Semantics, Misc (75)

Other Areas of Linguistics (732 | 414)

Computational Linguistics (48)

Historical Linguistics (41)

Phonology (45)

Pragmatics* (3,905 | 288)Christopher Gauker

Psycholinguistics (146)

Sociolinguistics (23)

Other Areas of Linguistics, Misc (15)

Methodology of Linguistics (363 | 35)

Competence and Performance (18)Gareth Fitzgerald

Linguistic Intuitions (55)Gareth Fitzgerald

Prescriptivism and Descriptivism (3)

Psychological Reality in Linguistics (103)Gareth Fitzgerald

Methodology of Linguistics, Misc (149)Gareth Fitzgerald

Philosophy of Linguistics, Miscellaneous (702 | 360)

Knowledge of Language* (500)Guy Longworth

Linguistic Innateness* (78 | 43)

The Status of Linguistic Theories (138)

Language Acquisition (65)

Philosophy of Linguistics, Misc (139)

Languages (2,559 | 199)Guy Longworth

Linguistic Convention (132)Guy Longworth

Idiolects (95)Guy Longworth

Knowledge of Language (500)Guy Longworth

Languages, Misc (642)Guy Longworth

Linguistic Universals (350)Guy Longworth

Private Language (165)Guy Longworth

Public Language (134)Guy Longworth

Words (342)Guy Longworth

Meaning (6,688 | 1,193)Steven Gross

The Basis of Meaning (292 | 114)

Deflationary Theories of Meaning (15)

Inferentialist Accounts of Meaning and Content* (251)Paul Piwek

Interpretivist Accounts of Meaning and Content* (122)

Intention-Based Theories of Meaning (32)

Thought-Based Theories of Meaning (10)

Use Theories of Meaning (66)

Naturalizing Mental Content* (1,034 | 97)Dan Ryder

Theories of Reference* (335 | 120)

Verificationist Theories of Meaning (22)

Rule-Based Theories of Meaning (0)

The Basis of Meaning, Misc (33)

Aspects of Meaning (727 | 151)

Kripkenstein on Meaning (155)Indrek Reiland

Meaning Holism (196)

Speaker Meaning and Semantic Meaning (43)

Normativity of Meaning and Content (153)Indrek Reiland

Aspects of Meaning, Misc (29)

Analyticity (614 | 59)Joachim Horvath

Conceptual Analysis* (244)Joachim Horvath

Analyticity and A Priority (61)

Definitions (79)

Synonymy (63)

The Analytic-Synthetic Distinction (257)Joachim Horvath

The Paradox of Analysis (28)

Analyticity, Misc (67)Joachim Horvath

Interpretation (223 | 121)

Interpretivist Accounts of Meaning and Content* (122)

The Principle of Charity (37)

Radical Interpretation (42)

Interpretation, Misc (23)

Translation (174 | 90)

The Indeterminacy of Translation (50)

Translation, Misc (34)

Semantic Phenomena (963 | 122)Brendan Balcerak Jackson

Ambiguity and Polysemy (53)

Compositionality (229)Peter Pagin

Context and Context-Dependence* (620 | 187)Brian Rabern

Conventional Implicature (21)Brian Robinson

Intensionality and Opacity (69)

Logical Form (241)Brendan Balcerak Jackson

Nonliteral Meaning (32)

Scope (136)

Semantic Values (22)

Semantic Phenomena, Misc (38)

Metaphor* (493)Alper Yavuz

Fregean Theories of Meaning (349 | 118)Alex Radulescu

Frege's Puzzle (74)Alex Radulescu

Fregean Sense (117)Alex Radulescu

Fregean Theories of Attitude Ascriptions* (42)Gary Ostertag

Fregean Theories, Misc (40)Alex Radulescu

Russellian and Direct Reference Theories of Meaning (151 | 99)

Direct Reference Theories of Indexicals* (42)Brian Rabern

Millian Theories of Names* (74)

Russellian Theories of Attitude Ascriptions* (46)Gary Ostertag

Singular Propositions (76)Thomas William Strickland Hodgson

Structured Propositions (79)Thomas William Strickland Hodgson

Russellian and Direct Reference Theories, Misc (52)

Semantic Theories (1,155 | 368)

Conceptual Semantics (15)

Event-Based Semantics (17)

Fregean Theories of Meaning* (349 | 118)Alex Radulescu

Possible World Semantics (223)Mark Jago

Justificationist Semantics (5)

Relevance Theory* (59)

Russellian and Direct Reference Theories of Meaning* (151 | 99)

Situation Semantics (30)

Truth-Conditional Theories (186)

Two-Dimensional Semantics (100)David Chalmers

Type-Theoretic Semantics (22)

The Nature of Contents* (431 | 86)

Dynamic Semantics (117)

Semantic Theories, Misc (72)

Intentionality* (8,044 | 1,613)Robert Rupert

Meaning, Misc (312)

Reference (998 | 257)Stavroula Glezakos

Theories of Reference (335 | 120)

Causal Theories of Reference (91)

Deflationary Theories of Reference (7)

Descriptive Theories of Reference (44)

Russellian and Direct Reference Theories of Meaning* (151 | 99)

Theories of Reference, Misc (73)

Aspects of Reference (266 | 137)

Indeterminacy and Inscrutability of Reference (19)

Empty Names* (80)Lee Walters

Intension and Extension (6)

Nonreferring Expressions (7)

Reference Failure (7)

Rigid Designation (56)

Speaker Meaning and Semantic Meaning (43)

Aspects of Reference, Misc (34)

Reference, Misc (141)

Philosophy of Language, Miscellaneous (1,747 | 200)

Evolution of Language (186)

Feminist Philosophy of Language (155)Nicole Wyatt

Language and Society (93)

Law and Language* (91 | 87)Hrafn Asgeirsson

The Role of Language in Thought (286)

Use and Mention (35)

Philosophy of Language, General Works (241)

Speech and Language Disorders (0)

Philosophy of Language, Misc (551)

Pragmatics (3,905 | 288)Christopher Gauker

Assertion (567 | 73)Ofra Magidor

Moore's Paradox (167)

Assertion, Misc (94)

Conditional Assertion* (20)

Norms of Assertion (233)Matthew A. Benton

Discourse Representation (102)

Implicature (209 | 89)Brian Robinson

Conventional Implicature (21)Brian Robinson

Conversational Implicature (98)Brian Robinson

Implicature, Misc (22)Brian Robinson

Linguistic Communication (180)Christopher Gauker

Linguistic Focus (46)

Linguistic Force (32)Mitchell Green

Metaphor (493)Alper Yavuz

Performatives (52)

Presupposition (252)Filippo Domaneschi

Relevance Theory (59)

Semantics-Pragmatics Distinction (243)

Speech Acts (535)Mitchell Green

Pragmatics, Misc (228)

Specific Expressions (6,907 | 195)

Adverbs (32)

Conditionals (1,468 | 352)

Truth-Conditional Accounts of Indicative Conditionals (101)Michał Sikorski

Epistemic Accounts of Indicative Conditionals (84)

Pragmatic Accounts of Indicative Conditionals (11)

Indicative Conditionals and Conditional Probabilities (126)

Indicative Conditionals, Misc (54)

Possible-World Theories of Counterfactuals (132)

Logic of Conditionals (168)

Causal Theories of Counterfactuals (25)

Counterpossible Conditionals (26)

Indicative vs Subjunctive Conditionals (38)

Conditional Assertion* (20)

Subjunctive Conditionals, Misc (219)

Conditionals, Misc (112)

Connectives (247 | 27)

Causal Connectives (0)

Explanatory Connectives (0)

Conditionals* (1,468 | 352)

Conjunction (22)

Disjunction (48)

Logical Connectives* (284 | 123)

Negation (114)

Connectives, Misc (36)

Descriptions (428 | 247)Eliot Michaelson

Attributive and Referential Uses of Descriptions (30)Eliot Michaelson

Descriptions as Predicates (11)Eliot Michaelson

Descriptive Theories of Reference (44)

Descriptive Theories of Names* (38)

Incompleteness of Descriptions (17)Eliot Michaelson

Indefinite Descriptions (23)Eliot Michaelson

Presuppositional Account of Descriptions (13)Eliot Michaelson

Russell's Theory of Descriptions (55)Eliot Michaelson

Descriptions, Misc (32)Eliot Michaelson

Determiners (75 | 56)

Articles (2)

Complex Demonstratives* (33)Brian Rabern

Determiners, Misc (1)

Numerical Expressions (12)

Possessives (4)

Quantifiers* (1,130 | 340)

Generics (67)

Indexicals and Demonstratives (452 | 102)Brian Rabern

Character and Content* (61)Brian Rabern

Complex Demonstratives* (33)Brian Rabern

Demonstrative Theories of Names* (6)

Demonstratives, Misc (51)Brian Rabern

Direct Reference Theories of Indexicals* (42)Brian Rabern

Indexicals, Misc (101)Brian Rabern

The First-Person Pronoun (47)Brian Rabern

Pure and Impure Indexicals (15)Brian Rabern

Modal Expressions (253 | 59)

Possible-World Theories of Counterfactuals (132)

Deontic Modals (56)

Epistemic Modals (101)Joe Salerno

Modal Expressions, Misc (37)

Names (492 | 249)

Causal Theories of Names (9)

Demonstrative Theories of Names* (6)

Descriptive Theories of Names* (38)

Empty Names* (80)Lee Walters

Frege's Puzzle (74)Alex Radulescu

Kripke's Puzzle About Belief (42)Gary Ostertag

Millian Theories of Names* (74)

Rigid Designation (56)

Names, Misc (36)

Nouns (262 | 96)

Singular Terms (51)

General Terms (15)

Kind Terms (46)

Names* (492 | 249)

Mass Nouns and Count Nouns (46)Henry Laycock

Nouns, Misc (8)

Predicates (251 | 77)

Adjectives, Misc (13)

Gradable Adjectives (24)

Predicates and Context-Dependence* (45)Jonny McIntosh

Kinds of Predicate (5)

States, Activities, Accomplishments, Achievements (45)Carrie Figdor

Taste Predicates (21)

Predicates, Misc (21)

Pronouns and Anaphora (205)

Quantifiers (1,130 | 340)

Generalized Quantifiers (319)Jakub Szymanik

Plural Quantification (111)Salvatore Florio

Quantification and Ontology (152)

Quantifier Restriction (34)

Unrestricted Quantification (52)Salvatore Florio

Substitutional Quantification (46)Geoff Georgi

Variables* (22)

Quantifiers, Misc (76)

Questions (124)

Quotation (156)

Temporal Expressions (387)

Verbs (97 | 56)

Attitude Ascriptions* (482 | 212)Gary Ostertag

Intensional Transitive Verbs (30)

States, Activities, Accomplishments, Achievements (45)Carrie Figdor

Verbs, Misc (11)

Speech Reports (35)Martín Abreu Zavaleta

Specific Expressions, Misc (72)

Syntax (745 | 316)

Syntactic Phenomena (184 | 85)

Binding (16)

Ellipsis (58)

Grammaticality (2)

Scope (136)

Syntactic Categories (7)

Syntactic Phenomena, Misc (16)

Syntactic Theories (167 | 92)

Government and Binding (14)

The Minimalist Program (11)

Nontransformational Grammars (4)

Transformational Grammar (9)

Universal Grammar (30)

Syntactic Theories, Misc (7)

Linguistic Innateness (78 | 43)

Linguistic Universals* (350)Guy Longworth

Linguistic Innateness, Misc (20)

Poverty of the Stimulus (15)

Universal Grammar (30)

Truth (3,080 | 730)Patrick Greenough

Truth, Miscellaneous (697 | 146)Patrick Greenough

Relativism about Truth (199)Jonny McIntosh

Truth Bearers (42)Patrick Greenough

Truth and Justification (6)Patrick Greenough

Truthmakers* (476)Jamin Asay

Truth-Aptness (4)

Truth-Values (20)

Truth-Value Gaps (23)

Truth-Value Gluts (13)

Truth, Misc (244)Patrick Greenough

Liar Paradox* (1,118)Kevin Scharp

Vagueness and Indeterminacy* (1,428 | 210)Susanne Bobzien

Vagueness and Indeterminacy (1,428 | 210)Susanne Bobzien

Indeterminacy (150 | 109)

Quantum Indeterminacy* (92)Thomas Pashby

Indeterminacy, Misc (13)

Indeterminacy in Mathematics* (12)Rafal Urbaniak

Problem of the Many* (49)

The Open Future* (179)Sam Baron

Indeterminacy of Legal Reasoning* (13)

The Indeterminacy of Translation (50)

Indeterminacy and Inscrutability of Reference (19)

Metaphysical Indeterminacy (28)

Vagueness and Indeterminacy, Misc (380 | 161)Susanne Bobzien

Higher-Order Vagueness (62)Susanne Bobzien

Sorites Paradox (113)Susanne Bobzien

Vague Objects* (91)

Vague Identity* (91)

Open Texture (0)

Vagueness in Ethics and the Law (44)Susanne Bobzien

Vagueness and Indeterminacy, Miscellaneous (0)

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Availability, posted 2016-07-20 by Gabriel Dumet
The problem with defining., posted 2015-06-30 by Piotr Grabowski
Is it possible to argue against a person who is skeptical about the meaning of all words?, posted 2015-06-09 by Zhen Wu
History of work, posted 2015-03-29 by John Corcoran
Objection Five?, posted 2013-09-12 by Nicholas Smyth
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