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The view that the meaning of an individual word or sentence can only be understood in the context of the entire language. Associated with philosophers like Quine and Davidson.

The intended significance of a speech act, such as commanding, questioning, or declaring. Associated with J.L. Austin and John Searle.

The difference between using a word to refer to something, and mentioning a word as an object of discussion. Most associated with philosopher J.L. Austin.

What is suggested in an utterance, even though neither expressed nor explicitly stated. Associated with H.P. Grice.

The philosophical theory that posits possible worlds are just as real as the actual world we live in. Associated with David Lewis.

Extension refers to the set of all objects described by a term, while intension refers to the properties or concepts that the term conveys. Associated with Frege and Carnap.

A concept by Ludwig Wittgenstein referring to simple forms of language used by groups of people with shared activities and rules.

Various philosophical standpoints on what truth is, including Correspondence, Coherence, Pragmatic, and Deflationary theories.

An argument by Ludwig Wittgenstein against the possibility of a language that is inherently understandable by only a single individual.

A type of utterance that performs an action simply by the act of saying it. Most commonly associated with J.L. Austin.

A method of interpretation that seeks to construct a plausible theory of meaning for an entire language in the absence of any pre-existing linguistic understanding. Associated with Donald Davidson.

A word or phrase, like 'this', 'that', 'here', or 'there', that requires contextual information to understand its meaning. Associated with philosophers like Indexicality.

A philosophical argument by Hilary Putnam used to challenge the semantic theory of meaning as solely based on internal states.

Grice's four principles for effective communicative interaction: quality, quantity, relation, and manner.

The idea that linguistic expressions inherently contain normative commitments or obligations, such as how words should be used. Associated with philosophers like Kripke and Wittgenstein.

Concept introduced by Gottlob Frege to distinguish between the meaning (sense) and denotation (reference) of a term.

A principle suggesting that participants of a conversation naturally cooperate with one another, introduced by H.P. Grice.

The hypothesis by W.V.O. Quine that no unique interpretation of a word or phrase in a foreign language is possible.

The feature of certain linguistic expressions whose reference can shift from context to context, such as 'I', 'here', and 'now'.

A theory that accounts for how terms acquire a specific reference through a causal history. Often associated with philosophers like Saul Kripke and Hilary Putnam.

The principle that the meaning of a complex expression is determined by the meanings of its constituent expressions and the rules used to combine them. Associated with Gottlob Frege.

Attitudes one can hold toward a proposition, such as belief, desire, or hope. Associated with philosophers like Frege and Russell.

A theory that emphasizes the performative nature of language and how utterances can serve functions beyond mere statements. Most associated with J.L. Austin and further developed by John Searle.

A model in which words are seen as 'pictures' of reality; proposed by Ludwig Wittgenstein in his early philosophy.