This work investigates the fundamental nature of meaning by analyzing the relationship between linguistic symbols and the intentions of the speakers who produce them. Stephen R. Schiffer, a prominent philosopher of language, constructs a rigorous framework to explain how sounds and marks acquire semantic content. By examining the intersection of convention, speech acts, and communication, he provides a systematic account of how meaning is generated and understood within human interaction. This reissue includes a new introduction that situates his original theory within the landscape of contemporary philosophical discourse.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational contribution to the philosophy of language that continues to influence modern semantic theory. Readers frequently note the high level of academic density and the technical precision required to engage with the author's logical arguments.