Referential Theory of Meaning

The Referential Theory of Meaning suggests that the meaning of a word or symbol is directly connected to the actual object or concept it refers to in the real world. For example, the word "cat" means the actual animal called a cat. According to this view, understanding a word involves knowing which specific thing or idea it points to. It's a straightforward way to see language as a system of labels, where words stand for real things, making communication effective through shared references in the world.