Abstract
Donnellan’s referential/attributive distinction is introduced and itsconsequences for both Russellian and Fregean theories of the definitearticle are examined. It is argued that the traditional Gricean theoryof capturing the distinction within a Russellian theory is superior to amore recent approach by Neale (2004), since Neale crucially adopts amethod of dealing with incomplete descriptions that overgenerateselsewhere. In the Fregean theory of the current book, the distinction isanalysed, following Barwise and Perry, as the difference betweendefinite descriptions incorporating referential situation variables(referential use) and definite descriptions incorporating boundsituation variables (attributive use). The chapter ends with adiscussion of definite descriptions in predicative position; these,again following Barwise and Perry, are analysed as involving boundsituation variables.
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