Full Idea
Mental states are not the only things which exhibit intentionality - words and sentences can also refer to or represent facts or states of affairs.
Gist of Idea
Both thought and language have intentionality
Source
Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p. 22)
Book Reference
Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.22
A Reaction
This points to Searle's distinction between 'intrinsic' and 'derived' intentionality (see Idea 3465). We must now explain the difference between verbal intentionality and non-verbal intentionality (both as phenomena, and as information).
Related Idea
Idea 3465 Either there is intrinsic intentionality, or everything has it [Searle]