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Single Idea 19152

[from 'Truth and Predication' by Donald Davidson, in 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 4. Meaning as Truth-Conditions ]

Full Idea

An utterance has certain truth conditions only if the speaker intends it to be interpreted as having those truth conditions.

Gist of Idea

Utterances have the truth conditions intended by the speaker

Source

Donald Davidson (Truth and Predication [2005], 3)

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Truth and Predication' [Belknap Harvard 2005], p.50


A Reaction

This seems to be a concession to the rather sensible things that Grice said about meaning. What about malapropisms? Surely there the speaker does not understand the truth conditions of her own utterance? Truth conditions are in the head?