Full Idea
The picture of language often called the "Fido"-Fido theory of meaning says every expression in natural languages refers; they simply differ in what they refer to.
Gist of Idea
The "Fido"-Fido theory of meaning says every expression in a language has a referent
Source
Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 08.2)
Book Reference
Hofweber,Thomas: 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' [OUP 2018], p.207
A Reaction
It seems obvious that at least there are syncategorematic terms like 'not' and 'or' and 'maybe' that are internal to language. I'm inclining to the opposite view of Paul Pietroski. Hofweber says if all words are names, they can't add up to truth.
Related Idea
Idea 21650 No language is semantically referential; it all occurs at the level of thought or utterance [Pietroski, by Hofweber]