Full Idea
The new freedom that Russell confers by paraphrasis (of definite descriptions) is our reward for recognising that the unit of communication is the sentence and not the word.
Gist of Idea
Taking sentences as the unit of meaning makes useful paraphrasing possible
Source
Willard Quine (Russell's Ontological Development [1966], p.75)
Book Reference
Quine,Willard: 'Theories and Things' [Harvard 1981], p.75
A Reaction
Since many people hardly ever speak a properly formed sentence, I take propositions to be better candidates for this. However, I don't see how we can reject the compositional view (the meanings are assembled).
Related Idea
Idea 21699 Russell offered a paraphrase of definite description, to avoid the commitment to objects [Quine]