Full Idea
The notion of meaning, and hence of translation (needed to define truth), presupposes the notion of reference.
Gist of Idea
Meaning and translation (which are needed to define truth) both presuppose the notion of reference
Source
Hilary Putnam (Representation and Reality [1988], §4 p.67)
Book Reference
Putnam,Hilary: 'Representation and Reality' [MIT 1992], p.67
A Reaction
It is plausible to see reference as the fundamental notion of language. With no anchors in reality, language would be 'private', in LW's sense.