Full Idea
In general, a speaker intends to refer to the item that is the dominant source of his associated body of information.
Gist of Idea
Speakers intend to refer to items that are the source of their information
Source
Gareth Evans (The Causal Theory of Names [1973], §II)
Book Reference
Evans,Gareth: 'Collected Papers' [OUP 1985], p.17
A Reaction
This sounds like a theory of reference which fully preserves the spirit of traditional empiricism. Speakers refer to ideas which connect to the source of their underlying impressions.