The essential text for courses in the field, The Philosophy of Language is as excellent introduction to such fundamental questions as: What is meaning? How is linguistic communication possible? What is the nature of language? What is the relation between language and the world? And How do metaphors work? Appearing in paperback for the first time, the volume collects 41 of the most important articles in the field, making it the most comprehensive reader of its kind. Selections include classic articles by such distinguished philosophers as Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, J.L. Austin, W.V.O Quine, and P.F. Strawson, as well as more influential work by Saul Kripke, David Kaplan, Donald Davidson, John Searle, and Noam Chomsky. (For this edition, Martinich has added articles by John Stuart Mill, Russell, Searle, John Perry, and Millikan). The selections represent evolving and varying approaches to the subject, with many articles building upon earlier ones or critically discussing them.Eight sections cover the central issues of Truth and Meaning, Speech Acts, Reference and Descriptions, Names and Demonstrations, Propositional Attitudes, Metaphor, Interpretation and Translation, and the Nature of Language. A revised general introduction, and introductions to each of the selections provide background to the issues and explain the connections among them. A bibliography of suggested further readings follow each section.