Chapter 2: Reference & sense

Teacher in charge: Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, MTESOL

 REFERENT, REFERENCE & SENSE
I. Referent
1. Definition
A referent is an object or an entity in the real world or in the world of
your imagination that is talked about.
Function words have no referent (since, and, while, can, this …)
2. Examples
• The referent of the phrase: ‘The Dean of Foreign languages
Dr. Hung
Faculty in VLU in 2021” is
• The referent of the phrase: “this page” is a particular sheet of
paper, something that you can take between your finger & thumb
 REFERENT, REFERENCE & SENSE
II. Reference
1. Definition
The reference of a word / a linguistic expression is the relationship
between that word / expression and the thing, the action, the
event, the quality, etc. it refers to.
2. Examples
• Peter’s house reference the house that belongs to Peter

In the English language In the real world

(Noun phrase) (the real object)
 REFERENT, REFERENCE & SENSE
III. Sense
1. Definition
• The sense of a word/a linguistic expression show the internal
relationship between that word/expression and others in the
vocabulary of language.
• “The sense of an expression is its indispensable hard core of
meaning.” (Hurford and Heasley, 1984: 91)
 REFERENT, REFERENCE & SENSE
III. Sense
2. Decide each statement True/False
a. “A dog is human.” has no sense T
b. “The King of Vietnam is bald.”  has no sense F
c. “The first man on Mars is an American”  has no reference T
d. Every expression that has meaning has sense. T
e. Every expression has reference. F
 VARIABLE REFERENCE, CONSTANT REFERNCE
& CO-REFERENCE
I. Variable reference
1. Definition
When the same linguistic expression refers to different referents,
it has variable reference.
2. Examples
The phrase: “your teacher” has many different referents 
variable reference
The phrase: “the teacher of Foreign Languages Faculty” has
different referents  variable reference
 VARIABLE REFERENCE, CONSTANT REFERNCE
& CO-REFERENCE
I. Constant reference
1. Definition
When one linguistic expression refers to one and the same
referent, it has constant reference
2. Examples
The phrase: the sun, the moon, FIFA, WHO, Viet Nam etc.
 VARIABLE REFERENCE, CONSTANT REFERNCE
& CO-REFERENCE
I. Co - reference
1. Definition
When two or more linguistic expressions share the same referent,
they have co-reference.
2. Examples
The morning star & the evening star refer to the planet called
Venus  co-reference
My aunt & my mother’s sister refer to the woman called Joan 
co-reference
 VARIABLE REFERENCE, CONSTANT REFERNCE
& CO-REFERENCE
I. Co - reference
2. Examples
The 44th President of USA
The first African American President of USA
The husband of Michelle Obama
 Have the same referent: Barak Obama
 Co-reference
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
I. Definition
A referring expression is any expression used in an utterance to refer
to something or someone, i.e. used with a particular referent in mind.
Examples:
• “Fred hit me”.  the speaker has a particular person in mind when
he says “Fred”  “Fred” is a referring expression
• “There is no Fred at this address.”  the speaker doesn’t have a
particular person in mind when saying “Fred”  “Fred” is NOT a
referring expression
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
Could the following possibly be used as referring expressions
1. Tom YES
2. My teacher YES
3. When NO
4. The man standing in the corner YES
5. Write NO
6. under NO
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
II. Comments
The same expression can be a referring expression or not,
depending on the context
1. A man was in here looking for you” a man = a referring expression
2. The first sign of the monsoon is a cloud on the horizon no bigger
than a man’s hand a man: not a referring
expression
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
Could the following possibly be used as referring expressions
1. “John” in “John is my best friend.” YES
2. “He” in “If anyone ever marries Nancy, he’s in for a bad time,” NO
3. The man who shot Abraham Lincoln in “The man who shot
Abraham Lincoln was an unemployed actor.” YES
4. it in “Every man who owns a donkey beats it!” NO
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
Could the following possibly be used as referring expressions
5. “ “He” in “He’s a very polite man,” said by a husband to his wife
in a conversation about their bank manager YES
6. It in “It’s sinking!” used in a conversation about a battleship which
has just been attacked YES
7. Smith’s murderer in “Smith’s murderer must be insane.” (the
speaker discover a corpse but has no idea who committed the
crime) NO
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
II. Comments
• Definite noun phrases most frequently are used as referring
expressions.
• However, there are some cases in which they are not.
• Whether they are used as referring expression is dependent on
the context and circumstance of use.
 REFERRING EXPRESSIONS
Could the following possibly be used as referring expressions
1. “Look there! I see a boy climbing the tree.” YES
2. “A boy must have broken the window.” NO
3. “The cat looks like the tiger.” NO

4. “Have you seen the cat?” YES

NO
5. “A girl is beautiful only when she is happy.”
NO
6. “Parents should be setting good examples for their children.”
YES
7. “John and Anna buy whatever their children want.”