Conducteddenoting

Conducteddenoting is a hypothetical term in semantics that refers to a class of expressions whose reference is determined by the conduct performed during communication rather than by fixed lexical meaning alone. The concept emphasizes speaker actions, intersubjective validation, and procedural cues as ingredients in establishing reference.

Analytically, conducteddenoting is framed as a form of context sensitivity that operates alongside traditional notions of indexicality and demonstratives. The referent of a conducteddenoting expression is stabilized through acts such as pointing, presenting, announcing, or executing a procedure that participants recognize as authoritative. Because reference is tied to interactional protocol, the denotation can vary with changes in context, expectations, or agreed-upon procedures.

Typical examples discussed in this framework involve expressions whose referents are determined by the speaker’s conduct within a given frame or social setting. This can include demonstratives deployed in a perceptual frame, socially negotiated descriptors like “the current holder of the position,” or terms such as “the winner announced by the referee,” where reference depends on ongoing conduct and institutional practices rather than pre-existing labels alone.

Relation to other theories is a point of debate. Proponents argue that conducteddenoting helps explain cases where reference shifts with social context, authority structures, or procedural outcomes. Critics warn that the approach risks conflating speech-act considerations with content semantics or overgeneralizing the role of conduct in meaning. Overall, conducteddenoting remains a topic of discussion in contemporary semantics and pragmatics, with limited but growing attention in scholarly discussions.