referentsactual
Referentsactual is a neologism used in semantics and philosophy of language to denote the actual referent of a referring expression within a particular context. The term contrasts with the speaker's intended referent, the descriptive content associated with an expression, and the possible referents considered by semantic theories. In analyses of indexicals, demonstratives, or proper names, referentsactual identifies which object or entity the expression picks out in the real world or within the discourse at hand.
Usage and interpretation: In dynamic or contextual semantics, expressions may shift their referents across contexts. Referentsactual
Distinctions: The concept is distinct from referent (the general object the expression denotes) and from intended
Relation to theory: Some researchers use referentsactual to discuss cases where identification fails or where multiple
See also: reference, referent, denotation, indexical, demonstrative, context-dependence.