There are two kinds of language,the language of the audience and the language of the roles,involved in a play-script.In analyzing the text of a play-script,we can have a new perspective to view the issue of name and reference.From this perspective,the first step in investigating the issue is to distinguish between these two languages,because in different languages there are different ways in which reference of names are determined.In the studies of name and reference,there have been two major approaches,namely,the Fregean and the Kripkean,which seem to be in deep conflict with each other.However,from the perspective of the play-script theory of names,they become in some sense the theory of names for the language of the audience and that for the language of the roles,respectively.Hence,they stand by no means in unsolvable conflicts,and could be combined and developed further in the new perspective.In a word,the play-script theory of names serves as a meta-theory that helps clarify different approaches to name and reference.
