Note 53 — Chapter III

Although verbal propositions may be distinguished from real propositions in accordance with the above definitions, it may be argued that every verbal proposition implies a real proposition of a certain sort behind it. For the question as to what meaning is attached to a given term in ordinary discourse, or by a given individual, is a question of matter of fact, and a statement respecting it may be true or false. Thus, X means abc is a verbal proposition; but such propositions as The meaning commonly attached to the term X is abc, The meaning attached in this work to the term X is abc, The meaning with which it would be most convenient to employ the term X is abc, are real. Looked at from this point of view the distinction between verbal and real propositions may perhaps be thought to be a rather subtle one. It remains true, however, that the proposition X means abc is verbal relatively to its subject X. Out of the given material we cannot by any manipulation obtain a real predication about X, that is, about the thing signified by the term X, but only about the meaning of the term X. The real proposition involved can thus only be obtained by substituting for the original subject another subject.