The property-theoreticl, performative-nominalistic theory of proper names

This paper embeds a theory of proper names in a general approach to singula r reference based on type-free property theory. It is proposed that a prope r name 'N' is a sortal common noun whose meaning is essentially tied to the linguistic type 'N'. Moreover, 'N' can be singularly referring insofar as its is elliptical for a definite description of the form 'the N'. Following Montague, the meaning of a definite description is taken to be a property of properties. The proposed theory fulfils the major desiderata stemming fr om Kripke's works on proper names.