问题：
What is the referential theory of meaning?
答案：
The theory of meaning which relates the meaning of a word to the thing it refers to or stands for is known as the referential theory. For example when we say 'M. A. K Halliday' we do use 'M. A. K Halliday' to mean a particular person. This theory could explain the significance of expressions in terms of their having been conventionally associated with things or states of affairs in the world and it could explain a human being' s understanding a sentence in terms of that person' s knowing what the sentence' s component words refer to. Thetheoryofmeaningwhichrelatesthemeaningofawordtothethingitrefersto,orstandsfor,isknownasthereferentialtheory.Forexample,whenwesay'M.A.KHalliday',wedouse'M.A.KHalliday'tomeanaparticularperson.Thistheorycouldexplainthesignificanceofexpressionsintermsoftheirhavingbeenconventionallyassociatedwiththingsorstatesofaffairsintheworld,anditcouldexplainahumanbeing'sunderstandingasentenceintermsofthatperson'sknowingwhatthesentence'scomponentwordsreferto.