We said that the sentence, “Nothung has a sharp edge”, has meaning || sense even if || when Nothung has already been broken to pieces. Now that || this is so because in this language game a name is also used in the absence of its bearer. But we can imagine a language game with names (i.e. || that is, with signs that || which we should certainly || certainly should also call “names”) in which names are used only in the presence of their bearers. Suppose, say, that we were watching a surface on which coloured spots were || are moving || move about (as on the screen of || in a cinema). There are three such spots, which slowly change their shapes and positions. Suppose I had || have named them “P”, “Q” and “R” by giving ostensive definitions. Our

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¤ language describes the changes of these three, and I say to you || we use sentences like, || : “Do you see how P is contracting now and is approaching R?”. – Now in this language these || the names are supposed to be used as synonyms for the demonstrative pronoun “this” together with the pointing to a coloured spot || (plus pointing to a coloured spot). If || Thus if one of the three spots disappears, then I can't say “P has disappeared” – any more than I should say “this has disappeared” – but we might say rather, “The || the letter ‘P’ drops out of use || is out.”¤
     In this language we || you may || can say, a name loses its meaning if || when its bearer ceases to exist, and the words || signs “P”, “Q” and “R” always have something corresponding to them || there is something which correspond to the words “P”, “Q” and “R” as long as they have any meaning – use in the language game – at all. (For in the sentence, “‘P’ drops out of use” || drops out” || is out”, the sign “‘P’” || ‘P’ occurs, but not “P”; and I assume that we do not || don't speak about past occurrences || events, or || or else here || use another || some other mode of expression for it || for them.) In this language game, then, a name cannot || can't cease to have a bearer; only this isn't any advantage || an asset of the language game, || ; for even when it hasn't a bearer a name may have a purpose, use, i.e. meaning || a name can have a purpose, use, i.e. meaning without having a bearer. (Thus || And thusthe name “Odysseus” has meaning for instance.) || , e.g., the name “Odysseus” has meaning.)