Abstract: American scholar Hirsch insists on taking the author's intention as the essential premise and the fundamental basis of interpretation, and the main force which maintains his opinions is the explication, exploration and construction in linguistic dimension. Firstly, he indicates that intention is prior to language through the diagnosis of "semantic autonomism" and "ontological linguistics," and shows his critical reflection on the important cultural event — the linguistic turn. In light of this, Hirsch proposes the notion of "speaking subject" and emphasizes that intention can not be completely divorced from language and should be specified and clarified by the role of public language. Hirsch's theory not only deepens his existing discussions about the author's intention, but also effectively promotes the theorizations on the relationship between intention and language in contemporary context.

Key words: Hirsch, the author's intention, the linguistic turn, speaking subject, author construct