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In a reference theory a distinction can be made between a theory of reference fixing and a theory of reference borrowing. M. Devitt and K. Sterelny have supported a descriptive-causal theory of the reference fixing for proper names and natural kind terms, but they have advocated like Kripke a purely causal theory of their reference borrowing. Once I have exposed briefly the main elements of Devitt's and Sterelny's theory of reference fixing I will focus on their reference borrowing theory. After taking into consideration the views of some authors who have not rejected or even have explicitly admitted that there are descriptive requirements in a reference borrowing theory, I allege that a causal theory of reference borrowing for competent speakers concerning proper names and natural kind terms should not be a purely causal theory, but it has to include descriptive elements, at least some categorial term that is true or approximately true of the referent of the term. Thus, causal theorists should maintain a descriptive-causal theory of reference borrowing.
