In the earlier definition, the word "correspond' did not appear."
This is true, but it is precisely the word "cor respond" that may cause much unnecessary mischief. For how does a true proposition correspond to a fact? The word "correspond" is here being ripped out of its usual context. Does a true proposition correspond to a fact in the way that the color sample on the color-chart corresponds to the color of the paint on my wall? No, there is certainly no resemblance between a proposition and a state-of-affairs (or even between a sentence and a state-of- affairs). Does it correspond in the way the names of books on library cards correspond to the books themselves that is, is there a one-to-one correspondence between them for every card a book, and for every book a card? There may well be a correspondence in this sense. If we wish to say there is a correspondence between a proposition and a fact in this sense no harm is done. But what is gained by this? It is at least as clear to say that a true proposition is one that describes an actual state-of-affairs which was our originai definition. And this way of putting the matter is not misleading as the use of the word "correspondence" may be