The aim of this essay is to present a novel line of argument in support of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s view of philosophy of language. It consists in three parts. First, it explores a family of referential theories of meaning belonging to the tradition of Millian semantics – a family dubbed ‘Millian externalism.’ Second, it draws on the work of both Wittgenstein and Noam Chomsky to undermine the tenability of Millian externalism, all the while generating insights into the nature of an adequate semantic theory as it proceeds. And third, from the fact that Millian externalism fails insofar as it purports to be a scientific theory of meaning, the essay concludes that philosophy of language must give in to a theory of meaning which endorses Wittgensteinian quietism. If it refuses, then it must conform to the methodology of linguistics.