Meanings

Creating shared meanings is a key component of interpersonal communication. One of the most obvious times it is seen is in intimate relationships, due to the fact that these people have spent much time and growth together throughout their relationship. Meanings can also be shared in less intimate relationships, such as those of coworkers or classmates. These shared meanings are commonly light, such as an inside joke phrase about a teacher between classmates. There are two different types of meanings. Content meanings refer to the literal meaning, such as when a teacher says "Do your homework." Relationship meanings refer to what two people's communication expresses about their relationship to each other. When a teacher says "Do your homework," they are giving a command to the students, showing that they have authority in the student-teacher relationship. A relationship meaning has three aspects- responsiveness, liking, and power.
I believe that meanings are extremely important in a relationship. They help relate intimacy in a relationship, such as when a girlfriend and boyfriend have a "codeword" or nicknames for each other. They also help establish power in a relationship, such as when a father gives his son a command. Without meanings, communication would be flat, because there would be no shared context for conversation other than the literal. Meanings reflect a long term period of interaction in a relationship, and are a crucial factor for effective interpersonal communication in my opinion.