> which is why it's even more important to make sure we're actually talking about the same things. To some extent, but it is also impossible to do so perfectly

> which is why it's even more important to make sure we're actually talking about the same things. To some extent, but it is also impossible to do so perfectly. > Semantics matter. Semantic agreement is limited to the actual parties to the communication, and by location, place, time, and social context. You wouldn't explain something to a 5 year old the way you would a 25 year old and the same basic problems occur when you cross cultural or temporal boundaries. When linguists discuss language, they usually start by pointing out that human language is defined by usage, not by prescriptions regarding definitions or grammar. This is a critical difference between natural languages and computer languages. Computer languages rigidly conform to specifications. Natural languages only approximate the rules we use to describe them. So I think you are expecting too much from human communications.