There’s nothing like speaking another language to remind you that words are not universal in their meaning, but rather icons for what people believe they mean to them.
The Portuguese word “amar” may translate as “to love.” But to understand it, you have to understand the culture and the experience of the person using it — what it carries, what it implies, what it doesn’t. And if you are the interpreter, you are already twice removed. You’ve been told the word amar means love, the first bridge to meaning, and then you run that word through your own lens before using it in a sentence.
This happens even when speaking the same language — even more challenging when you are not expecting a disconnect.
Think about the doctor’s pain scale. Is my eight dramatic? If I say five or six — the place where I’m genuinely uncomfortable — will that be dismissed as mild? For someone else, five might mean no pain at all.
Words work the same way. Even in a shared language, they carry subjective definitions.
That’s why, whatever your field, it’s critical to set shared definitions. Strong DEI trainings define diversity, equity, and inclusion at the outset. In communications, “brand” might mean visual identity to one team. To another, it includes tone, reputation, narrative, and behavior — everything overlapping in between.
Meaning comes not just from dictionary definitions. It’s the essence of what the communicator is trying to convey.
Communication has two parties: the speaker and the receiver. The goal is to establish common ground so both are working from the same meaning.
That’s when people say, “I hear you.” “I see you.” “I feel you.”
When that alignment happens, the power begins.
