Our species has been searching for meaning throughout its evolutionary development. For us to understand one another, we must embark on a complex interpretative process. The aim of this text is to provide a theory of understanding and interpretation to clarify this communicative process.

1. Foreword; 2. Part I: Theorizing; 3. 1. Pragmatics and communicative intentions; 4. 2. Conversational relevance; 5. 3. Strategies of understanding; 6. 4. Two modes of understanding; 7. 5. Individual and collective intentions; 8. 6. How does a connective work?; 9. 7. Commitment and involvement; 10. 8. Cues, clues, and context; 11. 9. Models of interpretation; 12. Part II: Applying; 13. 10. Understanding digressions; 14. 11. Understanding a metaphor; 15. 12. Three remarks on pragmatics and literature; 16. 13. Understanding controversies; 17. 14. Understanding misunderstanding; 18. 15. Understanding the law; 19. 16. Understanding jokes and dreams; 20. 17. Understanding art; 21. 18. Why does language matter to Artificial Intelligence?; 22. 19. Pragmatics in the digital age; 23. 20. Interpretation and tolerance; 24. 21. Understanding other cultures; 25. Part III: Meeting the alternatives; 26. 22. Why should I ask her?; 27. 23. Speech act theory and pragmatics; 28. 24. The pragmatic structure of conversation; 29. 25. Contextualism; 30. 26. Does pragmatics need semantics?; 31. 27. Pragmatics and foundationalism; 32. 28. The marriage of pragmatics and rhetoric; 33. 29. Hermeneutic interpretation and pragmatic interpretation; 34. 30. The limits of interpretation; 35. Sources and acknowledgments; 36. References; 37. Subject Index; 38. Name Index