Meanings Are in People, Not Words
Ask a dozen people what the same symbols means, and you are likely to get 12 different answers. With physical symbols, the place to look for meaning in language isn't in words themselves but rather in the way people make sense of them.
Linguistic theorists C.K Ogden and L.A Richards illustrated the fact that meaning are social constructions in their well-known "triangle of meaning". This model shows that there is only an indirect relationship- indicated by a broken line- between a word and the thing it claims to represent. Some of these "things" or references do not exist in the physical world. Problems arise when people mistakenly assume that others use words in the same way they do. EX: Feminism. You and another person could be using the word to represent entirely different things. Words don't mean; people do- and often in widely different ways.
Despite the potential for linguistic problems, the situation isn't hopeless. We, do, after all, communicate with one another reasonably well most of the time. And with enough effort, we can clear ip most of the misunderstandings that occur. The key to more accurate use of language is to avoid assuming that others interpret words the same way we do. In truth, successful communication occurs when we negotiate the meaning of a statement.