We take it for granted that people understand what we are saying and that we understand what they are saying. How do we KNOW that's so?

We think we are talking TO one another when in fact we are often talking over or under or around and never once make contact. Then we attribute that to misunderstanding..usually by "the other" not by us.

What test is there that will tell us truthfully what is really being communicated? How often do we hit the bulleye's and how often do we miss the target by a very wide margin? I dunno. Something's not right.