"This is definitely a book which addresses, head on, a fundamental topic for language and communication studies. The author pursues this topic with a highly principled theoretical perspective. He applies this general perspective to several currently popular research areas. Thus, the book combines fundamental, theoretically grounded discussion, but applies it broadly and powerfully. " — Gerry Philipsen"Sanders views diverse communication phenomena from the standpoint of the concept of coherence or relevance (and attached concepts). This allows him to say some surprising and informative things about persuasion, visual communication, and cross-cultural communication, for example. This is a very good example of theory construction, one of the best I have seen in the field of communication." — James J. Bradac"The book integrates contemporary literature and scholarship in language, logic, philosophy, communication and cognitive science and integrates it into a volume devoted to communication and understanding. The field of communication needs this." — Donald G. Ellis