This course in semantics investigates verbal and nonverbal symbols and their denotations, emotional values, and levels of abstraction in an attempt to open channels of communication between the students and those with whom they communicate. Concepts, ideas, and skills included in the course are as follows: (1) that words are tools to help with the job of communicating meaning; (2) that words are neither good nor bad in themselves; (3) that words can be used for desirable or undesirable ends; (4) that the effectiveness of words depends on the skill of the user; (5) that there is a difference between statements of fact and of opinion; (6) that learning to recognize the language of social control and affective communication is vital; (7) that words serve as symbols; (8) that the study of contextual and connotative meanings aids understanding of how words affect people; (9) that language serves different purposes; (10) that understanding the abstraction ladder and reasons for it clarifies the communication process; (11) that people choose language according to the situation and to the receiver of the language. (Author/CL)