  Purpose: The purpose of this article is to propose, based on a model of an
interaction semantics, a certain understanding of the ''meaning'' of the
exchanged characters within an interaction.
  Methodology: Based on a model of system interaction, I structure the model of
interaction semantics similar to the semantics of a formal language: first, I
identify adequate variables in my interaction model to assign values to, and
second, I identify the interpretation function to provide meaning. Thereby I
arrive at a model of interaction semantics which, in the sense of the late
Ludwig Wittgenstein, can do without a 'mental' mapping from characters to
concepts.
  Findings: The key findings are a better understanding of the tight relation
between the informatical approach to model interactions and game theory; of the
central 'chicken and egg' problem, any natural language has to solve, namely
that to interact sensibly, we have to understand each other and to acquire a
common understanding, we have to interact with each other, which I call the
'simultaneous interaction and understanding (SIAU)' problem; why ontologies are
less 'semantic' then their proponents suggest; and how 'semantic'
interoperability is to be achieved.
  Value: The main value of the proposed model of interaction semantics is that
it could be applied in many different disciplines and therefore could serve as
a basis for scientists of natural sciences and humanities as well as engineers
to understand each other more easily talking about semantics, especially with
the advent of cyber-physical systems.

Artificial Intelligence;Computation and Language