I have been reading a blog written by a friend and colleague comparing “meaning makers” and “meaning readers” as interpreters. I wasn’t sure if I was in fact either one. This led me to think about how we interpret what we read/see/feel/touch/experience. Interpretation is as individual as the individual having the experience. The question for me is, are we one or the other, are we constructing or reading “meaning”? I think of multiple learning styles (see Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences), I think of individual ways of “being” in the world which affects our “lens”, I think of how we make sense or interpret all that we experience. My esteemed colleague implies she is more scientific in nature, I am not scientific, although I find science fascinating. I am much more connected to the human experience, and this influences my interpretations of all interactions, be they on a large or small-scale, be they in relation to one another, animals, environment, spirituality- all aspects of existence as we know it. Yet again there are millions of other ways to “interpret” what we experience, learn, know; as many styles as there are those who are having the experiences.
As interpreters by profession we think about our message, how we will share information, and meaning, how we will awaken creative thoughts and solutions in our listeners. And each one of these listeners will interpret our words in their own unique ways just as each of us expresses our understanding uniquely. This is, in my mind, the beauty of interpretation; all these many ways of constructing meaning as the speaker and the listener. By sharing this meaning through dialog we expand, grow, create, learn, change. And a large part of our art is LISTENING.
Therefore I do not see interpretation “in a box”- it does in fact have theory and formula, however it seems it cannot remain stagnantly tied to these. Rather they are foundations, not the end result. Everyone is interpreting everything all the time. When we are open to the ideas of others and share ideas back and forth we are using interpretation as a powerful tool to understand. So I end where I began, I agree there are meaning makers and meaning readers and might I add meaning experiences and … and… happily it is endless.
Gailrichard's Blog 
Thanks for the comment Gail – I’m glad my musings stimulated such thoughtful responses. There are further comments on my own blog if anyone is interested http://reganforrest.com/2012/12/open-to-interpretation/
Thanks Regan. I always find your thoughts so interesting and I love reading your blog. I had never thought before in the terms you mentioned and I just love it. It helps so much to form the structure of thought. Again thank you for sharing.
Really interesting, Gail! Regan needs to put her blogs together and bingo! – a book. I tell you, we are lucky she is in Australia! Regan always puts a different spin on things.