Language use is viewed as an attempt to solve the problem of how to ascertain that the hearer is in possession of and would make use of the same semiotic devices as the speaker, thus P.Wegener's (1885: 'Untersuchungen über die Grundfragen des Sprachlebens') concept of language as having the 'purpose of influencing others' is understood as influencing the cognitive and emotive attitudes of interlocutors.