Introduction to Communication: COMM 101
syllabus

Journal 2: Content and Relational Meanings

Describe the content meanings and the relational meanings in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech. Remember that the content meanings reflect the actual meanings of the words uttered by the speaker whereas the relational meanings refer to the contextual elements of the speech: time, place, audience, and shared meanings.

First, read the speech on AmericanRhetoric.com to ascertain the content meanings. Then, watch the oral delivery (below) or listen to the audio version to gain insight into the relational components. Finally, discuss the content and relational meanings and the way that the speaker’s presentation added to these meanings.