The meaning of meaning.
There are two primary conventional meanings of the word meaning. They are:
1.
what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import: the three meanings of a word.
2.
the end, purpose, or significance of something: What is the meaning of life? what is the meaning of this intrusion?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/meaning
There are other possible meanings to meaning, including one that marries these two together.
If things in the world, independent of language, had no prior meaning, ultimately all meaning would not be possible. Everything would be or become meaningless -- in this third sense of the term.