9.1.3: Connotations vs. Denotations
- Page ID
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)IMPORTANT INFO
- Connotation and denotation are not two separate things.
- They are two aspects/elements of a sign, and the connotative meanings of a word exist together with the denotative meanings.
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Connotation = the various social overtones, cultural implications, or emotional meanings associated with a sign.
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Denotation =the explicit or referential meaning of a sign, the literal meaning of a word, the ‘dictionary definition.’
Consider the difference between these two words:
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House/Home
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Woman/Chick
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Kill/Murder
Joey Writes a Letter…
Denotation vs. Connotation
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“Walk” means to move forward by placing one foot in front of the other. |
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Which word in each pair below has the more favorable connotation to you?
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thrifty-penny-pinching
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pushy-aggressive
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politician-statesman
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chef-cook
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slender-skinny
Connotation can depend on the person who hears the word.
Language is continually changing…
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Gangsters and thugs= criminals
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During the Depression -> Irish, Italian, or other European immigrants associated with the mob
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Today -> African-American rap artists
Do these words have positive or negativeconnotations for “drink”?
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New Team Names
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Negative |
Positive |
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drug addict |
druggie/fiend |
substance abuser |
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handicapped |
crippled |
disabled |
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thin |
beanpole |
slender |
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attractive |
fair |
pretty |
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reporter |
newshound |
journalist |
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photographer |
paparazzi |
shutterbug |
Positive or Negative?
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Negative |
Positive |
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Over-weight |
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Short |
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Not smart |
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Unattractive |
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Non-athletic |
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Self-focused |
Consider the following:
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There are over 2,000 vagrants in the city.
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There are over 2,000 people with no fixed address in the city.
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There are over 2,000 homeless in the city.
What’s the Difference?
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The media were swarming around the pileup on the expressway to capture every conceivable injury for the evening news.
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The journalists were on the scene at the expressway crash to document the incident for the evening news.
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Photographers stood patiently along the walkway, awaiting the arrival of the Oscar nominees.
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The paparazzi lined the walkway anxiously poised to snap the Oscar nominees.
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America's Midwest is often referred to as the heartland by Washington congressmen.
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America's Midwest is often referred to as flyover country by DC politicos.
What’s the POINT?
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Separating grammatical denotation from connotation is important because while one might assume that a word’s denotation is fully intended, whether a word’s connotations are intended is much more difficult to determine.
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Connotations are often emotional in nature, and thus if they are intended, it may be for the purpose of swaying a person’s emotional reactions rather than the logical evaluation of an argument.