9.1.3: Connotations vs. Denotations
- Page ID
- 23303
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
“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 |
handicapped |
crippled |
disabled |
thin |
beanpole |
slender |
attractive |
fair |
pretty |
reporter |
newshound |
journalist |
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.