Denotation and connotation

Words have both denotative and connotative meaning.

  • The denotative meaning of a word is its literal meaning or dictionary definition.
  • Connotative meaning relates to the additional emotional weight or “baggage” that a word carries.

<alt="young male hiker with large backpack and brown/yellow hiking gear over looks scene from hill/mountain"></dt> <dd class="wp-caption-dd">‘ src=”https://www.chapter2blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bigstock-168618065-1024×683.jpg”></a></p> <h2><span style="color: #000000;">The many layers of meaning</span></h2> <p><span style="color: #000000;">Let’s look at a range of examples to place things in context. </span></p> <ul style="list-style-type: circle;"> <li><span style="color: #000000;">Think of the word <span style="color: #666699;"><em>heart.</em></span> For its denotative meaning, you will probably picture a heart, the organ that pumps blood around the body. Its connotative meaning, however, is associated with concepts such as <span style="color: #666699;"><em>bravery, romance, love</em> </span>and <em><span style="color: #666699;">red roses</span>.</em></span></li> <li><span style="color: #000000;">Now let’s consider the words, <span style="color: #666699;"><em>home</em></span> and <span style="color: #666699;"><em>house.</em></span> Their denotative meanings are the same. They both describe a place where individuals and/or families live. But, their connotative meanings are different. <span style="color: #666699;"><em>Home,</em></span> on the one hand, has positive connotations of <em><span style="color: #666699;">togetherness, comfort</span></em> and <em><span style="color: #666699;">happiness. House,</span></em> on the other hand, has more neutral connotations. It simply relates to a structure in which people live, which lacks the warmth of <span style="color: #666699;"><em>home.</em></span></span></li> <li><span style="color: #000000;">Take, as another example, the words <span style="color: #666699;"><em>cheap</em></span> and <span style="color: #666699;"><em>inexpensive.</em></span> They are a <strong><span style="color: #666699;">synonyms (</span></strong>words that have almost the same meanings). They both describe something that does not cost a lot. This is their denotative meaning. However, the connotations of <span style="color: #666699;"><em>cheap</em></span> are negative. For instance, <span style="color: #666699;"><em>cheap</em></span> might call to mind products or services that are <em><span style="color: #666699;">cheap</span> <span style="color: #666699;">and nasty</span></em>, or <span style="color: #666699;"><em>of poor quality</em></span>. The connotations of <span style="color: #666699;"><em>inexpensive</em></span> are more positive. If you purchase something that is <em><span style="color: #666699;">inexpensive,</span> </em>you would most likely be praised for obtaining a good deal, and for not being conned into paying too much for it.</span></li> </ul> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">Moving beyond dictionary definitions</span></h3> <blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">There is much more to understanding the meaning of a word than simply looking it up in a dictionary. </span></p></blockquote> <p><span style="color: #000000;">Word meaning is layered. If you are not aware of the additional emotional associations that some words carry, you can cause offense.<br /> </span></p> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">Keeping abreast of meaning changes</span></h3> <p><span style="color: #000000;">Word meanings are in constant flux and we owe it to ourselves to keep abreast of these changes. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #000000;">Consider, for example, the term <em>third world. </em>It is a word that carries definite shades of meaning. When coined in the 1940s,  it was merely used to describe a country’s ideological allegiances. At the time, <em>third world</em> countries were those that were not aligned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and capitalism, while <em>first world</em> countries were. <em>Second world</em> countries fell somewhere in between.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #000000;">Over time, the meanings of these terms have changed. Because of the prevailing view that <em>third world countries</em> are <em>corrupt, struggling</em> and <em>poor,</em> and that <em>first world</em> countries are <em>rich</em> and <em>successful,</em> people have tended to associate <em>third world</em> with the notions of <em>poverty, degradation,</em> <em>a lack of prospects</em>, and so on. Similarly, the meaning of <em>first world</em> changed from being a mere description to something that reflected all things good: <em>wealth, happiness, success</em> and <em>good governance.</em></span></p> <div><span style="color: #000000;">In an attempt to overcome the harsh associations of <em>third world</em>, some organisations, most notably the World Trade Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) and leading international media organisations, promoted the use of the aspirational term <em>developing country, </em>instead of <em>third world country</em> and <em>developed country</em> instead of  <em>first world country.<br /> </em></span></div> <div> <h3><span style="color: #000000;">Mastering connotation</span></h3> </div> <blockquote> <div><span style="color: #000000;">Native speakers of English often have an unconscious grasp of connotation, while non-mother tongue speakers tend to have more difficulty with it. But mastering connotation is part and parcel of learning a language.<br /> </span></div> </blockquote> <div> <h3></h3> <table style="border-style: none; border-color: #852cde; background-color: #e5e1eb;"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <div> <h3>   A word challenge</h3> <h4>   Ranking word meaning</h4> </div> <ul style="list-style-type: circle;"> <li>Here’s a little challenge for you. Imagine that you are placing words on a meaning continuum. The words on the left are more negative. Those in the middle are more neutral and those on the right are positive. How would you rank these words?</li> </ul> <ol> <li><strong><em>Weight:</em></strong> fat, portly, chunky, obese, plump, well-built</li> <li><strong><em>Disability</em>:</strong> disadvantaged, crippled, handicapped, stupid, disabled, mentally/physically challenged, retarded</li> <li><strong><em>Assertiveness</em>:</strong> confident, aggressive, assertive, strong-willed, domineering, dynamic, self-assured, pushy, forceful</li> </ol> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li data-tadv-p="keep">There are no right and wrong answers.  But there are definitely situations in which some words work, and others don’t.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li data-tadv-p="keep">If you use words in the wrong setting, you will cause offense.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li data-tadv-p="keep">It is less offensive to refer to someone as being <em>portly</em> than it is to call them <em>fat.</em></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-tadv-p="keep">Similarly, it is more appropriate to refer to someone with <em>physical or mental challenges</em> as being <em>disabled,</em> rather than being <em>crippled</em> or <em>retarded.</em></li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">Be forewarned. If you describe someone in an insensitive or inappropriate way, it reflects more severely on you, than it does on the person you are describing. 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