What does the connotation mean? The meaning of the connotation goes back to the beginnings of linguistics and semiotics. Connotation is simply whenever something is considered something other than its literal definition. This short video from Khan Academy explores the meaning of connotation by examining examples of connotation versus denotation. Comics often rely on the connotation of a word to make a situation humorous, as in the following comic strip by Calvin and Hobbes: These are words often used in combination with connotation. While connotation is the implicit meaning or feeling of a word, a denotation is the literal meaning of a word; its definition. The two are directly related; The connotation of a word is essentially a positive or negative extension of its meaning. To understand the meaning of a word is to understand its basic definition. In logic and semantics, connotation is roughly synonymous with intension. [3] Connotation is often opposed to denotation, which is more or less synonymous with extension. Alternatively, the connotation of the word can be considered as the set of all possible references (as opposed to just actual references). The designation of a word is the set of things to which it refers; Its connotation is what it implies about the things it refers to. The term dog is (something like) four-legged dog meat eater.

So if you say, „You`re a dog,“ it would mean that you were ugly or aggressive, rather than literally calling yourself a dog. [4] A word whose connotation implies positive emotions and associations. For example, „the aroma of my grandmother`s kitchen“ creates a positive association because the word „aroma“ implies that the smell is pleasant and inviting. In short, the connotation can be anything in the language. It gives more meaning to words and phrases and creates positive and/or negative effects on words that have the same primary meaning. Without connotations, language would be much more limited, stagnant and inflexible – in other words, boring! Connotation and denotation are easily confused, and the fact that neither word is particularly common in everyday usage makes it difficult for many people to fully grasp the difference between them. Although each of these two words has several possible meanings, they differ considerably from each other in every way. Denotation deals with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to deal with implicit meaning. The word house, for example, has a term for „the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,“ but it can also have many connotations (such as „warmth,“ „security,“ or „childhood“) for some people. We use both positive and negative connotations when we want to express how we feel about things. Let`s say you want to buy a house.

You`re going on tour with your family, but you`re not impressed by their age. Your partner says it`s „vintage,“ but you say it`s „decrepit.“ These connotative words express different connotations, both related to the age of the house. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for Connotation So what is connotation? Connotation allows artists to convey figurative meaning to the audience. We often see consensual connotations used in headlines to elicit readers` reactions. Take this famous example – two titles address the same event, but use different connotations to evoke different feelings. A word whose connotation is neither positive nor negative. For example, when talking about a pet, the word „dog“ has a neutral connotation; But the word „mutt“ has a negative connotation, and the word „race“ has a positive connotation. This term can be accepted as technically correct without necessarily accepting the sinister connotation attributed to it by the work. Here, Calvin says he digs for treasure, and the word treasure has the positive connotation of something precious. For readers, something valuable usually means silver and/or gold. For Calvin and Hobbes, however, stones, roots, and larvae are precious and therefore „treasure.“ Although treasure means the same positive meaning to readers as well as to Calvin and Hobbes – something valuable, the joke lies in the character`s unusual idea of what is precious.

The specific difference is that the connotation of the genus must be added to complement the connotation of the species. You see connotations everywhere in movies – like in Sunset Boulevard, when Norma Desmond says, „I`m tall! It is the images that have become small“, where large is seen with a positive connotation and small with a negative connotation; or when Elf Buddy mistakenly refers to Peter Dinklage`s character as Elf. Of course, Dinklage`s character isn`t an elf — even though Buddy seriously thinks he is. Remember: context is important with connotation. „Connotation.“ Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation. Retrieved 9 October 2022. What happens in this recording? What does that mean? Well, if you look at the context of the film and how much it relates to classic fairy tales, we can see that the red shoes could be a reference to Hans Christian Andersen`s classic fairy tale, The Red Shoes. Yes, red shoes are a symbol – but the connotation is a way to confirm that they are a symbol. But my analysis is only an educated guess.

Just because I realize that`s what red shoes mean doesn`t mean that that`s what director Guillermo del Toro meant to them. If a writer hopes to convey a negative connotation of intelligence, he could use the word nerd. Nerds are generally considered submissive, which we see negatively. The designation is a brown cross. The connotation is a symbol of religion, corresponding to the media connotation. However, to be more precise, it is a symbol of Christianity. The „connotation“ branches into a mixture of different meanings. This could include contrasting a word or phrase with its primary literal meaning (known as denotation) with what that word or phrase specifically designates. Connotation basically refers to how something can be associated with a word or phrase; For example, an implicit value, judgment, or feelings. [2] Most words have two meanings: a denotative (literal) meaning and a connotative (implicit) meaning. It`s important to note that not all connotations are exclusively positive or exclusively negative – depending on how a word is used, it can mean different things.

Therefore, it is one of the most critical things to consider when choosing words, both in literature and in everyday conversation. In fact, the feelings or meanings associated with words can be anything. Connotations set the tone when writing and speaking, clarifying intentions – they can evoke certain emotions or reactions, or help convey distinct impressions of things. Conversely, choosing words with the wrong connotation can cause an unwanted reaction or emotion and distort intentions. I should say it means „clever, intelligent,“ and it carries the connotation of „novel.“ A connotation of „spicy“ is clever or funny. In one sentence, the connotation could sound like „she`s an astute student.“ These sample phrases are automatically selected from various online information sources to reflect the current use of the word „connotation“. The views expressed in the examples do not represent the views of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us your feedback. From the Latin com- „with“ + notare „to mark“, this word refers to the reading between the lines. The literal meaning (or denotation) of Wall Street, for example, is „a Lower Manhattan street where many financial institutions are located,“ but connotations of the same phrase can include „wealth,“ „power,“ or „greed,“ depending on your experiences and opinions.

A closely related word is implication. It is often helpful to avoid words with strong connotations (especially pejorative or derogatory) if you are aiming for a neutral point of view. The desire for more or less negative connotations is one of the main reasons for using euphemisms. [5] Connotations are a means of transforming objects into symbols and metaphors. Keep in mind that connotations are often subjective and difficult to identify. But it never seemed particularly appropriate or useful to me, despite its obviously negative connotation. While only 7% of applications will be affected by the initial introduction, the expansion of this new system of indexing passages could have much greater connotations than might initially be suspected. The name of this example is a red rose with a green stem. The connotation is that it is a symbol of passion and love – this is what the rose represents. But with the proper application of connotations, you can add linguistic/visual nuances and metaphorical impact to your own stories. Ultimately, a connotation is a gateway to the world of non-literal storytelling Video is an excellent demonstration of understanding the four elements of cinematic language: staging, sound, camera work, and editing are essential for the application of semiotic analysis and recognition of denotations and connotations.

Here, the word „nice“ has a negative connotation for Clementine – for her it means boring, ordinary, pleasant; It doesn`t really matter significantly. However, Joel is a clumsy man and tries to use the word in a simple but positive way – obviously, he finds Clementine a bit strange and intense, but chooses to be „nice“ by using the word „nice“ to describe her. For him, „nice“ has a positive connotation, so he is baffled when Clementine has such a dramatic reaction.