DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION

 

DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION

        A connotation is the feeling a word invokes. But take note! A denotation is what the word literally says. If these words were on a trip, connotation would be the baggage, and denotation would be the traveler. A connotation is the baggage a word or idea drags around. The word “baggage” often has a negative connotation. If you say someone has baggage, unless they’re at the airport, you mean the person is lugging around some drama. Some words, like “awesome birthday cake,” have a positive connotation. Here are some other examples:

“Long before the Christian era, people celebrated the winter equinox. Let’s remove religious connotations and call it the winter equinox break.” (Washington Post)

“I kind of hate that word ‘collector’ because it has such a financial investment connotation.” ( Los Angeles Times)

        Denotation is literally the word for a word! It’s the literal meaning of a word, a gesture, or any mark, without emotion. No strings attached. The root of denotation means, “make a note of.” Let’s make a note of these examples:

“In fact, the ‘Parks and Recreation’ alum said he didn’t know the word’s medical denotation.” (Los Angeles Times)

            People love to read between the lines, so connotation is more popular, but it’s often held up against its more rigid friend denotation.

            Denotation is the literal meaning of a word. For example, take the word “vintage.” By its very definition, when you say that something is vintage, it means that it was made a long time ago. Perhaps your friend’s dad drives a vintage Corvette. That’s denotation. Connotation, on the other hand, is an indirect or implied meaning or feeling. Take the word “vintage” again. It has a separate connotation.

        A lot of women love to shop for vintage clothing. That doesn’t mean they’re looking for something simply made a long time ago. In fact, popular brands make “vintage” clothing every day. It just means it’s an old style that’s making a comeback, such as headscarves or Mary Jane shoes. The word carries a nostalgic, desirable quality.

Dabble: to show a superficial interest Denotation: I dabble in ainting.

Connotation: You should never dabble in drugs.

When someone says you should never dabble in drugs (or anything harmful), they mean you shouldn’t touch them, never mind a superficial interest or momentary experimentation. The connotation of “dabbling in drugs” is to “stay back.” Don’t even go there.

Innocent: free from guilt or wrongdoing Denotation: The court said she was innocent.

Connotation: What does she know. She’s so innocent.

In this context, the implication is that she’s not just free from guilt; she’s lacking in worldly knowledge or experience. She’s naïve. It carries a derogatory connotation, implying that the speaker has more “smarts” than the woman she’s talking about.

Connotation and denotation are two ways of looking at the same word. The denotation of a word refers to the dictionary definition of its meaning. The connotation of a word refers to the emotion or feeling that is evoked by a word and accompanies its literal meaning.

            The term denotation comes from the Latin denotationem, meaning to note or make a note. Its contemporary definition is the literal meaning of a word as one would find in a dictionary. While many words have multiple meanings, the following use the primary dictionary definition for each word:

Example 1: Quirk (n.) a peculiar trait

Example 2: Oddity (n.) an odd person, thing, event, or trait

Example 3: Dwelling (n.) a shelter (such as a house) in which people live

Example 4:  Home (n.) one’s place of residence.

        The term connotation comes from the Latin connotationem, meaning to “signify in addition to the main meaning.” Simply, the connotation of a word is an underlying emotion or a feeling associated with that word that is not noted in the literal definition of the term. The usage of the word shapes its connotation.

        The pairs of examples below have very similar denotations as outlined in the previous section. Their connotations, however, are quite different.

          Examples 1 & 2: Quirk and Oddity both mean, in terms of their denotations, an odd or peculiar trait. The connotation of the word quirk is relatively positive in that the trait is perceived as cute or socially acceptable. The connotation of the word oddity is more negative, with the feeling that the trait is less socially acceptable.

        Examples 3 & 4: Dwelling and Home both literally mean a place where people live. The connotation of the term dwelling is neutral or slightly negative as it has feeling of being just a structure; empty or cold. One does not feel an attachment to a dwelling. The connotation for home, however, is positive in nature. The term home evokes a feeling of warmth and belonging.

        Denotation and connotation are two more tools you can employ to discern the meaning of an unfamiliar term. For a writer to express herself precisely, she must understand both the denotations and connotations of words, and use that understanding to convey to the reader her exact intent.

        Connotation is an essential part of a writer’s word choice. Words carry weight and can, individually and together, create a certain tone for a sentence, passage, scene, or entire story. While denotation may affect meaning, an awareness of connotative meanings is essential if we are to avoid misunderstandings in our communication encounters. We need to be aware, for instance, that a particular word may evoke a positive connotation in one person, but a negative connotation in another.