Ever wonder why a word could have so many meanings attached to it? The definition of connotative meaning, or connotation, has to do with the socially acquired value of words. In other words, connotative meaning explains the extra meaning of words that goes beyond the dictionary definition.
Connotative meaning and connotation synonym
The definition of connotative meaning is also known as associated meaning, implied meaning, or secondary meaning. Associated meaning is the meaning that becomes attached to a word because of its use but is not part of the core sense of the word.
The opposite of connotative meaning is denotative meaning, which is the literal meaning of the word.
Each individual has a different association with a word based on their personal feelings and background, which means that connotative meaning is a cultural or emotional association to a word or phrase. The word ‘baby’ has a literal, or denotative, meaning. A baby is an infant. But if a grown man is called a ‘baby’, the connotation is negative; he is acting like a child.
Tip: the ‘con’ in the word ‘connote’ comes from the Latin for ‘in addition’. So the connotation of the word is ‘extra’ to the main meaning.
Connotation examples: connotative words
Connotation is a meaning in addition to the definitional meaning you find in a dictionary. Because of this, it is not always easy to interpret the meaning of a word based on the word’s literal meaning alone.
For example, when we use the word ‘dinner’, there is a range of possible connotations. Aside from the dictionary definition (‘a meal’), there are associated meanings that we would claim as connotative meanings:
- For one person, dinner is a time of joy, togetherness, conversation or debate, and laughter.
- For another person, dinner evokes feelings of loneliness, conflict, or silence.
- For a third, it evokes memories of kitchen aromas and certain childhood foods. The word ‘dinner’ has a range of connotations based on individual experiences.
Fig. 1 The connotative meaning of dinner could be either positive or negative.
Here’s another example of connotative meaning. If we call someone rich we can use a number of different words: loaded, privileged, wealthy, affluent. These words all have the literal meaning of rich. However, connotative words introduce negative and positive meanings that inform the reader about how an individual views a rich person.
Negative connotation, positive connotation, neutral connotation
There are three types of connotative meanings: positive, negative, and neutral. The classification is based on what kind of response the word generates.
- Positive connotation carries favourable associations.
- Negative connotation carries unfavourable associations.
- Neutral connotation carries neither favourable nor unfavorable associations.
Compare the sentences below and see if you can feel the different tones each connotation provokes:
- Tom is an extraordinary guy.
- Tom is an unusual guy.
- Tom is a weird guy.
If you think extraordinary implies positive emotions, unusual implies a neutral value, and weird gives negative associations, you’d be correct!
Here are some examples of the different types of connotative words:
| Positive connotation | Neutral connotation | Negative connotation |
| unique | different |
peculiar |
| interested | curious | nosy |
| extraordinary | unusual | weird |
| determined | strong-willed | stubborn |
| employ | use | exploit |
Connotative meanings are not only classified according to the positive / negative / neutral value a word or phrase has. Instead, there are certain forms of connotative meaning we must look at to understand the many emotional and cultural associations involved in connotative meaning.
Forms of connotative meaning
Forms of connotative meaning were first offered by Dickens, Hervey and Higgins (2016).
| Forms of Connotative Meaning | Explanation | Example |
| Associative Meaning | The overall meaning which has expectations associated with the individual. | A nurse is commonly associated with the female gender, which has meant society has adopted male nurse to counteract the feminine association with the word nurse. |
| Attitudinal Meaning | The part of an overall meaning of an expression that is influenced by a more widespread attitude to the individual. |
The derogatory term ‘pigs’ is assigned to police officers. It is implied that the speaker or writer dislikes police officers in general by referring to the collective as pigs rather than a dislike for a particular police officer. |
| Affective Meaning |
The additional meaning of the word is conveyed by the tonal register, which includes vulgar, polite, or formal. Politeness itself carries a meaning according to how a speaker addresses other individuals or learned behaviours such as holding doors open. |
Can you think of a difference between UK and US speaker’s idea of politeness? |
| Allusive meaning | When an expression evokes an associated saying or quotation in a certain way. This shows that the meaning of the saying becomes part of the overall meaning of the expression. | When an author unconsciously refers to other novels in its title, or if the title of their book involves an allusion: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) alludes to Shakespeare’s The Tempest (1611). |
| Reflected Meaning | This is a function of polysemy, and involves the existence of two or more denotative meanings for one word. |
If we were to refer to a person as a rat: Advice — a person who betrays their friend. Rat — the image of a dirty animal. |
| Geographical Dialect-related Meaning | The speech variety in regions or geographic borders and the meanings we attach to an individual’s accent or dialect. | If we know what a Yorkshire or Scottish accent sounds like, we can understand that an individual is from Yorkshire or Scotland. We also associate stereotypical values with the individual’s character or personality. |
| Temporal dialect-related meaning | This is another speech variety that tells us when the speaker is from. |
An example includes Shakespeare’s plays, which tell us that his speakers are from the sixteenth century and have a specific attitude towards sixteenth-century politics and religion. |
| Emphasis (emphatic meaning) | This involves effect/affect in language and literature. |
Emphasis is found in devices such as parallelism, alliteration, rhyme, exclamation marks in writing, metaphor, and emphatic particles including ‘so’. (That’s so funny!) |
Connotative meaning in literature
Writers often use various connotative meanings, such as emphasis, to create multiple layers of meaning in a story. Connotation is found in figurative language which is any word or phrase used that has different meanings from the literal meaning.
Figurative language involves figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, metonymy, and personification. Let’s look at some examples of figures of speeches which have non-literal, or connotative meanings, in Literature.
Metaphor
Metaphor directly refers to one thing as another thing to express the similarities between them.
«Hope» is the thing with feathers —
That perches in the soul —
And sings the tune without the words —
And never stops — at all —
— ‘»Hope» is The Thing with Feathers‘ by Emily Dickinson (1891).
In this poem, the literal meaning of hope is used. However, hope is referred to as a feathered entity that is perched in the human soul and constantly singing. In other words, Dickinson gives the word hope a connotative meaning. The thing then has emotional meaning in addition to its literal meaning.
Simile
Simile compares two things using connecting words such ‘as’ or ‘like’ to make the comparisons.
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly jump in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune
— ‘A Red, Red Rose‘ by Robert Burns (1794).
Burns compares the narrator’s love to a red rose that is freshly sprung in June and to a beautiful tune being played. Love is described as something beautiful, vivid, and soothing, like a rose. The connecting words ‘like’ help to add additional and emotional meaning to the red, red roses.
Metonymy
Metonymy refers to a replacement of a thing by the name of something closely associated with it.
When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
— ‘Sonnet XIX‘ by John Milton (1652).
This requires some background information. By 1652, Milton had become totally blind. The poem can be interpreted as Milton replacing the word ‘sight’ with my light. The sonnet reflects how the speaker faces both the physical and psychological challenges brought about by his blindness, for as a writer and translator he depended on his sight. As a poem about faith, how can Milton use his talents to serve God? Can he totally achieve an enlightened path without his sight?
Personification
Personification is the use of human characters to represent abstract ideas, animals, or inanimate things.
Earth trembl’d from her entrails, as again
In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan,
Sky lowe’r’d, and muttering Thunder, some sad drops
Wept at completing the mortal Sin
Original.
— ‘Paradise Lost‘ by John Milton (1667).
In ‘Paradise Lost’, Milton portrays Nature as if it had human qualities or characteristics. Nature, thunder, and sky are given extra associated meaning because they cannot literally weep about mortal sin. The poem describes Nature as having the human trait of being able to weep. This suggests an emotional association with the image of a weeping nature.
Connotation and denotation
Connotative meaning is the opposite of denotative meaning, but how different are they? What happens if a writer uses denotation instead of connotative meaning to describe a scene? To answer these questions, let’s start with the meaning of denotation.
Denotative meaning
Denotative meaning is the literal definition of a word. Unlike connotative meaning, it does not involve cultural or emotional associations to a word or phrase. Because of this, denotative meaning is also often called the literal meaning, explicit meaning, or dictionary definition.
Denotative vs. connotative meaning in writing
Now we know the difference between the two terms, let’s use our knowledge for writing purposes!
Let’s say we are writing a scene about a man who has just arrived in Hollywood. What do you think about when you hear the word ‘Hollywood’?
- Hollywood has a denotative meaning because it is a literal place in Los Angeles.
- Hollywood also has a connotative meaning because we associate the word Hollywood with the film industry.
The man could be returning to Hollywood, his home. Or, he could be an aspiring actor who hopes to ‘make-it-big’ in Hollywood.
Fig. 2 — The connotative meaning of Hollywood is associated with the film industry.
The connotative meanings a word carries can be different for different people, and we must watch out for implied or extra meanings in literature and everyday language.
Connotative Meaning — Key takeaways
- The definition of connotative meaning is that it explains the “extra”, associated, implied, or secondary meaning of a word.
- Examples of words that have connotative meanings include ‘rich’, ‘baby’, and ‘dinner’.
- Types of connotative meaning include positive, negative, and neutral.
- Forms of connotative meaning include associative, attitudinal, affective, reflected, geographical dialect-related, temporal dialect-related, and emphasis.
- Connotative meaning in literary devices appears in metaphors, similes, metonymys, and personification.
- The difference between connotative and denotative meaning in writing depends on the tone and setting of the story.
Definition of connotation: Connotation is a further association that a word suggests other than its literal dictionary meaning.
What Does Connotation Mean?
What is connotation? The connotation of a word is an idea or feeling that the word invokes in addition to its literal meaning. Words evoke many meanings to people that extend beyond the technical definitions known as denotations.
Connotations are what we associate with words based on our personal experience with them.
Examples of Connotation:
A good example of connotation in words is the word spider.
- Word = spider
- Denotation = an eight-legged arachnid.
- Connotation = many people are terrified of spiders, so fear is a common connotation when spider is used. Others might simply find them gross.
Animals make for good illustrations of connotation, so let’s look at another.
- Word = snake
- Denotation = long, limbless reptile
- Connotation = Many people associate snakes with liars and tricksters. This may have biblical origins, but it obviously differs from the denotation of the word.
What is the Difference Between Connotation and Denotation?
Connotation and denotation both deal with the meanings associated with words, but they are opposite in their approach.
- Denotations are simple and straightforward; everyone will arrive at the same meaning by using the dictionary.
- Connotations are subjective and will differ from person to person based on their social experience with the words.
Connotation vs. Denotation Example:
- Word = mushroom
- Denotation = the fleshy cap-like, spore-bearing organ of various fungi
- Connotation = pizza, gross, pests, delicacy, psychedelic, Mario Brothers
Notice how the denotation of mushroom is its technical definition that everyone will see when he or she looks the word up in a dictionary. The connotation, however, varies widely on what individual people associate with mushrooms.
The denotation of a word is limited while the connotation has the potential to be endless.
The Function of Connotation
When writing, it is important to be cognizant of a word’s denotation as well as the connotation your audience may have with it. Denotations are essential for meaning and understanding, while connotations are important in setting the mood of a piece of literature.
For example, if the purpose is to establish the mood of the story to be cool and calm, you may want to use words that evoke these feelings such as the colors green and blue.
In literature, connotation is often used to set the mood of the piece.
Here are some examples of this:
In James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis,” connation is used in order to set the mood in the introduction. It is also used to foreshadow the events to come in the story.
- “It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree. The flowering garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox.”
This example includes words that are often associated with death such as dead, bleeding, stained, rotting, brown, and rank. By using words with this connotation, Hurts sets the somber mood and foreshadows the death of the young character, Doodle.
Another example of the use of connotation is in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
- “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/ It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
In Romeo’s line, he compares Juliet to light and the sun. Shakespeare does this because light and sun have positive connotations. Many people associate these words with happiness; therefore, we are able to understand how Romeo feels about Juliet and that creates and exciting and romantic mood.
Positive vs. Negative Connotation
Oftentimes, words evoke either a positive or negative connotation, depending on a person’s experience with the word.
When writing, it is important to be aware of the words you are using and how they often translate to the audience. While most people may see one word in a positive light, some people may have a negative association with it, which would affect their connotation.
For example,
- Word = baby
- While most people associate babies with positive connotations, someone who has had fertility issues may have negative connotations with the word.
Summary
Define connotation: The connotation of a word is a feeling or idea that is evoked from associations with the word itself. These feelings may well extend beyond the dictionary definition.
Writers must be aware of a word’s connotation when writing in order to set the mood of their work effectively.
Final example,
From Emily Dickinson’s “ ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers,”
- “ ‘ Hope’ is the thing with feathers—/ That perches in the soul—/ And sings the tune without words—/ and never stops—at all—“
In this example, Dickinson uses words with positive connotation such as feathers, soul, sings, and tune to establish the positive outlook she has regarding the concept of hope.
Contents
- 1 What Does Connotation Mean?
- 2 What is the Difference Between Connotation and Denotation?
- 3 The Function of Connotation
- 4 Examples of Connotation in Literature
- 5 Positive vs. Negative Connotation
- 6 Summary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
«Connote» redirects here. For Connote number, see Waybill.
A connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that any given word or phrase carries, in addition to its explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation.
A connotation is frequently described as either positive or negative, with regard to its pleasing or displeasing emotional connection.[1] For example, a stubborn person may be described as being either strong-willed or pig-headed; although these have the same literal meaning (stubborn), strong-willed connotes admiration for the level of someone’s will (a positive connotation), while pig-headed connotes frustration in dealing with someone (a negative connotation).
Usage[edit]
«Connotation» branches into a mixture of different meanings. These could include the contrast of a word or phrase with its primary, literal meaning (known as a denotation), with what that word or phrase specifically denotes. The connotation essentially relates to how anything may be associated with a word or phrase; for example, an implied value, judgement or feelings.[2]
Logic[edit]
In logic and semantics, connotation is roughly synonymous with intension. Connotation is often contrasted with denotation, which is more or less synonymous with extension. Alternatively, the connotation of the word may be thought of as the set of all its possible referents (as opposed to merely the actual ones). A word’s denotation is the collection of things it refers to; its connotation is what it implies about the things it is used to refer to ( a second level of meanings is termed connotative ). The connotation of dog is (something like) four-legged canine carnivore. So saying, «You are a dog» would connote that you were ugly or aggressive rather than literally denoting you as a canine.[3]
[edit]
It is often useful to avoid words with strong connotations (especially pejorative or disparaging ones) when striving to achieve a neutral point of view. A desire for more positive connotations, or fewer negative ones, is one of the main reasons for using euphemisms.[4]
Semiotic closure, as defined by Terry Eagleton, concerns «a sealed world of ideological stability, which repels the disruptive, decentered forces of language in the name of an imaginary unity. Signs are ranked by a certain covert violence into rigidly hierarchical order. . . . The process of forging ‘representations’ always involves this arbitrary closing of the signifying chain, constricting the free play of the signifier to a spuriously determinate meaning which can then be received by the subject as natural and inevitable».[5][relevant?]
Synonyms[edit]
- Implied. The denotation of a heart implies love.
- Impressionistic
- Evocative
- Indirect
- Inferred
- etc.
Examples[edit]
|
The denotation is a representation of a cartoon heart. The connotation is a symbol of love and affection. |
|
The denotation 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. |
|
The denotation is a brown cross. The connotation is a symbol of religion, according to the media connotation. However, to be more specific this is a symbol of Christianity. |
See also[edit]
Look up connotation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Context as Other Minds
- Double entendre
- Extension
- Extensional definition
- Intension
- Intensional definition
- Loaded language
- Metacommunicative competence
- Pun
- Semantic differential
- Semantic property
- Subtext
References[edit]
- ^ Peter A. White (27 March 2017). «Feelings and JEA Sequences». Psychological Metaphysics. p. 315. ISBN 978-1315473550.
- ^ «Connotation and Denotation» (PDF). California State University, Northridge. pp. 1–8.
- ^ BK Sahni (2017). BPY-002: Logic: Classical and Symbolic Logic.
- ^
Note that not all theories of linguistic meaning honor the distinction between literal meaning and (this kind of) connotation. See literal and figurative language. - ^ Terry Eagleton (1991). Ideology: An Introduction. Verso. p. 197. ISBN 0-86091-538-7.
Connotation refers to the emotional implications and associations that a word may carry, in contrast to its denotative (or literal) meanings. Verb: connote. Adjective: connotative. Also called intension or sense. The connotation of a word can be positive, negative, or neutral. It can also be either cultural or personal. Here’s an example:
To most people the word cruise connotes—suggests—a delightful holiday; thus its cultural connotation is positive. If you get seasick, however, the word may connote only discomfort to you; your personal connotation is negative.
(Vocabulary by Doing, 2001)
Connotations in Academics
Linguists, grammarians, and academics have commented on connotations and explained their meanings as the following examples demonstrate.
Alan Partington
In his book Patterns and Meanings (1998), Alan Partington observes that connotation is a «problem area» for learners of a language: «[Because] it is an important mechanism for the expression of attitude, it is of paramount importance that learners be aware of it in order to grasp the illocutionary intent of messages.»
David Crystal
«A group of synonyms cannot by definition be distinguished in terms of their denotation, but they usually display noticeable differences of connotation, as in the case of car, automobile, runabout, buggy, banger, bus, hot rod, jalopy, old crock, racer, and so on.»
(The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2003)
R. B. Moore
«Since ‘tribe’ has assumed a connotation of primitiveness or backwardness, it is suggested that the use of ‘nation’ or ‘people’ replace the term whenever possible in referring to Native American peoples.»
(«Racism in the English Language,» in The Production of Reality, ed. J. O’Brien, 2005)
Connotations in Popular Culture
Everyone from television cartoon characters to U.S. Supreme Court justices and noted economists as well as well-known authors and columnists have commented on and explained connotations.
William O. Douglas
«In the East the wilderness has no evil connotation; it is thought of as an expression of the unity and harmony of the universe.»
Jessica Ryen Doyle
«Exercise addiction.
«It sounds like an oxymoron—exercise has a healthy connotation, while addiction sounds negative.
«But experts are seeing some people abuse a healthy lifestyle—and for one Los Angeles woman, the addiction lasted nearly 20 years.»
(«Woman Battles Exercise Addiction for Nearly 20 Years.» Fox News.com, October 17, 2012)
Ian Mendes
«In the real world, procrastination has a negative connotation.
«People who leave things to the last minute are often characterized as lazy, unprepared and inefficient.
«In professional sports, though, procrastination isn’t a label to be ashamed about. In fact, putting things off until the last possible moment might be the sign of a true champion.»
(«Procrastinate Like a Champion.» Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 2012)
Marketwatch
«Debt is a four letter word. For many people it has the same connotation as many other four letter words. However, not all debt is bad. . . . In general terms good debt is defined as debt that allows someone to invest in the future such as business loans, student loans, mortgages and real estate loans.»
(«How to Know When Debt Is a Four Letter Word.» October 17, 2012)
William Safire
«‘Stimulus is Washington talk,’ said Rahm Emanuel, the coming White House chief of staff with a sandpapered-fingertip sensitivity to the familiar connotation of words. ‘Economic recovery is how the American people think of it.'»
(«Recovery.» The New York Times, Dec. 12, 2008)
Duff Wilson
«Altria said it had used terms like ‘light’ as well as packaging colors to connote different tastes, not safety. But study after study—including ones by the industry disclosed in tobacco lawsuits—has shown consumers believe the terms and colors connote a safer product.»
(«Coded to Obey Law, Lights Become Marlboro Gold.» The New York Times, Feb. 18, 2010)
The Simpsons
— Mr. Powers: Jones. I don’t like that name. It’s going to handicap you, young man. Now wait a minute. I’ve got some sort of a name here. Yes. Haverstock. Huntley Haverstock. Sounds a little more important, don’t you think, Mr. Fisher?
Mr. Fisher: Oh, yes, yes. Very dashing.
Mr. Powers: . . . Well, speak up young man. You don’t mind being Huntley Haverstock, do you?
Johnny Jones: A rose by any name, sir.
(Harry Davenport, George Sanders, and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent, 1940)
— «What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O! be some other name:
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.»
(Juliet in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)
— Lisa: «A rose by any other name smells as sweet.»
Bart: Not if you call them «Stench Blossoms.»
Chicago Tribune
In an effort to boost sales going into the grilling season and make shopping at the meat counter a bit easier, the pork and beef industries are retooling more than 350 names of meat cuts to give them more sizzle and consumer appeal. . . .
«[By summer,] the ‘pork chop’ will be gone. Instead, grocery retailers could be stocking stacks of ‘porterhouse chops,’ ‘ribeye chops’ and ‘New York chops.’ The pork butt — which actually comes from shoulder meat—will be called a Boston roast.»
(«New Meat Names Mean Bye Bye, Pork Chop; Hello, Ribeye.» April 10, 2013)
John Russell
«The name reservation has a negative connotation among Native Americans—an intern camp of sorts.»
Milton Friedman
«[For many], socialism implies egalitarianism and that people are living for society, while capitalism has been given the connotation of materialism, ‘greedy,’ ‘selfish,’ ‘self-serving,’ and so on.»
Freeman Hall
«‘Why is it a handbag instead of a purse?’
«The General simultaneously rolled her eyes and released a tired sigh. ‘A purse is a cheap, plastic discount store thing. A handbag is what contemporary, fashion-conscious women carry. And that’s what we sell. Expensive designer handbags. An assortment of the latest trends and must-have famous names. They are handbags and you need to refer to them that way. You can say bag for short, but never, ever, ever say the word purse It’s an insult to the exclusive designers we carry. Got it?’
«‘Got it.’
«But I didn’t really get it. The whole thing sounded kind of snooty and stupid.»
(Retail Hell: How I Sold My Soul to the Store. Adams Media, 2009)
Joseph N. Welch as Judge Weaver
«There’s a certain light connotation attached to the word ‘panties.’ Can we find another name for them?»
(Anatomy of a Murder, 1959)
Connotation in Poetry
Poetry also provides a rich canvas for the use of connotations as the two following works by poets—one modern, and one from years past—show.
E.A. Robinson
In the following poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of the words in italics.Richard Cory (1897)
Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
«Good-morning,» and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich—yes, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
Henry David Thoreau
In the following poem we have italicized a number of key words whose connotative meaning directs our response to the images. Although the poem is mostly images—the overt commentary is confined to the first two lines—the poet’s attitude is anything but neutral.Pray to What Earth Does This Sweet Cold Belong
by Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
Pray to what earth does this sweet cold belong,
Which asks no duties and no conscience?
The moon goes up by leaps, her cheerful path
In some far summer stratum of the sky,
While stars with their cold shine bedot her way.
The fields gleam mildly back upon the sky,
And far and near upon the leafless shrubs
The snow dust still emits a silver light.
Under the hedge, where drift banks are their screen,
The titmice now pursue their downy dreams,
As often in the sweltering summer nights
The bee doth drop asleep in the flower cup,
When evening overtakes him with his load.
By the brooksides, in the still, genial night,
The more adventurous wanderer may hear
The crystals shoot and form, and winter slow
Increase his rule by gentlest summer means.
(David Bergman and Daniel Mark Epstein, The Heath Guide to Literature. D.C. Heath, 1984)
Other Details About Connotations
Etymology: From the Latin, «mark along with»
Pronunciation: kon-no-TAY-shun
Also known as: affective meaning, intensional meaning
Also See
- Choosing the Best Words: Denotations and Connotations
- Associative Meaning
- Bertrand Russell on the Connotative Power of Words
- Conceptual Meaning
- Commonly Confused Words: Connotation and Denotation
- Commonly Confused Words: Connote and Denote
- Dysphemism and Euphemism
- Glittering Generalities
- Loaded Words
- Orthophemism
- Paradiastole
- Pejorative Language
- Phonaesthetics
- Reflected Meaning
- Semantics
- Semiotics
- Snarl Words & Purr Words
- Subtext
- Synonym and Synonymy
- Usage Note
- Word Choice
- Writers on Writing: Ten Tips for Finding the Right Words
- Definition & Examples
- When & How to Use Connotation
- Quiz
I. What is Connotation?
A connotation is a feeling or idea that a word has, in addition to its literal or main meaning (the denotation). Often, a series of words can have the same basic definitions, but completely different connotations—these are the emotions or meanings implied by a word, phrase, or thing.
For example, “This clothing is affordable!” versus “This clothing is cheap!” Here, “affordable” sounds much better than “cheap,” because the word cheap also implies low quality.
Connotation is an additional meaning for a word or phrase; thus, the examples are endless. As mentioned, many words will share the same literal meaning, but may connote different feelings or ideas. Below are several examples:
- Stench, smell, aroma, scent, odor
- Strong, tough, sturdy, hard
- Proud, confident, arrogant, egotistical
- Childish, childlike, young, youthful
- Rich, loaded, privileged, wealthy, affluent
- Broke, poor, impoverished
- Frugal, economical, stingy, cheap
- Tempting, attractive, interesting
- Liar, storyteller, fibber
- Independent, unfriendly, private, standoffish
Think of these words used in the similar conversations. For example, imagine the difference between describing someone as a “strong woman” or a “sturdy woman”: because of these words’ connotations, the first implies that she is strong emotionally, while the second implies that she is a sturdy physically. Now, apply these two terms to a table—a “strong table” and a “sturdy table” have essentially the same meaning.
III. Types of Connotations
Most of the examples above can be categorized as having either positive, negative, or neutral connotation, or sometimes both positive and negative, depending on how they are used.
a. Positive
A word whose connotation implies positive emotions and associations. For example, “the aroma of my grandmother’s cooking” produces a positive association, because the word “aroma” implies that the smell is pleasing and inviting.
b. Negative
A word whose connotation implies negative emotions and associations. If we exchange the adjective “aroma” in the above sentence so that it now reads “the stench of my grandmother’s cooking,” the meaning changes completely. Though both “aroma” and “stench” mean smell, “stench” has a negative connotation; thus, the meal sounds much less appealing.
c. Neutral
A word whose connotation is neither positive nor negative. For example, when speaking about a pet, the word “dog” has a neutral connotation; but, the word “mutt” has a negative connotation, and the word “purebred” has a positive connotation.
IV. Importance of Connotation
Most words have two meanings: a denotative (literal) meaning, and a connotative (implied) meaning. It is important to note that not all connotations are solely positive or solely negative—depending on how a word is used, it can connote different things. Thus it is one of the most critical things to consider when it comes to word choice, in both literature and everyday conversation. In fact, the feelings or meanings associated with words can be everything. Connotations set the tone when writing and speaking, and clarify one’s intentions —they can elicit certain emotions or reactions or help to provide distinct impressions of things. Conversely, choosing words with the wrong connotation can produce an undesired reaction or emotion and misrepresent one’s intentions.
V. Examples of Connotation in Pop Culture
Example 1
In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Joel and Clementine’s conversation on the train takes several unanticipated turns because of the word “nice:”
Clementine: I apply my personality into paste.
Joel: Oh, I doubt that very much.
Clementine: Well, you don’t know me so… you don’t know, do you?
Joel: Sorry, I was… just trying to be nice.
Clementine: Yeah… I got it…
Clementine: … I’m Clementine, by the way.
Joel: I’m Joel.
Clementine: Hi, Joel.
Clementine: No jokes about my name… Nooo, you wouldn’t do that. You were trying to be nice.
Joel: I don’t know any jokes about your name.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (1/11) Movie CLIP — Train Ride (2004) HD
Here, the word “nice” has a negative connotation for Clementine—for her it means dull, ordinary, pleasant; it has no truly significant meaning. Joel, however, is an awkward man, and tries to use the word in a simple but positive way—clearly he finds Clementine to be 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, thus he is taken aback when Clementine has such a dramatic reaction.
Example 2
In the Christmas comedy movie Elf, Buddy the Elf gets himself into a lot of trouble because of his lack of understanding of the word “elf “in everyday American society, as can be seen from the following scene:
Buddy: I didn’t know you had elves working here!
Miles: Oh, well, you’re, you’re hilarious, My Friend.
Walter: He doesn’t, uh… Get back to the story, please.
Miles: All right, okay. [Clears throat] So, on the cover, about the title…
Buddy: Does Santa know that you left the workshop?
Miles: You know, we’re all laughing our heads off…
Buddy: Did you have to borrow a reindeer to get down here?
Walter: Buddy, go back to the basement.
Miles: Hey, Jackweed. I get more action in a week than you’ve had in your entire life. I’ve got houses in L.A., Paris & Vail, each one with a 70-Inch plasma screen. So I suggest you wipe that stupid smile off your face before I come over and smack it off! You feeling strong, my friend? Call me elf one more time!
Buddy: [Whispering] He’s an angry elf.
[Miles runs across the table to charge at Buddy.]
The Angry Elf — Elf (5/5) Movie CLIP (2003) HD
For Buddy, being an elf is his dream—he is a human with love and affection for “elf culture”- he has always wanted to be a “normal” Christmas Elf. So, when he sees Guy—a man with dwarfism—he foolishly calls him an elf. For Guy, being called an elf is incredibly belittling and insulting; for Buddy, it’s the most positive thing possible—he doesn’t understand that its use is inappropriate in this situation, since it was part of everyday language in the North Pole.
VI. Examples of Connotation in Literature
Example 1
Comics often rely on a word’s connotation to make a situation humorous, as in the comic below from Calvin and Hobbes:
Hobbes: Why are you digging a hole?
Calvin: I am looking for buried treasure!
Hobbes: What have you found?
Calvin: A few dirty rocks, a weird root, and some disgusting grubs.
Hobbes: On your first try??
Calvin: There’s treasure everywhere!
Here, Calvin says he is digging for treasure, and the word treasure has the positive connotation of something valuable. For readers, something valuable usually means money and/or gold. For Calvin and Hobbes, however, rocks, roots and grubs are valuable, and therefore, “treasure.” Though treasure connotes the same positive meaning—something valuable—for both the readers and for Calvin and Hobbes, the joke lies in the character’s unusual idea of what is valuable.
Example 2
In The Lord of the Flies, the boys infamously use a conch shell as a tool for order; whoever holds it is allowed to speak. However, as the story progresses, the conch begins to stand for more than the right to speak:
He held out the conch to Piggy, who flushed, this time with pride.
‘You must carry it’
‘When we’re ready I’ll carry -‘
Piggy sought in his mind for words to convey his passionate willingness to carry the conch against all odds.
As can be seen from the selection above, giving the conch to Piggy implies that he is being given leadership—a positive connotation. Eventually, though, the conch gains a negative connotation, an even stronger meaning for whoever possesses it: power. Holding the conch means holding the power; thus when it is broken, no one has a voice, no one has power, and things inevitably fall apart.
VII. Related Terms
Denotation
While connotation is a word’s implied meaning or feeling, a denotation is a word’s literal meaning; its definition. The two are directly connected; a word’s connotation is essentially a positive or negative extension of its denotation. To understand a word’s denotation is to understand its basic definition.
Double entendre
A double entendre is a word or phrase that has two meanings; usually one obvious and one subtle. It is a way of saying something so that it can be understood in two different ways, which makes it a very popular tool in comedy. A typical comedy routine on television might involve parents who create a double entendre so that their kids don’t know what they are talking about—for example, “Mommy needs her medicine” really means “Mommy needs her wine.” The difference between a double entendre and a connotation is that a double entendre is usually an assigned meaning, while a connotation is an implied meaning.
Homonym
A homonym is a word that is spelled one way but has two meanings. For example, “race” as in a race of people, and “race” as in a running competition, likewise, a tree has “bark” and a dog makes the sound “bark.” A homonym is different than connotation because the words’ literal, denotative meanings are different; the words solely share the same spelling.
VIII. Conclusion
In conclusion, connotation can be everything in language. It gives further meaning to words and phrases, creating positive and/or negative implications for words that have the same principal meaning. Without connotations, language would be much more limited, stagnant, and inflexible—in other words, boring!