Asked by: Carmine Luettgen
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DENOTATION: The direct definition of the word that you find in the dictionary. CONNOTATION: The emotional suggestions of a word, that is not literal.
What are connotative and denotative examples?
Denotation and Connotation
While denotation is the literal meaning of the word, connotation is a feeling or indirect meaning. For example: Denotation: blue (color blue) Connotation: blue (feeling sad)
What is the connotative meaning?
1a : something suggested by a word or thing : implication the connotations of comfort that surrounded that old chair. b : the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes. 2 : the signification of something …
What is the meaning of Denotative meaning?
1 : an act or process of denoting. 2 : meaning especially : a direct specific meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea comparing a word’s denotation with its connotations In fact, the «Parks and Recreation» alum said he didn’t know the word’s medical denotation. — Nardine Saad. 3a : a denoting term : name.
What is an example of connotative?
Connotation is the use of a word to suggest a different association than its literal meaning, which is known as denotation. For example, blue is a color, but it is also a word used to describe a feeling of sadness, as in: “She’s feeling blue.” Connotations can be either positive, negative, or neutral.
44 related questions found
What is denotation and examples?
Denotation is the literal meaning, or «dictionary definition,» of a word. … The words «house» and «home,» for example, have the same denotation—a building where people live—but the word «home» has a connotation of warmth and family, while the word «house» does not.
What is an example of a connotation sentence?
Common Connotation Examples
“He’s such a dog.” – In this sense, the word dog connotes shamelessness, or ugliness. “That woman is a dove at heart.” – Here, the dove implies peace or gentility.
What’s another word for denotative?
In this page you can discover 33 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for denotation, like: explicit meaning, signifying, acceptation, description, referent, definition, message, meaning, indication, purport and sense.
What is the difference between denotation and connotation examples?
Denotation is the standard definition of a word, whereas connotation is the feeling evoked by a word. Let’s consider another word: gritty. The definition of gritty is «having a rough texture.» So, in a literal sense (denotation), we might say: This sandpaper is gritty.
How do you use connotative sentences?
In fact proper names in literature are deeply connotative, though perhaps in an arbitrary way. Carpentier creatively chose chapter titles that had a well established connotative significance and distorted their meaning. A connotative meaning of a television would be that it is top-of-the-line.
What is connotative and unique?
Unique means for something or someone to be original, to stand out from the norm, or one of a kind. In this case, unique would have an arguably positive connotation; most people like to stand out, and that’s not a bad thing. … This, in turn, gives the word childlike a more positive connotation than the word childish.
Which of the following is a difference between connotative words and Denotative words?
The difference between DENOTATIVE and CONNOTATIVE meaning is that: All words have a denotation and connotation. The denotation refers to the most basic or specific meaning of a word. In contrast, a connotation is an idea that is suggested by or associated with a word.
How do you use denotation in a sentence?
Denotation sentence example
- She studied the denotation of the sentence as a whole. …
- The denotation of a word translates the word to its literal meaning. …
- The word «dentist» has the denotation «man or woman who fixes teeth.»
What is the connotation of home?
noun. the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning: A possible connotation of “home” is “a place of warmth, comfort, and affection.” the act of connoting; the suggesting of an additional meaning for a word or expression, apart from its explicit meaning.
Which word has a positive connotation?
A word’s connotation can make the word feel positive or affirmative in the context it’s used. For example, the world ‘economical‘ has a positive connotation; however, the similar word ‘cheap’ does not carry the same positive feeling.
What is the Denotative form of the word snake?
•The denotation of the word snake is “any of. numerous scaly, legless, and sometimes. venomous reptiles” • The connotations for the word snake could include evil or danger.
What’s the opposite of denotation?
The opposite of denotation would generally refer to the connotation of the word. Connotation describes the feelings or ideas associated with a word….
What is the part of speech of denotation?
pronunciation: di no teI sh n features: Word Combinations (noun), Word Parts. part of speech: noun.
How do you use connotation and denotation in a sentence?
Example 1. For example, denotation of the word “blue” is the color blue, but its connotation is “sad”—read the following sentence: The blueberry is very blue. We understand this sentence by its denotative meaning—it describes the literal color of the fruit.
What are strong connotations?
What does strong connotation mean? 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.
How do connotation and denotation affect communication?
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.
What kind of connotation does the word dump generally have?
You can also call a dump a «landfill,» but dump makes sense — it comes from the verb dump, «to toss, drop, or throw away.» A figurative meaning of the word is to abruptly and unkindly break off a romantic relationship with someone: «It would be so mean to dump him on his birthday.»
How do connotation and denotation influence the choices writers make in poetry?
In poetry writing, denotation and connotation are critical considerations. A key component of poetry is word choice — the language we use to express thoughts, ideas, and images. Denotation and connotation allow us to choose words that give our poetry greater depth and deeper meaning.
What are examples of unique?
The definition of unique is one of a kind. An example of unique is a necklace with a personalized message on the charm. Highly unusual, extraordinary, rare, etc. Being the only one of its kind.
Lexical meaning is not
homogeneous either. The plane of content in speech reflects the whole
human consciousness, which comprises not only mental activity but
also emotions. So lexical meaning may be analyzed as including
denotational and connotational components.
The notional content of a word
is expressed by the denotative or denotational meaning
also called referential or extentional meaning.
Denotative meaning
is the interrelation between the sound form of the linguistic sign
and the concept, on the one hand, and the object named, on the other
hand.
To denote, then,
is to serve as linguistic expression for a notion or as a name for an
actually existing object referred to by a word. The term denotatum
or referent means either a notion or an actually
existing individual thing to which reference is made.
Denotative meaning should be
distinguished from significative meaning. Significative meaning
is the interrelation between the sound form of the linguistic sign
(phonetic word) with the concept of the object it denotes.
1.3.5. Connotative meaning
The emotional content of the
word is its capacity to evoke or directly express emotions. It is
rendered by the emotional or expressive counterpart of meaning, also
called emotive charge< intentional or affective connotations of
words.
Connotative or
connotational meaning is termed as part of lexical meaning
expressing the emotive charge and stylistic value of a linguistic
unit.
The emotive charge
is one of the objective semantic features proper to words as
linguistic units and forms part of the connotational component of
meaning. Let us compare the following words: like, love, cherish,
adore, worship. We cannot fail to observe the difference in the
emotive charge of the members of this set of synonyms. The emotive
charge of the words adore and worship is much heavier
than that of the words like and love.
The emotive charge should not
be confused with emotive implications that words may acquire in
speech. The emotive implication of the word is to a great extent
subjective as it depends on the personal experience of the speaker,
on the mental imagery the evokes in him. Words seemingly devoid of
any emotional element may possess strong emotive implications in the
case of certain individual speakers.
The meaning of many words is
subject to complex associations originating in habitual contexts,
verbal or situational, of which the speaker and the listener are
aware, and which form the connotational component of meaning.
In some words the realization
of meaning is accompanied by additional stylistic features revealing
the speaker’s attitude to the situation, the subject-matter, and to
his interlocutor.
1.3.6. Emotive charge and sociostylistic reference of words
Words differ not only in their
emotive charge but also in their sociostylistic reference.
In the sociostylistic plane according to the sociolinguistic norm
words can be subdivided into two complex groups of vocabulary layers:
the literary standard vocabulary and non-standard or substandard
vocabulary.
The literary standard
vocabulary, in its turn, includes three stylistic layers of words –
literary or bookish words, neutral
words and literary colloquial words.
Let us compare, for example,
the following set of synonyms which are almost identical in their
denotational meaning: countenance, face, phiz (cf. their
Russian counterparts: лик,
лицо, физия).
The word countenance belongs to the bookish
or poetic layer of vocabulary. The word
face belongs to the neutral layer of
vocabulary. And the word phiz belongs to the literary
colloquial layer of vocabulary.
Against the neural layer of
vocabulary we can distinguish words belonging to higher and lower
layers of vocabulary. Here, in comparison with the word face,
which is stylistically neutral, the word countenance is felt
as bookish and the word phiz stands out as jocular colloquial.
The non-standard vocabulary,
in its turn, comprises five sociostylistic layers of words – low
colloquialisms, general slang, professional
and corporative jargons, argot or cant
and vulgarisms.
Let us enlarge further the
above given set of synonyms: countenance, face, phiz, map, mug,
pan, biscuit, clock, dial, gills, squash (cf. their Russian
counterparts: морда, рожа,
рыло, харя,
мурло). All of them belong to, slang,
jargons, argot and some of them may be
considered even vulgar.
The stylistic reference of
bookish, colloquial, slang words, jargonisms and vulgarisms is
clearly observed when we compare them with their neutral synonyms.
Stylistic reference and
emotive charge of words are closely connected and to a certain degree
interdependent. As a rule stylistically coloured words, that is words
belonging to all stylistic layers except the neutral one, are
observed to possess a considerable emotive charge. This can be proved
by comparing stylistically labelled words with their neutral
synonyms.
The poetic word countenance
and the literary colloquial word phiz carry heavier emotive
charges than their neutral counterpart face; but the low
colloquialisms and slangy words map, mug, pan, biscuit, clock,
dial, not mentioning gills, squash, are still by far more
expressive even than phiz. Here we see that words of low
stylistic styles differ in the degree of their emotive charge.
However, words of neutral
style may also differ in the degree of their emotive charge. Compare,
for example, the words large, tremendous, enormous; though
equally neutral as to their stylistic reference, they are not
identical as far as their emotive charge is concerned.
So in conclusion, connotative
meaning may be defined as emotional, expressive and stylistic
coloring of the word as an additional component to its denotative and
significative meanings within its lexical meaning.
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Confused about the difference between connotation and denotation? Not sure how it’s possible for one word to have many connotations? Connotation and denotation both refer to word meanings, but they’re very different concepts. Read this guide to learn the denotation definition, connotation definition, how you can remember which is which, and what connotation and denotation examples look like.
Denotation Definition
Denotation is the literal meaning of a word. It’s the definition you would find in the dictionary. For example, if you were to look up the word “proud” in the dictionary, a typical entry would read, “having or showing self-respect or self-esteem” That’s the denotation of the word.
Connotation Definition
What does connotation mean? Connotation refers to the emotions or ideas that you think of when you read or hear a word. Let’s look at the word “proud” again. While it has a clear-cut denotation, the word can have different connotations for different people. If you hear the word proud, you might associate it with negative meanings, such as egotistical, show-off, etc. It could also have positive connotations, such as self-confidence, talent, etc. Writers will often use words with strong connotations in order to evoke certain moods in their readers.
Sometimes words can develop such strong negative connotations that they are considered offensive and are no longer widely used. For example, people with physical impairments used to be known as cripples in the past, but this word became so associated with the idea of someone being damaged/incapable/less than other people that the word is no longer considered polite to use and has been almost entirely replaced by “handicapped” and other synonyms.
How do connotation and denotation differ? Denotation is the literal definition of the word, one that basically everyone agrees on. It’s the blurb you read in the dictionary. There isn’t a lot of debate or nuance to it.
Connotation, on the other hand, is much more subjective, as it refers to the emotions a word evokes. While the dictionary definition of a word like “cheap” is set, you could have a positive connotation of the word and associate it with frugality and good value, while someone else could have a negative connotation of the word and associate it with stinginess and poor quality.
One easy way to remember which word means what is that “denotation” and “dictionary” both begin with the letter “d,” and denotation is the dictionary definition of a word.
Examples of Connotation and Denotation
Want to see more examples of connotation vs denotation? Below are four groups of words. Each group has a similar denotation, but many of the words have very different connotations. As you read through them, think about if your connotations of the words match what we’ve written. Because connotation is subjective, you might have a different feeling associated with a word.
Word Group 1: Slender, Scrawny, Bony, Gaunt
-
Denotation: All of these words are synonyms of thin and are used to describe someone or something without much body fat.
-
Connotation: Slender is often used as a way to describe someone who is both thin and attractive, while scrawny is often associated with weakness. Bony usually conjures up images of someone who is unattractive and hard-looking, while gaunt is often associated with hunger and malnutrition.
Word Group 2: Serene, Laid-Back, Lackadaisical, Dreamy
-
Denotation: These are all words to describe someone who is relaxed and not troubled by worries.
-
Connotation: While serene and laid-back generally have positive connotations of someone who is calm and in control, lackadaisical and dreamy have more negative connotations of someone who is relaxed but unable to get important things done.
Word Group 3: Home, House, Shelter
-
Denotation: These words all refer to a place where people live.
-
Connotation: House has a pretty neutral connotation, and most people just associate it with the structure of the building. Shelter has more of a negative connotation of something that only covers basic needs and doesn’t provide additional warmth, while home has a much more positive connotation and is often associated with family and positive memories made in the house.
Word Group 4: Grin, Beam, Sneer, Simper
-
Denotation: These are all synonyms for smile.
-
Connotation: Both grin and beam have positive connotations and are generally associated with someone who is genuinely happy. Sneer has a negative connotation and is usually associated with someone being cruel or scornful, while simper also has a negative connotation, but is usually associated with someone weak or unintelligent.
Summary: Connotation Definition and Denotation Definition
Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word, while connotation is the feelings associated with a word. While the denotation of a word is pretty cut and dry, one word can have many connotations for different people, and those connotations could be neutral, positive, or negative. One easy way to keep these two concepts straight is that “denotation” and “dictionary” both begin with the letter “d,” and denotation is the dictionary definition of a word.
What’s Next?
Compound sentences are an importance sentence type to know. Read our guide on compound sentences for everything you need to know about compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)
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About the Author
Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master’s from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.
Connotation and Denotation are both associated with the meaning of a word. Denotation is the literal meaning or the dictionary meaning of a word. Connotation refers to the personal, emotional and cultural associations of that word. This is the main difference between connotation and denotation.
What is Connotation
Connotation refers to the meaning that is implied by the word, rather than its literal meaning. Words are usually associated personal and cultural meanings in addition to their primary, literal meaning. Connotation refers to this personal and cultural association. For example, let’s look at the word heart. The literal meaning of the word implies an organ that pumps blood. But heart connotes love.
We can also see some differences between synonyms due to this concept of connotation. For example, the two words home and house denote the same thing, but home is associated with family, love, comfort and security whereas house is not.
Connotation is often described as being positive and negative. For example, look at the words childish and child-like. Both these mean literary the same. But childish connotes negative qualities whereas childlike connotes more positive qualities like innocence. The same difference can be seen in gullible and naïve.
Look at the words below and try to think of connotations of these synonyms.
Loquacious, Chatty, Garrulous, Talkative
Inquisitive, Convivial, Interested, Curious
Slim, Skinny, Slender, Thin
Relaxed, Laid back, Easy going, Calm
Cheap, Inexpensive, Low-priced, Affordable
Choosing the correct word to suit the context is very important. For example, the two words youthful and juvenile have the same literal meaning, but they have different connotations. Imagine what would happen if we replace the word ‘youthful’ by ‘juvenile’ in the slogan for a face cream.
Anti-aging cream, for a juvenile appearance
Anti-aging cream, for a youthful appearance
Apple is associated with various concepts such as temptation, sin, lust, knowledge etc.
What is Denotation
Denotation is the primary meaning of a word. It is the literal meaning, as indicated by dictionaries. The denotation of a word does not carry any hidden implications or cultural and emotional associations. It is the opposite of connotation.
The function of denotation becomes significant in literature when it is contrasted with the connotation of that word. Writers choose very specific diction based on the connotative and denotative meanings of words.
Given below are some examples of the difference between connotation and denotation of words.
|
Word |
Denotation |
Connotation |
|
heart |
organ |
love, affection |
|
chick |
baby bird |
derogatory term for women |
|
snake |
reptile |
dangerous, evil person |
|
mule |
a mix between a horse and a donkey |
stubborn person |
|
blue |
color |
depressed, sad |
|
white |
color |
innocence, purity, cleanliness |
Difference Between Connotation and Denotation
Definition
Connotation refers to the personal and cultural meanings in addition to their primary, literal meaning of a word.
Denotation refers to the primary, literal meaning or the dictionary meaning of a word.
Category
Connotation can be classified as positive connotation and negative connotation.
Denotation is not thus classified.
Culture and Personal Experience
Connotation can change according to culture and personal experiences.
Denotation remains the same regardless of culture and personal experiences.
Explore these denotation and connotation examples to understand the different meanings of words.
In the English language, words can have two meanings, denotation and connotation. Denotation is the literal meaning of the word, while connotation is a more abstract meaning.
Understanding how these are different is helpful in both understanding literature and in guiding your own writing. This guide will explore the ways a different definition of a word can affect its meaning while also looking at denotation and connotation examples to help make the meaning of these words clear.
Contents
- Denotation And Connotation Examples and Definitions
- What Is Denotation?
- What Is Connotation?
- Using Denotation and Connotation in Your Writing
- A Final Word On Denotation And Connotation Examples
- FAQs On Denotation And Connotation Examples
- Author
When writing, you must be able to decipher between denotation and connotation. Here is more information to help.
What Is Denotation?
The denotation of a word is the literal meaning of a word based on what the dictionary says about that word. More specifically, the denotative meaning of a word is its “dictionary definition.”
Consider, as an example, the word snake. If you look up this word in the dictionary, the literal definition is some sort of scaly, legless reptile with a long, cylindrical body.
No matter how you choose to use words, you need to understand that every word has an explicit meaning, also known as the denotation of the word. Some readers will think of that literal meaning when they read what you write.
Examples of Denotation
So what are some examples that show how denotation impacts the definition of the word and your writing? Sometimes, denotation makes sentences confusing if the only meaning of a word considered is the literal one. Consider a literal interpretation of sentences like these:
- She felt a little blue.
- He was sick as a dog.
- The paragraph was a little fluffy, rather than concisely stating the opinion.
In the first example, a literal definition means the girl is the color blue, while the second example, when taken literally, means he was sick like a four-legged, furry creature. The final example uses the word “fluff” to indicate filler in writing, but the literal definition is a soft and fuzzy item.
Here are some examples where denotation works:
- The sky looked blue.
- The man’s dog was sick.
- The paragraph was full of filler words.
Here, the sentences say similar things as the first examples but are using the literal meanings, or denotation, of the words.
What Is Connotation?
Connotation refers to the emotional associations of a word. For instance, someone can say they are feeling “blue” when in fact they mean they are feeling a little sad. In this case, the word blue connotes feelings of melancholy and sadness.
Connotation can come in many forms. The negative connotation of a word means it causes people to think of something distressing or negative, while a positive connotation brings happy, joyful thoughts to mind. Some words even have a neutral connotation that is neither positive nor negative but still brings emotion to mind.
Connotative words can vary based on the personal experience of the reader and the associated emotion that the word brings.
Examples of Connotation
A better way to explore the idea of connotation is to look at the following sentences:
- The furniture was cheap.
In this sentence, the word cheap can have both a positive and a negative connotation. For some people, it refers primarily to frugality and good value, while to others it means poor quality. Literally, it means of low monetary cost, but a person’s feeling about something affordable makes a difference in how the sentence gets read.
Looking at synonyms can show how connotation affects writing. For instance:
- She felt a little childish.
This sentence has a negative connotation because the reader thinks the person feels embarrassed. If it read this way:
- She felt a little childlike.
It means practically the same thing, only now the connotation is more positive and whimsical.
More Examples of Connotation and Denotation
To better understand the difference between denotation and connotation, consider these examples:
Slender and Scrawny
Both of these words have the same denotation because they are synonyms for the word thin. However, the word slender has a positive connotation of health and wellness, while the word scrawny is a negative word that means unattractively skinny.
Laid-back and Lackadaisical
Again, these words, being synonyms, have the same denotative meaning. They mean relaxed and not full of care.
However, laid-back is pretty positive in its connotation, but someone with a lackadaisical attitude is someone people consider lazy and uncaring.
Home and House
Here, you have two words that both mean the structure where someone lives. However, their connotations are different.
A home brings to mind warm, cozy feelings of family and comfort, while a house simply brings to mind the cold structure you live in.
Grin and Sneer
In this final example, grin and sneer both mean a type of smile. The grin has a positive connotation, but a sneer definitely feels negative and even villainous.
Using Denotation and Connotation in Your Writing
As you write, you must consider the connotation of the word along with its dictionary meaning. Some words, like the word handicapped, have earned such a negative connotation over the years that they no longer are acceptable to most English readers and writers.
Consider every word you write, and determine if it has a negative connotation. Look for alternate words when needed, so your writing will always convey the meaning, both literally and figuratively, that you want it to.
A Final Word On Denotation And Connotation Examples
English words have more than one meaning. Denotation is the literal, dictionary definition. However, connotation, the figurative meaning, goes much deeper.
In your writing, you must consider both. If a word has a particularly negative connotation, consider swapping it with an alternative that means the same thing without the negative feelings attached.
FAQs On Denotation And Connotation Examples
What do denotation and connotation mean?
Denotation refers to the literal or dictionary definition of a word, while connotation is the figurative meaning that stems from people’s emotions about the word.
What are some examples of connotation and denotation?
The word blue is a good example of a word that shows denotation and connotation. While the denotation is a color, the connotation can be one of negative, sad emotions.
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Connotations and Denotations can be differentiated on the basis of the context in which they are being used. In other words, the continued discussion about the meaning of these words helps in understanding whether the word is used as a connotation or a denotation. Both these words are ambiguous because they explain related concepts.
Understanding Connotations
The connotation of a word or phrase is referred to as the associated or secondary meaning of the term. It can be something which is suggested or implied by a word or a thing, rather than being explicitly named or described. To write in simpler words, a connotation is an emotional and imaginative association that surrounds a word.
For example-
The word, ‘vintage’ can have varied meanings, depending upon the context in which it is being used. Let’s understand the meaning of this word in this sentence-
“Many women are inclined towards vintage clothing.”
Here, the use of the word, ‘vintage’ does not mean women are searching for something that was made a long time ago. In fact, it implies that they are looking for the ‘vintage clothing’ that famous brands make. The usage of this word in this sentence simply means that it’s an old-style that’s making a comeback, thereby bringing out a nostalgic emotion.
Understanding Denotations
Denotation refers to the exact or literal meaning of a word or a phrase that might be found in a dictionary. A denotation is the direct word for another word with the absence of any feeling or emotion. With denotations, there are no strings attached to the meaning of the word, implying that the word is presented as it is.
Let’s again consider the word, ‘vintage’.
Going by its literal meaning, the word implies that it is referring to something that was made a long time ago. For example- Perhaps, Peter’s dad drives a vintage Camaro SS.
Now, usage of the word, ‘vintage’ in this sentence can be taken as a denotation, since it implies that there are no emotions or details attached to this word in the sentence. It depicts its own, exact, literal meaning- which is old.
Connotation and Denotations – The Difference
Words have both denotations (literal meaning) and connotations (suggestive meanings). Connotation and denotation are not two different things/signs. They are two aspects/ elements of a word or phrase, and the connotative meanings of a word exist together with the denotative meanings. Clearly. denotative language is factual; connotative carries emotional overtones
For example, you may live in a house, but we live in a home.
If you were to look up the words house and home in a dictionary, you would find that both words have approximately the same meaning- “a dwelling place.” However, the sentence above, suggests that home has one more meaning. Apart from the strict dictionary definition, or denotation, many people connect such things as comfort, love, security, or privacy with a home but do not necessarily make the same connections with a house.
Examples- Connotation and Denotation
Let’s look at some of the words that can be used as a connotation and denotation and understand their usage in a denotative and connotative way!
- Twinkle: Meaning- to shine with a gleam that changes constantly
- Denotation: The stars twinkle in the sky.
- Connotation: Her brother’s surprise visit to the party made her eyes twinkle with happiness.
Using the word as a denotation explains that the stars shine with a gleam in the sky. Whereas, to say that someone’s eyes twinkle when they smile- it connotes positivity and bliss.
- Cheap: Meaning- to be low in price
- Denotation: The skirt she bought was cheap.
- Connotation: The skirt was so cheap that its color faded within a week.
In the first sentence, the word, cheap directly relates to the price at which the skirt was bought, thereby implying its literal meaning. While in the second sentence, the word, cheap relates to the low quality of the skirt that shouldn’t have faded its color.
- Pour: Meaning- to rain heavily or flow freely
- Denotation: She poured water in the glass and offered it to the exhausted servant.
- Connotation: Her work continued to pour in.
The first sentence explains the term, pour in its exact, literal way. It states that the girl poured the water in a glass, stating the use of the term as a denotation. Whereas, in the second sentence, the word is used to give an impression that her work kept coming in, just like the flowing water.
- Innocent: Meaning- to be free from guilt
- Denotation: The court said that she was innocent.
- Connotation: What does she know? She’s so innocent.
In the first sentence, usage of the word, innocent explains that she is free from guilt and that the court has let her free on these charges. Whereas, in the second sentence, the term, innocent implies that she’s not just free from guilt; but also lacking in the worldly knowledge or experience. In this context, the term has been used as a sarcastic implication to the word, naive.
In most cases, people tend to read between the lines, so it can be said that the connotation is more widely used; but it’s often held up against its more stubborn friend, denotation.
One may also choose to use various idioms while communicating in the English language.
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