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Shades of Meaning. Denotation and connotation Webster’s New World Dictionary: Denotation : the direct, explicit meaning or reference of a word or term. Connotation: idea or feeling suggested by or associated with a word or phrase. Choice Words.
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Shades of Meaning • Denotation and connotation • Webster’s New World Dictionary: • Denotation: the direct, explicit meaning or reference of a word or term. • Connotation: idea or feeling suggested by or associated with a word or phrase (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Choice Words • A well chosen word is worth a thousand pictures. If you want to select the word that expresses exactly what you intend to say, you must first understand its denotation; what it literally means. • If you write notorious when you mean famous, or allusion when you mean illusion, you may confuse your readers and cause them to doubt your ability to choose the correct word. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Negative, Neutral or Positive? • We choose words for what they literally mean and how they make people feel. Where denotations are generally neutral, connotations may reflect feelings, attitudes, and emotions. • The dictionary, for example, defines politician as one who actively engages in politics. But if you call your classmate “ a real politician”, you don’t use its denotation, but connotation, the implied meaning. You most likely mean that your classmate is a smooth talker. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Connotation • Torrents of water rushed down the mountain, roaring like an angry lion. The construction site awoke, the workmen rolledoff their beds only to step into water. More than 100 thronged southward simultaneously. But there, floodwater more than two feet deep was whirling a wild dance, so the workmen had to draw back halfway in disorder. • There was no way out eastward or westward either. The only savior then was a narrow wooden bridge to the north. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Connotation • The construction site awoke: • The construction site suddenly became active and noisy. • the workmen rolledoff their beds. • the workmen got up very quickly. • The only savior then was a narrow wooden bridge in the north. • The only way out then was a narrow wooden bridge in the north. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Functions of connotation Making the meaning easier to understand. • His talk branched off from the subject. • Sweat pearled her forehead. • The dredge spooned up mud. • He scurried up the sidewalk to avoid her gaze. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Functions of connotation Helping the reader to visualize. • Gold shares jumped at the Stock Exchange yesterday. • The nickname stuck to him. • John bent before the storm of his father’s anger. • You cannot offer me a loose translation like that. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Which connotation is more effective? • She wanderedaimlessly in her talk. • She was not well-centered in her talk. • Don’t shuffle around the truth, give me a definite answer. • Don’t speak evasively, give me a definite answer. • He is always able to trot out some new excuse. • He is always able to produce some new excuse quickly. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Which connotation is more effective? • How could you waltz through your homework like that? • How could you finish your homework so hurriedly and roughly? • As a rule he writes English very well, but occasionally grammar errors creep in. • As a rule he writes English very well, but occasionally incorrect grammar would be used here and there before he realized it. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Which connotation is more effective? • I must dash off some letters before I leave. • I must finish writing some letters very quickly before I leave. • His eyes ran down the front row. • He looked very quickly from right to left at the front row. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Which connotation is more positive? • Children cannot keep their minds from straggling. • Children cannot keep their minds focused for a long time. • Jack had to trudge through the dull book for the exam. • Jack had to concentrate his attention forcefully to finish reading the dull book for the exam. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Similar Denotation Does Not = Similar Effect • But tragedy was on its way. Beneath Vesuvius’ vine-covered slopes a mighty force was about to break loose. At one o’clock in the afternoon the critical point was reached. The mountain blew up, raining death on thousands. • …the entire city seemed to shake in the grip of a giant fist. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
How has the story changed? • But tragedy was coming. Beneath Vesuvius’ vine-covered slopes a big force was about to come. At one o’clock in the afternoon the essential point was reached. The mountain erupted, killing thousands. • …the entire city shook violently. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
Denotation Vs. Connotation • Good readers pay special attention to the words that authors choose. • There may be many words with the same dictionary definition, but only one that will provide the connotation or particular shade of meaning the author needs to set a scene, to persuade, to somehow hook the reader. • READ like a Writer!!! Look for words that are carefully chosen for a specific purpose. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com All Rights Reserved.
