These associations are the connotations the word carries, and they're separate from the literal meaning of the word, which is known as its denotation. This "hidden" layer of meaning includes the array of emotions, cultural associations, and ideas that a given word invokes whenever it's used-all of which is determined by the history and context of the word's usage.įor example, the word "Hollywood" refers to a specific area in the city of Los Angeles, but the word is used so often as a metonym for the American film industry as a whole that it has come to evoke ideas of glamor, artifice, and fame. Here's how to pronounce connotation: kon-oh- tay-shun Connotation ExplainedĮvery word has a literal definition that you can look up in the dictionary, but most of the words people use on a daily basis carry associations that aren't written down as part of their strict definition. Connotation is vital to the arts, but is also extremely useful in business, advertising, and politics. Writers may use connotation to evoke specific emotions in their readers without explicitly telling them what to feel.In other words, connotation is deeply dependent on context. The connotations a word carries are often subjective, meaning that they might change depending on an individual's experience, geographical location, or time period.Connotation is an important aspect of diction, a term that refers to the choice and usage of words by writers. For instance, the word "peace" has a positive connotation, "coffin" has a negative one, and "table" is neutral. Words can have positive, negative or neutral connotations.Some additional key details about connotation: The nature of connotations is that they are not explicitly defined, so they can be used in both purposeful and accidental ways to convey subtle meaning or subtext: you might call someone a "kid" on purpose to imply some disrespect, or you may do so without realizing the connotation of your words. For example, the words "child" and "kid" mean the same thing, but to call someone a "kid" has a slightly informal and therefore disrespectful connotation. Most words carry meanings, impressions, or associations apart from or beyond their literal meaning. What is connotation? Here’s a quick and simple definition:Ĭonnotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |