Connotation and Denotation
Gentry
Warm up
• What is the difference between these two
words?
• House
• Home
Learning Objective
• SWBAT
• Analyze connotative meanings of words and
how connotation can change the meaning of a
text.
What is denotation?
• Denotation: The dictionary definition
of a word.
• Denotation of house: a place where
someone lives
• Denotation of home: a place where
someone lives.
• D: DICTIONARY
What is connotation?
• Connotation: the emotional /
contextual / cultural meaning attached
to a word; shades and degrees of
meaning
• Connotation of house: the actual building
or structure
• Connotation of home: warm, cozy,
loving
• C: CONNECTION
Let's try one on our own
• Denotation of gray: a shade between or
a mix between black and white
• Connotation of gray: to me gray means a
cold, cloudy day.
• Denotation of rose:
• Connotation of rose:
Good writers and advertisers
choose their images and words
VERY carefully!
A two step content analysis of pictures.
1. Denotation. Straightforward
reading of what is in the
picture.
Connotation. The extra, linked meanings that go with
the picture.
1 :- Sky. Sand. Girl. Boy. Donkey.
2:- Beach. Seaside. Holiday. Family holiday. Traditional British holiday.
Notice how other pictures can have different denotational suggestions but the same
connotational suggestions.
photo courtesy of photolibrary wales
The connotations for all of these pictures
is the same as the previous
onetraditional,family holidays.
The bright colours, blue skies and
smiling faces have connotations
of happiness.
www.photolibrarvwales.com)
A 2 step content analysis of these images
would work in the same way. They both contain similar denotational features :
large buildings, street and street lamps but the connotations of the pictures are
the same — an inner city.
photo courtesy of photolibrary wales
www.photolibrarvwales.com)
photo courtesy of photolibrary wales
The connotations of these buildings
is different from the previous two
however because we associate these
sky scrapers with America.
Add two men wearing suits and carrying briefcases and we have extra
connotations of a high powered, sophisticated
glamorous and successful lifestyle What are the
connotations of these images?
• Which word in each pair
below has the more
favorable connotation to ygu? Circle your
answer.
— Thrifty penny-
pinching
— Pushy aggressive
— Politician statesman
— Chef cook
— Slender skinny
Let's analyze how words can affect
writing.
• She walked into the room.
• What can we really tell about what the student did? The
sentence is rather bland because we cannot visualize
anything about the action.
• What other verbs can we use to show how the student
enters the room?
• Bounced? Rushed? Walked slowly? Strutted, slithered,
pranced, oozed, or marched?
• What basic denotative meaning do these words have?
• How are their connotative meanings different?
Connotation in writing...
• Consider this example. Suppose your class has recently visited a
greenhouse and you are asked to write a report explaining what you
observed during the visit. You decide to focus on safety ISSueS
when using propane heaters to warm the greenhouse and a classmate
is writing about an exotic flower. You both included the following
sentences in your papers:
• Classmate: When the flowers are in bloom, their smell fills the
greenhouse.
• You: When a gas line leaks, the smell fills the greenhouse.
There's nothing "wrong" with either sentence, but by using the word
smell and its denotative meaning, does the reader get an accurate idea
of what you or your classmate Intended? Now consider these revisions
with connotation in mind:
• Classmate: When the flowers are in bloom, their fragrance fills
the greenhouse.
You: When a gas line leaks, the stench fills the greenhouse.
Smell, fragrance, and stench each have essentially the same
denotation, they are all "odors," but their connotations are quite
different. In the revision, the reader has a much better idea of what
the author really intended by the use of the word smell.
Peer interaction: Use these sentence
frames to demonstrate your
understanding of today's terms:
• Denotation is a word's
Furthermore,
connotation is a word'sThe denotative
meaning for the word rose is while the
connotative
meaning of the word rose is
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
• When writing, specifically a persuasive paper,
your word choice will affect your paper's
overall tone and purpose.
• In addition, when reading, by understanding the
author's use of connotation, you will better
understand his/her message.
Activity
• Directions: For each numbered set below,
evaluate then categorize the individual words
under the column which best describes their
connotation.
• Example:
Talk Blab Chat
• You are working with your 9:00 appointment.
Instructions:
Each of the short passages below (in italics) is fairly objective and
colorless, using words with neutral connotations. Your job is to write two
new versions of each passage: first, using words with positive connotations
to show the subject in an attractive light; second, using words with negative
connotations to describe the same subject in a less favorable way. The
guidelines following each passage should help you focus your revisions.
• A. Gus cooked dinner for Merdine. He prepared some meat and
vegetables and a special dessert.
(1) Describe the meal that Gus prepared, making it sound appetizing
by using words with favorable connotations.
(2) Describe the meal again, this time using words with negative
connotations to make it sound quite unappealing.
• B. The person did not weigh very much. The person had brown hair and
a small nose. The person wore informal clothing.
(1) Identify and describe this particularly attractive person.
(2) Identify and describe this particularly unattractive person.
• C. Douglas was careful with his money. He kept his money in a safe
place. He bought only the necessities of life. He never borrowed or
lent money. (1) Choose words that show how impressed you are by
Douglas's sense of thrift.
(2) Choose words that make fun of Douglas or pass scorn on him for being
such a tightwad.
Video!
Paragraph rubric
• Paragraph uses word connotation to keep a consistent mood throughout
the paragraph; word choice is above standard.
•3
Paragraph uses word connotation to keep a somewhat consistent
mood throughout the paragraph with some slight variations in mood.
Paragraph uses word connotation inconsistently; mood in paragraph
is unclear.
1
Little use of connotation; no set mood is evident.
He is a giraffe
(denotation: he is an
animal) – He is a giraffe
(connotation: he is a tall
person).
He copied the exam
(denotation: he copied his
classmate) – To study is to
underestimate the intelligence
of the person next to him
(connotation: a subjective
perspective of the event).
He who travels, discovers other
cultures (denotation: traveling
grants knowledge) – The world is
like an open book, he who does not
travel only knows the first page
(connotation: the world has great
opportunities waiting).
I am a pure and innocent man
(denotation) – I was born a
child and I will die a child
(connotation).
To be cured is expensive
(denotation) – Good medicine
is that which improves the body
but does not hurt the pocket
(connotation).
Money makes you happy
(denotation) – In a poor man’s
house, happiness is short
(connotation).
This is a good book
(denotation) – This book will
take you to a world you won’t
want to leave (connotation).
John makes music (denotation)
– Your words are like music to
my ears (connotation).
Spring is September
(denotation) – Mary is already
15 springs old (connotation).
A bird left its nest to look for
food (denotation) – That
neighborhood is a nest of
thieves (connotation).
He should have had heart
surgery (denotation) – He
spoke to her with his heart in
his hand (connotation).
I use oranges to make juice
(denotation) – I found my
better half (connotation).
We bought a horse
(denotation) – A gift horse
doesn’t get its teeth
(connotation).
Winter is the cold season of the
year (denotation) – I feel a
winter in my heart
(connotation).
Heat lets us transmit thermal
energy (denotation) – I feel the
warmth of your embrace
(connotation).
The Sun is part of the solar
system (denotation) – You are
like a sun in my dark days
(connotation).
A nut allows to adjust a part
(denotation) – Pedro is a nut
head (connotation).
Light allows to light
(denotation) – Juliet is not a
person of many lights
(connotation).
You have perfect teeth
(denotation) – You have pearls
in your mouth (connotation).
You don’t deserve that
(denotation) – God gives bread
to the one who has no teeth.
(connotation).
