DENOTATION VS. CONNOTATION Or why word choice (and context) is SO important!

PART ONE What’s the Difference?

DENOTATION

In this case, the woman on the right thought of the DENOTATION of the word weasel. Denotation = Literal

CONNOTATION  refers to the emotions and associations that attach to words, and expand beyond their proper definitions.

 What the woman telling the “weasel” story was referring to was the CONNOTATION of the word “weasel,” which is to say someone who is sneaky. Connotation = associations

CONNOTATION CONTINUED…  often depends on the context in which the word is placed.

CONNOTATION AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS  Often times, the “official” term by which we refer to a certain group is the politically correct term.

IMMIGRANT EXAMPLE  Alien  Illegal  Undocumented

PART TWO Practice

CONNOTATION CONTINUED…  Often words with similar DENOTATIONS have very different CONNOTATIONS

EXAMPLE ONE  On your worksheet, rank the following synonyms for “Attractive” in terms of most positive to most negative. Cute, Gorgeous, Beautiful, Pretty, Handsome

PART THREE Independent Practice

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE 1. Brainstorm another concept that we didn’t discuss in class that can be referred to by multiple words with different connotations. 2. Write a list of synonyms and their connotations. 3. Rank the synonyms on the scale provided.

YOUR EXAMPLE Word: Denotation: Synonyms: Connotation Rank (most positive to most negative):

APPLICATION Your groups and their connotations

ASSOCIATIONS  Refer back to your group list. What are the connotations (i.e. feelings/associations) that go along with those groups. Are they positive or negative connotations?

DENOTATIONVS. CONNOTATION Group: Definition: Connotation (Negative): Awkward, worried or tense during social encounters, especially with unfamiliar people

EXIT SLIP  Share one of your group titles, denotations, and connotations with me on a half sheet of paper.