Denotation and Connotation Three parts to a word: Sound Denotation: the various dictionary definitions of words Connotation: ideas/feelings associated with a words beyond its literal meaning

Denotation School (n. or V.) education (n.) N.: any institution or building N: The process of receiving or Used to train or instruct giving instruction; an V: to train, teach enlightening experience Slang: to put someone in their place

Connotation School education Homework, stress, college, intelligence, Education, friends, opportunity, money, Tests, early mornings career

Denotation in Poetry “Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.” for love, this means? For a dog? Poets take advantage of language that has multiple denotations. This results in creativity and depth.

Group Exercise Practice writing denotations and connotations with paired words. For each word, Identify what parts of speech (noun, verb, adjectives) apply to the word in question. Then, give the most common denotations underneath. Then, underneath the denotations, write connotations—words, ideas, feelings—that are closely associated with that word. Pair 1: hot and cold Pair 2: child-like and childish Pair 3: Light and dark