IMPROVING WRITING THROUGH WORD MEANINGS Denotative vs. Connotative Meaning

Denotative- Connotative Meanings  Words do not mean anything without the meaning we apply to them.  In language there are two types of MEANING we apply to words.

Denotative- Connotative Meaning  The denotation of a word is its explicit definition as listed in a dictionary  Hint: Denotation, denotative, definition, and dictionary all start with the letter ‘D.  association or set of associations that a word usually brings to mind DenotativeConnotative

Denotative- Connotative  The word “home”  The denotative or literal meaning of “home” is a place where one lives; a residence  The connotative meaning of “home” is a place of security, comfort, and family. When Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz says, “There’s no place like home,” she’s not referring to its denotation, but the emotions “home” evokes for her and most people.

Denotative- Connotative  Just think as the connotative meaning as the emotions and associations you have toward a word.  What is love?

Connotative and Denotative Meanings are not used the same in language  The connotative and denotative meanings of words are both correct, but a word’s connotation determines when it is used.

Denotative- Connotative Words  By definition, synonyms have the same denotation or literal meaning, but almost always have different connotations, or shades of meaning.  For example, the synonyms of “boat” include ship, yacht, dinghy, and ferry. All these words refer to the same thing, but each elicits a different association in the reader's mind.

Denotative- Connotative Words  Connotative and denotative vocabulary exercises test your understanding of how word choice affects the meaning of what you say and write.  A quiz may ask you to select words or write sentences that convey positive, neutral, or negative connotations. For example, notice how the sentence meaning shifts when the underlined word is changed:

How does the meaning change?  Positive: Sally was an enthusiastic member her sorority.  Neutral: Sally was an active member of her sorority.  Negative: Sally was a fanatical member of her sorority  THESE ARE THE THREE SHADES OF MEANING of CONNOTATIVE WORDS.

Why is learning when to use connotative vs. denotative meaning important?  Always consider a word’s denotation and connotation if you want to avoid misinterpretation.  “political correctness” The expressiveness of language is revealed in connotative meanings. Your reader can truly understand your writing when you use connotations correctly.