1. Connotation & Denotation (Sample WOTD Project) Ms. Brunskole APLAC 2011-2012

2. First, the basics about denotation  Denotation [dee-noh-tey-shuhn]:  (N) The strict dictionary definition of a word  Roots from Medieval Latin  The prefix “de-” means “from”  The infinitive “notare” means “to distinguish, mark”

3. Let’s use denotation in a sentence  Noun: The denotation of house is a place where a person lives.  Verb: The color red is used to denote passion and anger.  Adjective: Denotative language is far easier to understand when used in daily life because it does not rely on life experiences to form a definition.

4. Next, the basics of connotation  Connotation [kon-uh-tey-shuhn]  (N) The emotional, symbolic, or imaginative association surrounding a word  Roots from Medieval Latin:  The prefix “con” means “with”  The infinitive “notare” means “to distinguish, mark”

5. Let’s use connotation in a sentence  Noun: The connotation of “home” is a place that provides comfort, love, privacy, and emotional security.  Verb: The word “dog” often connotes images of loyalty and friendship.  Adjective: A connotative word such as “built” should never be used when referring to a woman.

6. Examples of Denotation vs. Connotation “My Papa's Waltz” (Theodore Roethke) The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt. What do the underlined words in the poem denote (what is their dictionary definition)? When taken as a whole, what do the word connote, and how does that connotation affect your interpretation of the poem? Please note – you need more than 1 example of your term(s)!!!

7. Denotation vs. Connotation in Action A cat (like this sweet little kitten) has nine lives. Taken denotatively, we would read this sentence as Fluffy, the feline to the right, can be hit by car, fed rancid food, or chased by an angry Rottweiler up to eight times. As long as Fluffy doesn’t pass that eighth time, she’s golden. Obviously, this is unrealistic. Taken connotatively, we understand that the meaning of the sentence to be that no one (or no idea) can die easily. They just keep rebounding. Too bad Fluffy doesn’t really have nine lives…she’s awfully cute.

8. Help me remember! D D enotation is the DD D ictionary D efinition of a word

9. Works Cited  http://www.alphadictionary.com/goodword/word/connotatio n http://www.alphadictionary.com/goodword/word/connotatio n  http://gawow.com/roethke/poems/43.html http://gawow.com/roethke/poems/43.html