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Denotation and Connotation
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Denotation and Connotation
Introduction
An Example of Denotation
An Example of Connotation
The picture to the left here is a rose. If we were to state a rose's denotation, we can simply go to www.merriam-webster.com and get their definition, which is:
"A flower with a sweet smell that is usually white, yellow, red, or pink and that grows on a bush which has thorns on the stems."
That is the literal definition, or denotation of what a rose is.
The questions always arise with these: "What's the difference between denotation and connotation? How can I tell these two apart? Is there anyone who can help me?"
You can stop thinking all of those questions now; and if you weren't thinking them, you're going to find out how to tell connotation and denotation apart anyway!
If we follow our example with the rose, it could be associated with romantic
love, beauty and even special days, like Valentine's Day or anniversaries. In this way it is symbolic of
something other than
a flower.
Denotation
Connotation
Let's start off with denotation first, shall we?
Denotation has a good trick to remember it; it's simply the dictionary (or literal) definition of a word.
Denotation = Dictionary Definition
See? They all start with the letter D; a nice, easy trick.
Okay, so now we've got denotation out of the way, but what about connotation?
Connotation is the associations we make with a word; it is more than the literal definition of a word.
Connotation is the connection you make with a word - shout out to Team Princeton's Mr. Naidorf for the trick on this one!
Connotation = Connection