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Connotation
View on WikipediaA connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that any given word or phrase carries, in addition to its explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation.
A connotation is frequently described as either positive or negative, with regard to its pleasing or displeasing emotional connection.[1] For example, a stubborn person may be described as being either strong-willed or pig-headed; although these have the same literal meaning (stubborn), strong-willed connotes admiration for the level of someone's will (a positive connotation), while pig-headed connotes frustration in dealing with someone (a negative connotation).
Usage
[edit]"Connotation" branches into a mixture of different meanings. These could include the contrast of a word or phrase with its primary, literal meaning (known as a denotation), with what that word or phrase specifically denotes. The connotation essentially relates to how anything may be associated with a word or phrase; for example, an implied value, judgement or feelings.[2]
Logic
[edit]In logic and semantics, connotation is roughly synonymous with intension. Connotation is often contrasted with denotation, which is more or less synonymous with extension. Alternatively, the connotation of the word may be thought of as the set of all its possible referents (as opposed to merely the actual ones). A word's denotation is the collection of things it refers to; its connotation is what it implies about the things it is used to refer to (a second level of meanings is termed connotative). The connotation of dog is (something like) four-legged canine carnivore. So, saying, "You are a dog" would connote that you were ugly or aggressive rather than literally denoting you as a canine.[3]
Related terms
[edit]It is often useful to avoid words with strong connotations (especially pejorative or disparaging ones) when striving to achieve a neutral point of view. A desire for more positive connotations, or fewer negative ones, is one of the main reasons for using euphemisms.[4]
Semiotic closure, as defined by Terry Eagleton, concerns "a sealed world of ideological stability, which repels the disruptive, decentered forces of language in the name of an imaginary unity. Signs are ranked by a certain covert violence into rigidly hierarchical order. . . . The process of forging ‘representations’ always involves this arbitrary closing of the signifying chain, constricting the free play of the signifier to a spuriously determinate meaning which can then be received by the subject as natural and inevitable".[5][relevant?]
Examples
[edit]The denotation is a representation of a cartoon heart. The connotation is a symbol of love and affection. |
The denotation of this example is a red rose with a green stem. The connotation is that it is a symbol of passion and love – this is what the rose represents, |
The denotation is a brown cross. The connotation is a symbol of religion, according to the media connotation. However, to be more specific this is a symbol of Christianity. |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Peter A. White (27 March 2017). "Feelings and JEA Sequences". Psychological Metaphysics. Routledge. p. 315. ISBN 978-1315473550.
- ^ "Connotation and Denotation" (PDF). California State University, Northridge. pp. 1–8.
- ^ BK Sahni (2017). BPY-002: Logic: Classical and Symbolic Logic.
- ^ Not all theories of linguistic meaning honor the distinction between literal meaning and (this kind of) connotation. See literal and figurative language.
- ^ Terry Eagleton (1991). Ideology: An Introduction. Verso. p. 197. ISBN 0-86091-538-7.
Connotation
View on GrokipediaDefinition and Etymology
Definition of Connotation
Connotation refers to the secondary, often emotional or associative meanings evoked by a word, phrase, symbol, or sign beyond its primary, literal, or dictionary-based definition, which is termed denotation. These additional meanings encompass feelings, ideas, or implications that arise from cultural, personal, or contextual influences, shaping how the term is perceived and interpreted.[9] The concept originates in the disciplines of semantics and semiotics, where it describes the layered, associative dimensions of language that extend past objective reference. In semantics, connotation captures the emotive, evaluative, or stylistic overtones attached to linguistic expressions, such as attitudes or stereotypes, which enrich communication but are not inherent to the term's core sense. In semiotics, as developed by Roland Barthes, connotation functions as a second-order signifying system: the denotative sign becomes the signifier for an additional signified, enabling a chain of further associations that reflect sociocultural ideologies.[9][10] Key characteristics of connotation include its subjectivity, which varies according to individual experiences, cultural norms, and historical contexts, rendering it unstable and open to diverse interpretations. It is inherently implicit, emerging indirectly through inference rather than explicit statement, and supports multiple layers of meaning within a single term, where one connotation can trigger successive others.[11][9]Etymology
The term "connotation" originates from the Medieval Latin connotationem (nominative connotatio), the past participle of connotare, meaning "to mark along with" or "to note in addition." This etymon breaks down into the prefix con- (from cum, meaning "together" or "with") and notare ("to mark," "to note," or "to designate"), evoking the idea of attaching secondary notations or implications to a primary designation.[12] In medieval scholastic philosophy of the 13th and 14th centuries, the term emerged in logical discourse to analyze how words signify properties or relations beyond their direct reference. William of Ockham, in his Summa Logicae (c. 1323), introduced "connotative terms" (termini connotativi) as those that primarily signify a substance but secondarily imply associated qualities or modes, such as "white" connoting a body possessing whiteness; this contrasted with "absolute terms" that signify without such secondary implications.[13][14] The concept addressed nominal definitions (quid nominis), distinguishing implied attributes from essential substance, and influenced later semantic theories.[15] The term entered English around the 1530s, initially in theological and logical contexts derived from scholastic traditions, evolving to denote implied or associated meanings by the 17th century.[12] Philosophers like John Locke discussed related ideas in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689), where words signify complex ideas through "nominal essences"—clusters of attributes—beyond simple reference, influencing later semantic theories.[16] By the 19th century, John Stuart Mill formalized connotation in A System of Logic (1843) as the attributes a name implies alongside its denotation, shifting focus toward modern semantics. In the early 20th century, Ferdinand de Saussure's structural linguistics, through his distinction between the signifier (sound-image) and signified (concept) in Course in General Linguistics (1916), provided a foundational framework that later influenced semiotic theories of connotation as associative, cultural layers of meaning beyond literal reference.[17]Core Distinctions
Denotation versus Connotation
Denotation refers to the literal, explicit, and objective meaning of a word as defined in a dictionary or by conventional linguistic agreement, representing the core referential function without emotional or cultural overlays.[18] This definition aligns with early semantic theories, such as those in Ogden and Richards' The Meaning of Meaning (1923), where denotation is tied to the direct relation between a symbol and its referent in shared linguistic understanding. In contrast, connotation encompasses the implicit, subjective associations evoked by a word, including emotional, cultural, or experiential implications that extend beyond the literal sense.[2] The key differences between denotation and connotation lie in their scope, stability, and perceptual nature, as outlined in linguistic semantics. Denotation is universal and stable across users and contexts, providing a fixed referential anchor, whereas connotation is variable, influenced by individual experiences and societal norms.[18] This distinction emphasizes denotation's role in precise, objective communication versus connotation's contribution to nuanced, affective interpretation.[2]| Attribute | Denotation | Connotation |
|---|---|---|
| Objectivity | Objective and explicit | Subjective and implicit |
| Universality | Shared and agreed upon by language users | Personal or culturally variable |
| Stability | Fixed and context-independent | Fluid and context-dependent |
| Function | Referential (literal meaning) | Associative (emotional/cultural layers) |



