Content
- Denotation
- Importance of connotation
- The politically correct speech
- Examples of sentences with special connotations
The connotation it is the meaning that each speaker gives, in specific contexts and under specific communicative situations, to words or expressions. As it is a meaning attributed by the speaker, it is a subjective meaning.
The connotation does not appear in dictionaries because it is not possible to cover so many underlying aspects of the language of a subjective nature, which refer to previous experiences, values, competences, etc.
Denotation
In opposition to the concept of connotation, thedenotation refers to the objective value that a word has at the level of the language, that is, to its general and consensual meaning among all those who know that language.
In a similar way, the images we see also sometimes have a denotative and a connotative value, the latter can vary quite a bit between different subjects.
It could be summarized by saying that denotation is the informative-referential value, which strictly depends on the linguistic code, while the connotation works as an added value, dependent on a social code as heterogeneous as society itself.
- See also: Examples of denotative language
Importance of connotation
The connotations of words are very important in interpersonal relationships, because although we try to adhere strictly to their objective meanings, it is inevitable to make associations of various kinds, some of which can lead us to ideas that are quite far from the true intention of the word. transmitter.
Society as a whole builds connotative meanings and values around communicative elements, the press and the Internet have a particularly prominent role in this regard.
Many authors consider the figures of language resources of connotation, since they represent writing strategies that generate certain aesthetic effects by displacing words from their usual meaning. This category includes metaphor, personification, allusion and others.
The politically correct speech
The concept of connotation has led to the frequent talk today of “politically correct speech”, understanding it as one that takes special care to avoid the use of words or expressions that may hurt the sensitivity of any human group (ethnic, social, sexual , professional, etc.) or person in particular, given their negative connotative orpejorative, real or supposed.
This happens, for example, with the word “black”, often replaced by “colored” (which is still nonsense according to some, since we all have “some color”). The same happens with the word "disabled", which today tends to be replaced by "person with different abilities".
Examples of sentences with special connotations
- Mmmm… ..that boy is kind of weird….
- The bitch pressured him to put the car in her name.
- See if someone wakes up here and says something useful.
- The teacher discharged himself with heavy artillery in the exam. Only two passed.
- That boy is on full hormones ...
- The role of kitten no longer suits her.
- To roll up your sleeves, there is much to do.
- He did it by holding his nose, but he did it.
- What a truck!
- Go on.
- I got out of the bubble once and for all!
- He doesn't go anywhere without his daddy and mommy.
- How it shows that you were born in a golden cradle.
- It rains soup and I have a fork….
- Stop flying and find a common wild job.
- I'm walking the walls
- She glared at him, but he whistled softly.
- No organ hurts as much as your pocket.
- All he does is look at his belly button.
- How easy it is to give your opinion with yesterday's newspaper.
