CHAPTER
I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background
The most
noticeable feature that distinguishes human beings from animals is their (human
beings) ability to communicate with each other in different contextual
situations. Due to the flexibility and arbitrariness of language, people might
use similar words and expressions in different contextual situations with
different meanings. Wolfram and Estes (2006) explain that, "The
relationship between the sounds that make up a given word and the meaning or
meanings associated with this word is essentially arbitrary. That is, there is
no one 'true' name for a given object or idea". People might have the
capability to use different sounds and symbols to contact with other people in
different cultures. Yet, it is important that both parties (sender and
receiver) understand the meanings of these sounds
, symbols and language to
communicate.
Language
is symbolic in that we use it to represent ideas, objects, and feelings.
Because language is only representative, you can interpret any given statement
in more than one way. Sometimes the difference is simply literal versus
figurative interpretation. Denotation and connotation are two more tools you
can employ to discern the meaning of an unfamiliar term. For a writer to
express herself precisely, she must understand both the denotations and
connotations of words, and use that understanding to convey to the reader her
exact intent.
Nevertheless,
sometimes, people fail to communicate because of the barrier of failing to
decode meanings of sounds uttered. For example, if two people from different
cultures, who speak English, converse, they might not understand one another. A
non-native speaker might understand the Englishman, saying, "It's not my
cup of tea" that the Englishman is talking about a cup of tea that does
not belong to him. In this regard, Andrews (1993) said, "One of the most
basic reasons human beings bother to communicate with each other is to impart
some kind of meaning". Thus, this work is trying to shed some lights on
the importance of understanding meaning of words in order to understand others'
intentions, focusing, mainly, on denotative and connotative meaning.
B. Problem
1.
What
is denotation?
2.
What
is connotation?
3.
What
is the types of connotation?
4.
What
is the difference of denotation and connotation?
C. Benefit
1.
To
know what is denotation
2.
To
know what is connotation
3.
To know what types of connotation
4.
To
know what is the diference of denotation and connotation
CHAPTER
II
DISCUSSION
A. Denotation
Baskaran
(2005) explain that denotation refers to the strict definition of a word, the
class of things denoted by a word. It is the referential or dictionary meaning
of a lexical item. For example the
lexeme “mother” has its dictionary definition as “female parent”.
Denotation
is the literal meaning of a word as defined by its context. Connotation is the
suggestion or implication represented by a word which alludes to its social
context
A word's
denotation is the strict dictionary definition of that word and refers to the
actual thing or idea it represents. In other words, a denotation is the actual
meaning of the word without reference to the emotional associations it can
arouse in a reader.
If a
writer wants her readers to fully grasp her meaning, she must use words
according to their established denotations to avoid meaning something she
didn't intend and end up confusing the reader. An example of a misused word is
represented in this sentence, "Her dissent was gradual and hesitating."
This is homonym confusion and subsequently denotation confusion at its best.
Although a dissent (disagreement) may be gradual and hesitating, the most
likely denotation is that of descent (travel downward), which makes a lot more
sense.
However,
even with the apparent objectivity of a dictionary definition, you will still
encounter certain language challenges on the denotative level, because a word
can have multiple denotations. For example, the dictionary lists more than 20
distinct meanings for the word low. As a result, you can say, "A low wall
bordered the field," and you can also say, "John was feeling low
today." The same word, used in two different contexts, has two distinctly
different meanings. This ambiguity of word meanings can give you a bit of an
obstacle in understanding new words. Considering that, ensure that when you
read you understand both denotation and context to get the precise meaning of
the word as it is used.
In
technical or scientific books you are less likely to find a great number of
words with multiple denotations than you are, for instance, in a fictional
work. In these kinds of books, you have a one-to-one correspondence between
word and meaning. For example, if you see the term transistor or operating
system, you will perceive each of those terms in only one context each, that
being electronic circuitry (for transistor) or a set of governing operating
rules for your computer (for operating system).
B. Connotation
Connotation,
on the other hand, goes into the extra linguistics associations and overtones
of words. These meanings would not be
explicitly stated in the dictionary. Thus for “mother” the connotative meaning
would entail, “compassion, love, comfort, solace, strength” and other
maternally eminent qualities.
According
to Abdul Chaer (2003:292), a connotation is a different meaning which is
“added” to the last denotation meaning that is related with a sense from a
person or group that uses the word.
Connotation
is another type of meaning that is also learned in semantics. But according to
Abdul Chaer, the connotation meaning is divided into a neutral, positive, and
negative one. For example, the word lean (kurus) has a neutral connotation,
which means that it does not have an unfavorable sense. But the word slender
(ramping), which is the synonym of lean, has a positive connotation which is a
favorable sense. On the contrary, the word thin (kerempeng), which is the
synonym from thin and slender, has a negative connotation, an unfavorable
sense.
From the
example that is given above, the word lean, slender, and thin can be concluded
that in a denotation meaning, three of them have the same meaning, but three of
them have different connotations; lean is a neutral connotation, slender is a
positive connotation, and thin is a negative connotation.
If
conceptual meaning remains the same forever, connotative meaning may change
from one time to another. Connotative meaning may also differ from one society
to another because meanings have many other characteristics which different
people associate with.
C. Types
of Connotation
A
connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that
some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or
literal meaning, which is its denotation.
Words may
have positive or negative connotations that depend upon the social, cultural
and personal experiences of individuals. For example, the words childish,
childlike and youthful have the same denotative but different connotative
meanings. Childish and childlike have a negative connotation as they refer to
immature behavior of a person. Whereas, youthful implies that a person is
lively and energetic.
A
connotation is frequently described as either positive or negative, with
regards to its pleasing or displeasing emotional connection. 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).
Below are
a few connotation examples. Their suggested meanings are shaped by cultural and
emotional associations:
·
A
dog connotes shamelessness or an ugly face.
·
A
dove implies peace or gentility.
·
Home
suggests family, comfort and security.
·
Politician
has a negative connotation of wickedness and insincerity while statesperson
connotes sincerity.
·
Pushy
refers to someone loud-mouthed and irritating.
·
Mom
and Dad when used in place of mother and father connote loving parents.
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 judgment or feelings.
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.
Positive Connotations
1. Positive
Connotation
The first type of connotation is the
positive connotation which is also called the favorable connotation. In this
type, a person feel good about any word or the word makes them happy. In this,
the words are giving the positive impact to a person. For example: using the
word challenging instead of difficult, childlike instead of childish, Bazurg
instead of Buddha etc. carries the positive impact and so these are the
positive connotation.
Ø Childlike
Ø Dove (peace)
Ø Hollywood (fame)
Ø Home
Ø Lean
Ø Modest
Ø Slender
Ø Thrifty
Ø Wall Street (wealth)
Ø Youthful
2. Negative
Connotation
The second type of connotation is the
negative connotation also called unfavorable connotation. Those terms
considered to be negative where the words describe the negative qualities or
the disabilities or disrespect of a person. For example: use of word Buddha
for an old person shows disrespect.
Ø Babe (woman)
Ø Chick (woman)
Ø Broad (woman)
Ø Chatty
Ø Chicken (coward)
Ø Lackadaisical
Ø Miserly
Ø Mutt
Ø Procrastination
Ø Pushy
Ø Reservation (Native Americans)
Ø Retarded
Ø Skinny
Ø Uppity
3. Connotation
Pairs
Here are examples of pairs of connotations that describe the same
thing or situation. The first has a negative connotation and the second is
positive.
Astute -- Sagacious
Bossy --
Dominant
Bum --
Homeless
Cheap --
Inexpensive
Cheap --
Thrifty
Childish
-- Childlike
Cocky --
Confident
Conceited
-- Self-confident
Cowardly
-- Prudent
Crippled
-- Disabled
Difficult
-- Challenging
Disaster
-- Problem
Fat --
Overweight
Fired --
Terminated
Foolish
-- Unwise
Headstrong
-- Determined
Job --
Career
Lazy --
Relaxed
Nag --
Remind
Nitpicking
-- Meticulous
Nosy --
Inquisitive
Out of
date -- Time-tested
Pig-headed
-- Stubborn
Politician
-- Statesman
Scrawny
-- Thin
Stingy --
Economical
Stubborn
-- Persevering
D. Differences
between Denotation and Connotation
If you
want to discuss the meaning of a word, it helps to know the difference between
denotation and connotation. These two terms are easy to confuse because they
describe related concepts. Additionally, both denotation and connotation stem
from the Latin word notāre, meaning “to note.”
The
denotation of a word or phrase is its explicit or direct meaning. Another way
to think of it is as the associations that a word usually elicits for most
speakers of a language, as distinguished from those elicited for any individual
speaker because of personal experience.
The
connotation of a word or phrase is the associated or secondary meaning; it can
be something suggested or implied by a word or thing, rather than being
explicitly named or described.
For
example, the words home and house have similar denotations or primary meanings:
a home is “a shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or
household,” and a house is “a building in which people live.” However, for
many, these terms carry different associations or secondary meanings, also
known as connotations. Many people would agree that home connotes a sense of
belonging and comfort, whereas house conveys little more than a structure.
Words can
have several meanings. The literal meanings, the denotation, are direct,
realistic, and often found in the dictionary. What the word suggests or
implies, the connotation, is symbolic, culturally constructed, and often
influences the interpretation of poetry or literature. For example, the
denotations of the word snake might be "reptile," "scaly,"
or "without legs." Connotations of the word, however, might include
"treachery," "evil," or "betrayal." Writers of
nonfiction assume that the denotation of words will inform the meaning for
readers. On the other hand, poets or fiction writers may instill meaning beyond
the literal by using words with culturally rich connotations.
The
connotation of a word depends on cultural context and personal associations,
but the denotation of a word is its standardized meaning within the English
language. One way to remember the difference between the terms is to take a
hint from the prefixes: con- comes from Latin and means “together; with,”
reminding us that the connotation of a word works with or alongside its more
explicit meaning or denotation.
|
No.
|
Positive
Connotation
|
Denotation
|
Negative
Connotation
|
|
1
|
Gaze
|
Look steadly
|
Stare
|
|
2
|
Fragnance
|
A smell sensed by olfactory nerve
|
Odor
|
|
3
|
Persuade
|
Influence one why or another
|
Brainwash
|
|
4
|
Delayed
|
Not on time
|
Tardy
|
|
5
|
Nosy
|
Somewhat interest
|
Curious
|
|
6
|
Leisurely
|
Without haste ask of someone
|
Lazily
|
|
7
|
Request
|
ask of someone
|
Demand
|
|
8
|
Gathering
|
A large group less than average
|
Mob
|
|
9
|
Slim
|
less than average
|
Skinny
|
|
10
|
Debate
|
Average build discuss with others
|
Argue
|
|
11
|
Observe
|
Watch
|
Spy
|
|
12
|
Youthful
|
A young age
|
Immature
|
|
13
|
Irresponsible
|
Not having care
|
carefree
|
|
14
|
Unique
|
Not commonly found
|
Strage
|
|
15
|
Detect
|
Find
|
Snoop
|
|
16
|
Inexpensive
|
Fairly priced
|
cheap
|
|
17
|
Privacy
|
Having an opportunity to be alone
|
isolation
|
|
18
|
Assertive
|
Firmly confident
|
Pushy
|
|
19
|
Generosity
|
Giving much
|
Extravagance
|
|
20
|
Competitive
|
Wanting to succeed
|
Cutthroat
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Although writers can make mistakes in
denotation, a writer is more apt to miss the right word by misjudging its
connotation. Connotation refers to the emotional or psychological associations
a word carries with it. The connotation of a word goes beyond its strict
meaning to express the feelings, thoughts, and images the word suggests or
evokes.
You can see an example of the
difference between connotation and denotation by examining the phrase United
States of America. The denotation is as follows: "A federal republic of
North America, including 50 states, and the District of Columbia, the Canal Zone,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam
Wake, and several other scattered islands of the Pacific." Pretty dry and
neutral, huh? Now, compare the connotation of the same phrase, which includes
government, patriotism, national pride, and a feeling of republic and oneness
with other Americans. As you can see, the connotation is quite different from
the denotation.
Because of the subjective nature of
language, it has the power to create unpredictable psychological responses. Some
connotations are personal, deriving from one's particular experiences, whereas
others carry emotional overtones by virtue of the way the writer presents the
word.
For example, the word home evokes a
different response from someone who came from a happy childhood and home than
that evoked in someone who had an unhappy home life. Several types of
connotation can influence the way you think about a word, which are as follows:
1.
Positive
(favorable) connotation: Words that make people feel good
2.
Negative
(unfavorable) connotation: Words that provoke a negative emotional response
3.
Neutral
connotation: Words that cause no emotional reaction at all
Depending on the intent of the writer,
he will choose either favorable or unfavorable connotations to communicate his point.
Most journalistic writing uses favorable connotations for the sake of political
correctness and to avoid alienating readers. Scientific or technical documents
typically use a neutral connotation. Politically motivated writing normally
uses highly charged connotations, both favorable and unfavorable, to achieve
the desired impact.
Words also have formal and informal
connotations. When you speak with or write to older people, people who are in a
position of authority, or others you do not know well, you are most likely to
use words with formal connotations. An example would be using the term
grandmother instead of a denotative, yet less formal, equal like gramma. Formal
connotations tend to be either neutral or favorable. When you speak with or
write to your friends, you are most likely to use words with informal
connotations.
CHAPTER
III
CONCLUSION
A. Conclusion
Connotation
and Denotation are two principal methods of describing the meanings of words.
Connotation refers to the wide array of positive and negative associations that
most words naturally carry with them, whereas denotation is the precise,
literal definition of a word that might be found in a dictionary.
Understanding
the difference between denotation and connotation is important to understanding
definitions and how concepts are used. Unfortunately, that is complicated by
the fact that these terms can be used in two different ways: grammatical and
logical. Even worse, both uses are worth keeping in mind and both uses are
relevant to project of logical, critical thinking.
As used
in semiotics and in neighbouring disciplines, the terms denotation and
connotation really cover at least four main conceptual distinctions, some of
which have several varieties: yet, ignoring a few marginal cases, all may be
seen as different ways of carving up a particular semantic domain, made up of
the two obligatory relata of the sign function, expression and content, and of
a portion of the experimental world corresponding to the content, viz the referent.
Denotation
refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary
definition."¨ For example, if you look up the word snake in a dictionary,
you will discover that one of its denotative meanings is "any of numerous
scaly, legless, sometimes venomous reptiles Khaving a long, tapering,
cylindrical body and found in most tropical and temperate regions."
Connotation,
on the other hand, refers to the associations that are connected to a certain
word or the emotional suggestions related to that word. The connotative meanings
of a word exist together with the denotative meanings. The connotations for the
word snake could include evil or danger.
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Adisutrisno, D. Wagiman. 2008.
Semantics. Yogyakarta: Andi
Allan Keith. 1996. Linguistics Meaning. London: Routledge & Kegen
Paul.
Elfrida, Rotua. 2012. Pragmatics. Medan: Universitas HKBP
Jaszelzolt, K.2002. Semantics and Pragmatics. Endiburg:
Person Educational
Limitted
www.wikipedia.com
Hafriza, 1997. Semantics: Words without
meaning is meaningless. UKM
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