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Chapter 3 - DENOTATION CONNOTATION

This document defines and provides examples of denotation, connotation, taboo words and euphemisms. It explains that the denotation of a word is its core meaning found in a dictionary, while connotation refers to additional meanings and emotions associated with a word. Taboo words directly refer to taboo acts and have negative connotations, while euphemisms are indirect or mild substitutes with positive connotations. The document also discusses how connotations can depend on cultural and personal factors, and provides examples of words with positive, neutral and negative connotations.

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481 views25 pages

Chapter 3 - DENOTATION CONNOTATION

This document defines and provides examples of denotation, connotation, taboo words and euphemisms. It explains that the denotation of a word is its core meaning found in a dictionary, while connotation refers to additional meanings and emotions associated with a word. Taboo words directly refer to taboo acts and have negative connotations, while euphemisms are indirect or mild substitutes with positive connotations. The document also discusses how connotations can depend on cultural and personal factors, and provides examples of words with positive, neutral and negative connotations.

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Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ Duyên
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Chapter 3: Denotation &

connotation
Teacher in charge: Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, MTESOL
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
I. Denotation
1. Definition
 The denotation of a word is the core, central or referential
meaning of the word found in a dictionary.
 In English, a content word may have its denotation described in
terms of a set of semantic features serving to identify the
particular concept associated with the word.
2. Examples
Child is denotatively described as +human -mature and + male
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
II. Connotation
1. Definition
 The connotation of a word is the additional meaning that the
word has beyond its denotative meaning.
 It shows people’s emotions and/or attitudes towards what the
word refers to.
2. Examples
Child may be positively connoted as +affectionate or + innocent
Child may be negatively connoted as +noisyv or +irritating
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
III. Comments
 The denotation of a word can easily be found in a dictionary while
its connotation(s) may probably depend on such factors:
• The culture in which the word is used
• The lg. user’s family and/or educational background
• The lg. user’s social and/or political class
• The lg. user’s speech community and or ethnic group
 These factors are by virtue of personal and cultural associations
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
III. Comments
 Some English words usually have positive connotations (+); other
have neutral connotation (O); other have negative ones (-)
Positive Neutral Negative
connotations connotations connotations
(+) (O) (-)
Mother/mom Woman Witch
Father/dad Man The old man
Slender Thin Skinny
plump overweight fat
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
III. Comments
 Words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the
same emotional meaning.
Positive Negative The basic meaning
connotations connotations
(+) (-)
frugal stingy “Careful with
money”
slender skinny “thin”
aggressive pushy “
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
IV. Exercises
1. Identify all the possible connotations associated with the following
words.

Words Connotations

Christmas Festivities, family gatherings, presents and carol etc.


Heart
home love, affection, kind, helpful
Family, comfort, affection, and security
DENOTATION and CONNOTATION
IV. Exercises
2. Choose the words that have positive connotation
• Affordable, cheap
• Employ, exploit
• Childish, youthful
• Aroma, odor
• Nosy, curious
• weird, unique
LITERAL MEANING and FIGURATIVE MEANING
I. Literal meaning
“The basic or usual meaning of a word” is usually referred to as its literal
meaning.
word Literal meaning

wing one of the parts of a bird’s or insect’s body that it uses for flying

The two wings of an Part that projects from the side of an aircraft and support it in the air
airplane
The east wing of a house Part of a building that projects from the main part

The left wing of his car Projecting part of the body of a motor vehicle above the wheel

The radical wing of the Part of a political party that holds certain views or has a particular function
Labor Party
LITERAL MEANING and FIGURATIVE MEANING
I. Figurative meaning
The figurative meaning of a word is one which is different from its usual
meaning and which create vivid mental images to readers/listeners
 He retires as chairman next year; his successor is waiting in the wings.
(= is ready to replace him)
 She immediately took the new arrivals under her wing.
(= look after the new arrivals)
 We hope college life will help him to spread his wings a bit.
(= extend his activities and interests)
LITERAL MEANING and FIGURATIVE MEANING
I. Figurative meaning  Literal: the comedian actually died
 Figurative: the comedian struggled
“ The comedian died on the stage” to make the audience laugh

 Literal: all people will be in a boat


“We will all be in the same boat”  Figurative: they will all be facing
the same issues
TABOO & EUPHEMISM
I. Definition
 Euphemism is “the use of pleasant, mild or indirect word or phrases in
place of more accurate or direct ones”
Words Euphemism
die Pass away
A garbage man A sanitation engineer
Overweight Big-boned
TABOO & EUPHEMISM
I. Definition
1. Euphemism is “the use of pleasant, mild or indirect word or phrases
in place of more accurate or direct ones”
 She’s between jobs.  She’s unemployed
 He’s on the street.  He’s homeless
 She’s getting on.  She’s old
 Replaces a taboo word or to avoid a frightening or unpleasant subject
TABOO & EUPHEMISM
I. Definition
2. A taboo word, a “dirty” word, is the word or the linguistic expression
that refers to a taboo act or behavior in a society, a culture or a speech
community.
A taboo word has the same denotative meaning with its euphemism
 the taboo word has a negative connotation
Its euphemism has a positive connotation
HYPONYMY
I. Definition
 Hyponymy is a relation in which the referent of a word is totally
included in the referent of another word.
 Hyponymy is the relationship between each of the hyponyms
(the “lower” word) and its superordinate (the “higher” word):
plant

flowerin
tree bush moss grass
g plant
HYPONYMY
II. Hyponym & superordinate
A hyponym is a word “whose referent is totally included in the
referent of another word.

A superordinate (hypernym) is a word whose referent covers all


the referents of its hyponyms.
HYPONYMY
HYPONYMY
HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
1. Identify the superordinate term in each set.

a.house, shed, building, hut


b.plate, dish, saucer
c.Swim trunks, clothes, cardigan, sari
d.Glimpse, stare, look at, gaze, ogle
e.hurricane, tornado, storm, typhoon
HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
2. Draw a chart to show relationship between these words
 Fruit, food, vegetables, meat, lamb, fowl, apple, mango
 Blue, red, purple, violet, lilac, lavender, green, color
 Building, flat, house, villa, cottage, factory, mansion
 Table, arm-chair, bed, rocking-chair, chair, furniture, shelf, stool,
HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
2. Draw a chart to show relationship between these words
FOOD

vegetables fruit
meat v
v

lamb apple mango


fowl
HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
2. Draw a chart to show relationship between these words
Color

blue red
purple green v
v

violet lavender lilac


HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
2. Draw a chart to show relationship between these words
BUILDING

factory house flat

villa cottage mansion


HYPONYMY
I. Exercises
2. Draw a chart to show relationship between these words
Furniture

table shelf
chair bed v
v

arm-chair stool rocking chair


SEMATICS RELATIONS

I. Definition
Semantics relation is a relation between the meaning of
words
They are: synonymy, antonymy, polysemy, homonymy

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