There are many writing styles and myriad ways we can use the same words to have different impacts or implications. The same word can be used in different contexts to mean very different things. Then there are overtones and undertones that may even change the very literal meaning of the word. Since time immemorial or at least since the time when language has been well formed, people have used different narratives, figures of speech, different approaches to grammar including sentence construction and different literary approaches have been devised to suit a given context. Connotation and denotation are a result of the evolution of language and how we weave conversations, both vocal and in writing.
What is Connotation?
Connotation is the implied meaning of a word or phrase. It could be the literal meaning but is almost always the social, cultural, political, emotional, colloquial, positive or negative implication, meaning or association of the word or phrase. Thus, connotation offers room for different understanding and effect of the same word or phrase.
What is Denotation?
Denotation is the literal meaning of a word or phrase. Denotation is the precise meaning of a word or phrase that has been explained or stated in the dictionary. Denotation doesn’t offer any ambiguity, speculation or discretion to derive a different meaning of the particular word or phrase. The word is exactly what it is meant to be.
Difference Between Connotation and Denotation
From the above definitions, you may have already understood the difference between connotation and denotation. However, the differences are actually far-reaching. Connotation and denotation don’t only affect the words or phrases being used but they can change the very tone, meaning and overall message of what is being said or written. There is a huge variance in how connotation and denotation are used. There can be extreme implications, both in the positive and negative ends of the spectrum. The degree of ambiguity or certainty, the differences between implied and specific meanings, the message being conveyed and the art of language or how literature is conceived and delivered can be affected by the use of connotation and denotation.
Connotation is a more recent concept. For ages, people have always used denotation because they meant what they said and they did not have to imply anything. As society evolved, there emerged a need to be politically correct and that lead to many colloquial variations to offer a vent to those who wanted to actually say what they wanted to mean. Connotation may have been used in literature first but it has a more apt place in our everyday lives today. The purpose of connotation is not to mislead or to lie, to conceal the truth or to just misinform. It is to associate the emotion with a word or what it means.
Let us take some examples of connotation and denotation to understand the difference.
- The word thin can be replaced by slim, slender, skinny, lanky or gaunt. All of these have the same meaning but thin is the denotation here. It is the most literal word which has no other emotional association. All other words have some kind of emotional, social, cultural or political undertone, overtone or implication. Skinny is used for people who are very thin and look rather sick or ugly. Slender or slim are relevantly positive connotations. Lanky is again a mixed bag with positive and negative implications. It is mostly used for tall and skinny people who are not very pleasant look at. Lanky is often used in a derogatory, dismissive or condescending tone.
- The same case is with the set of words standing in for aggressive. You can replace aggressive with assertive which is a much positive variant or you can go for forceful or pushy which are negative associations. Domineering is a mixed bag while dynamic has a larger implication but does have a positive association. Aggressive is the denotation and the variants are connotations.
- You could call someone shrewd, which is what the traditional word has been to describe people who are cunning or smart, very intelligent or clever or cunning. If you have to use a connotation for shrewd, you would perhaps go for egghead or brilliant. The former is negative and the latter is positive. Cunning is the negative association while smart, brainy and intelligent are positive connotations. In all these cases, the denotation remains unaltered.
You could credit the evolution of language and the transformation of society or you may blame the penchant for simpler words, same words meaning different things and the need to be uncomplicated or literally simple for the growing use of connotation and reduced use of denotation. Some rather straightforward words have been transformed lately.
Words like liberal or conservative, minority and diversity, feminist, right wing or left wing, abuse, rights and relationship have undergone a huge change in how we use them. A drug addict (denotation) is addressed as a substance abuser, which is the positive and the politically correct way to refer, and colloquially addressed as druggie or drug fiend, which is the politically incorrect and negative way.
