Transcript Connotations and Denotations

Words can have two meanings, denotation and
connotation.
 Denotation is the dictionary definition; it is the
literal definition for words. (Easy to remember:
Denotation = Definition)
 Connotation is the emotional or figurative
meaning of the word.

Look up the following words in the dictionary:
Home
House
Residence
Abode
All of these words mean about the same thing
according to the dictionary.

Home – the place (such as a house or
apartment) where a person lives

House – a building in which a family lives

Residence – the state of living in a particular
place

Abode - the place where someone lives
Definitions from merriam-webster.com
Connotations can have a positive or negative
meaning.
Rate the words from positive to negative and
explain your choices.
House – Home – Residence – Abode
How is the meaning different from the
denotation?
How is the denotation different from the
connotation for these words?
 Dog
 Mom
 Snake
 Blue
 Teenager
Determining if the connotative meaning is
different from the denotative meaning depends
upon the situation in which the word is used.
 The dog was lost and crying in the alley by the
abandoned building.
 Henry was a dog when he failed to show up for
Jane’s performance after he had promised to be
there.
Connotations can help us add more vividness and
description to our writing.
Choose the right word to evoke the emotions you
want in the reader.
Example 1:
The familiar smell of my dad’s cooking met me
when I opened the door.
Replace the word smell with a word that has a
negative connotation if dad is a bad cook.
Replace the word smell with a word that has a
positive connotation if dad is a good cook.
The familiar aroma of my dad’s cooking met
me when I opened the door.
 The familiar stench of my dad’s cooking met
me when I opened the door.

Which is negative?
Which is positive?
How does the change in wording impact the visual
image you see as a reader?
Example 2
For their first date, Ken took Barbie to an
inexpensive restaurant.
Replace the word inexpensive with a word that has
a negative connotation.
Replace the word inexpensive with a word that has
a positive connotation.
For their first date, Ken took Barbie to a cheap
restaurant.
 For their first date, Ken took Barbie to a
reasonably-priced restaurant.

Which is negative?
Which is positive?
How does the change impact the visual image you
see as a reader?
For the following sentences, change the
italicized words into a word that has a positive
connotation and a word that has a negative
connotation.
 Be creative.
 Remember that your task as a writer is to “draw
an image” for your reader.

Devin is a very energetic child.
The soup is hot.
Susan is talkative in class.
Jim is so relaxed about everything.
Mindy’s hobby is running.
The old table was about to collapse.
My brother is a conservationist.
Misty’s act is unusual.
Some people do not enjoy Karen’s assertive
personality.
10. Mr. Chandler had very firm discipline in his class.
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