Transcript How Does it make you feel?

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU
FEEL?
Connotation and denotation
“A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS”…BUT…IS
A WORD WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES?
 Most
words have a specific dictionary
definition – that is the word’s DENOTATION.
 Words
also have CONNOTATION – meanings
inferred by the person reading/hearing the
word based on their ideas/understanding,
context, experiences.
DENOTATION V. CONNOTATION

Shades of meaning – words can have connotative meaning that
goes from very weak connotation to a very strong connotation


Positive/negative – some words have a positive connotation;
some words have a negative connotation


Example: HOT – baking, stifling, sweltering, scorching, sizzling,
boiling, burning
Strict, firm
Personal interpretation – meaning is based on person’s past
experience with word and their background

Dark – absence of light? Fear? Mystery? Nighttime?
THREE ELEMENTS OF CONNOTATIVE
MEANING
 Each
of the words below mean “of poor quality”
 Which
ones sound weaker? Stronger?
 awful,
terrible, bad, abysmal, poor, shoddy
RANK THESE WORDS

youthful/ childish

skinny/slim

conceited/confident

boisterous/noisy

ambitious/power-hungry

clever/impertinent

uneasy/apprehensive

smart/shrewd
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

Ocean….when you see this word, what does it make you think
of?
PERSONAL INTERPRETATIONS
#1
When the young marshal strolled onto the
filthy main street of 1885 Tombstone, Arizona,
he worried that a hidden killer might be
lurking behind the pile of broken wagon
parts on the left, so he walked slowly and
carefully. He looked cautiously, staring,
squinting through the noonday sun’s glare.
Nothing! A light film of summer dust clung to
his leather boots; the ever-present particles
in the air made him cough quietly. A sudden
movement to his right startled him, and his
gun left his holster quickly, but he saw only a
scrawny mutt digging in the dust for a
previously chewed bone. He grimaced and
hesitantly put the revolver back.
#2
The experienced lawman sauntered
through the muddy main street of 1885
Tombstone, Arizona. He knew that a killer
might be waiting around the next corner, so
he took his time. He glanced warily, keeping
his eyes half-shut in the noonday sun.
Nothing bothered him, not even the constant
dirt that covered his worn leather boots. He
coughed from the dust in the air. A quick
movement to his right caught his eye and
made him turn quickly. The gun flew out of
his holster in an instant. A thin dog was
scrounging through the dirt trying to locate its
old worn-out bone. He smiled and
confidently put the six-shooter back.
HOW DO THESE COMPARE?
WITH YOUR PARTNER, FIND AT LEAST 5 SYNONYMS FOR EACH UNDERLINED
WORD.
RANK THE WORDS FROM WEAKEST TO STRONGEST. BE PREPARED TO TELL
WHY YOU PUT THEM IN A CERTAIN ORDER.