They go together like peas and carrots.--Forrest Gump

DenotationWhat a word “is”

What it “describes”

Examples• Student

– IS describing someone who attends school.

• Boy– IS describing a male.

• Job– IS describing a profession / what someone does for a

living.

ClarificationThe denotation of a word IS what it is.

There is NO “emotional loading” in the word. It is NEUTRAL.

The word doesn’t make you feel any particular way.

Connotation• The “emotional” level of a word

• Many ways to describe connotation of certain words– Positive– Negative

– Ways we usually describe words’ connotations…emotional loading

For examplePleasant words: calm, friend, truth, clean,

togetherness, honest, complete  

Unpleasant words: stormy, opponent, falsehood, dirty, loneliness, dishonest, unfinished

Why Do I Need to Know This?When reading….

Pick up writer’s bias (point of view)Miss writer’s message if you miss his or her

perspective!

When writing….Finding the perfect word for the situation.Adding greater word choice to writing

Getting past….good…nice….things….stuff

For examplePositive connotation: generous, wisdom,

justice, patriot, happiness, heroic  Negative connotation: stingy, stupidity,

injustice, traitor, sadness, cowardly

And…Positive:

• red-blooded, mouth-watering, true-blue, exquisite, saintly, magnificent

 Negative:

• cold-blooded, two-faced, heartrending, rotten, sadistic, poverty-stricken

We can combine words….Positive:

• complete honesty, sweet friend, cheerful grin, American cooperation

  Negative:

• uncontrolled dishonesty, dirty opponent, sullen sneer, foreign interference

What is the connotation of the underlined phrase?

She walked up to him and smilingly killed him.

  Money rained down from above.

Think about context….1) That's a lazy cat.

2) That's a lazy man.

What’s the difference in the connotation of “lazy” in each?

1) I made noise taking the dishes out of the cupboard.

2) I couldn't hear the speaker, because everybody around me was making noise.

3) That isn't music! That's noise!

What is the difference in the connotation of the word “noise” in each?

What is the Subtle Difference Between…

Joy

And….

Pride

Anger

And….

Rage

Boredom

And…

Despair

You Try…Stress and…. Tension

Calm and…. Relaxed

Friendliness and….. Love

Exercise #1Separate the words below into three categories

Positive, negative, or neutral (It is all right if you don't use all three categories.)

Use your first reaction to the word to decide which category to use for it. Here are the words:

  

• True• Boring• Sloppy• Dependable• Honor• Paramedic• Tidy• Interesting• Awkward• Nasty

DisorganizedChampionDisloyalClumsyPhysicianTalentMismanageFailureFriendshipMessy

Exercise #2Combine 5 positive

words with 5 negative words to make 5 positive phrases.

You MAY change word forms, plural, etc.

reformed patiencehonesty playful criminal strength unrelenting ghost stubborn unbending