Concept
Connotation
Overview
A connotation is a commonly understood cultural or emotional association that any given word or phrase carries, in addition to its explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation.
The majority of connotations can be described as either positive or negative, with regard to its pleasing or displeasing emotional connection. For example, a stubborn person may be described as being either strong-willed or pig-headed; although these have the same literal meaning (stubborn), strong-willed connotes admiration for the level of someone's will (a positive connotation), while pig-headed connotes frustration in dealing with someone (a negative connotation).
Some words have such strong connotations that they are better known for the connotation they provide, rather than a dictionary definition. For instance, a significant amount of profanities, such as shit or fuck are commonly used for purposes entirely unrelated to their dictionary definition.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
Names with indeterminate connotation are not to be confounded with names which have more than one connotation, that is to say, ambiguous words. A word may have several meanings, but all of them fixed and recognized ones; as the word _post_, for example, or the word _box_, the various senses of which it would be endless to enumerate. And the paucity of existing names, in comparison with the demand for them, may often…
John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive
Names Connotation several times; states what Connotation is.
In the case of connotative names, the meaning, as has been so often observed, is the connotation; and the definition of a connotative name, is the proposition which declares its connotation. This might be done either directly or indirectly.
John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic
Names Connotation several times; opens on Connotation.
A secret intimation of anger or contempt shows that we still have some consideration for the person, and avoid the directly abusing him. This makes a concealed satire less disagreeable, but still this depends on the same principle. For if an idea were not more feeble, when only intimated, it would never be esteemed a mark of greater respect to proceed in this method than in the other.
David Hume, Philosophical Works, v. 1
States what Connotation is.
Philosophers who discussed Connotation
Related ideas
- French language
- Word
- Literal and figurative language
- Culture
- Pejorative
- Denotation
- Semantics
- Old French
- Symbol
- Terry Eagleton
- Sign (semiotics)
- Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy)
- English language
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Direct reference theory.