Denotation과 Connotation의 차이

[Dio Jin]

What is the difference between denotation and connotation?

The denotation of a word or expression‎ is its explicit or direct meaning, as distinguished from the ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it. Simply put, a word’s denotation is what that word means or directly represents.

The meaning of denotation becomes more clear when it’s contrasted with connotation. When someone refers to a word’s connotation, they’re referring to what it implies or suggests—or to the secondary meanings or implications that are associated with it.

The word connotation is commonly used in the phrases positive connotation and negative connotation. That’s because people associate good or bad things with a lot of words.

Let’s illustrate the difference with a simple example.

For example, the word home refers to the place where you live—it could be a house, an apartment, etc. This is the word’s denotation. For many people, the word home has a positive connotation—it’s associated with safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging. These associations and implications make up the word’s connotation.

What’s with the sinister connotation with being left-handed?

The connotation of a word depends on cultural context and personal associations, but the denotation of a word is its standardized meaning within the language. Another way to think about it is that a word’s denotation is the same or about the same for most people. When you say “bicycle,” other English speakers generally know what you’re talking about. Some may picture a mountain bike while others picture a road bike, but they’re thinking about the same general thing. While a word’s connotation may be widely shared, different words often have different connotations for different people.