Connotations
| This entry is a part of the series about hidden meanings. I’ll be adding more as time allows. This entry is available as a Adobe Acrobat file for printing or use in a class. This entry includes a listening exercise. You can dowload the MP3 or play it using the button below. (MP3) |
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I said in the last post that the connotation of the word is the ’second meaning’ of a word. A connotation will say if a word is positive, or negative. It will include the feelings of approval—meaning you think something is good—and disapproval. (That means the opposite, of course.)
Let me try it with a more poetic example: if you think of a conversation as paper, and think of the words meaning as what you write on the paper. . . the connotation will be the color you write the word in, and if you write it in bold, italics, or UPPERCASE. And these things, we know, can change the meaning of the word.
In the recording today, I’ll talk about connotations more exactly, and I’ll use a few examples. And, in the coming posts, I’ll try to include a few more concrete examples.
For now, here are some exercises.
- If something at work isn’t going well, what words would you use to describe it? How would you try to describe it in a positive light?
- One of your colleagues is known for working hard—long hours, no breaks—but not very quickly. (The work he does, though, is good work.) Can you describe this colleague positively? Can you describe him negatively?
- You’re at a job interview and they want to know what you did at your last job. What you actually did was make hamburgers and put them in paper wrappers. Is it possible to describe this job so that it sounds like a good work experience?
