...Understanding the difference between denotation and connotation is important to understanding definitions and how concepts are used. Unfortunately, that is complicated by the fact that these terms can be used in two different ways: grammatical and logical. Even worse, both uses are worth keeping in mind and both uses are relevant to project of logical, critical thinking. In grammar, a word’s denotation is whatever the word directly refers to, roughly equivalent to its lexical definition. Thus, the word “atheist” denotes a person who disbelieves in or denies the existence of gods. A word’s connotation refers to any subtle nuances that might or might not be intended by its use. For example, one possible connotation for the word “atheist”...
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...REFERENCE, DENOTATION, AND CONNOTATION (A STUDY of SEMANTIC) This paper is arranged to fulfill the assignment of SEMANTIC Lecturer: Kurniawan, M.Hum Arranged by: Novi Dyah Ayu Sri M : 26.09.6.2.124 Rifqi Syafiatul Hidayah : 26.09.6.2.140 Sayekti Pujilestari : 26.09.6.2.147 ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTEMENT INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC COLLEGE SURAKARTA 2012 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Introduction Arcnoff and Miller (2003:370) says that semantics focuses on theories of meaning which apply to sentences that make statements, and are taken to be either true are false. This assumption shows that there is relationship between linguistic expression and the world which is at the core of linguistic meaning. By contrast with most other work in semantics, the functional-systemic linguistics of Halliday (1967, 1977, and 1978) recognizes not only ideational and interpersonal meaning, but also textual meaning. It associates various sorts of meaning with choices made all along the way in the production of a sentence in a text. Geoffrey Leech in his ‘Semantic- A Study of meaning’ (1974) breaks down meaning into seven types or ingredients giving primacy to conceptual meaning. The Seven types of meaning according to Leech are as follows: Conceptual or Denotative Meaning, Connotative Meaning, Social Meaning, Affective or Emotive Meaning, Reflected Meaning, Thematic Meaning. Almost all of the words of a language have a conceptual meaning. There are words that have more than one...
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...Connotation/Denotation Essay Politicians are viewed very differently by a large variety of people. Some view them as greedy corrupt officials who are always trying to get more money. Others see them as powerful people with the ability, knowledge, and drive to make change happen in the world. Politicians see themselves as pillars, helping hold this country up off the floor of failure. No matter the way you see politicians, it affects the way you see the news and the actions taken within our government. There are many reasons people see politicians as evil, corrupt people. The entire system of lobbying is inherently corrupt. Large companies and organizations give politicians money to vote one way or another. An example of this is the NRA which spends 3.2 million dollars on lobbying each year. In return for this money,...
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...Connor Davis Mrs. Jill Ross British Lit. 10 March 2015 When I read the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake I was immediately intrigued by the vocabulary used in the poem and how every word in the poem has an analogical meaning. While reading this poem I enjoyed how fluent the rhymes used made it sound, but I struggled a lot to find the meaning of this poem, It literally took me about 1 whole year to be able to find the actual meaning. After analyzing this poem I know realize how there is not a single person that doesn’t make a mistake, even the creator of this world makes mistakes. In the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake, the author uses the metaphor “what immortal hand could frame thy fearful symmetry.” This metaphor helps you understand the theme, but first you need understand the metaphor, and to understand the metaphor you need to understand the meaning of the words. First when he says “immortal” he is talking about god, and when he says “fearful symmetry” he is basically saying fearful world, and he expresses how this world is full of ugly unnecessary things like war. These words help me understand the theme because now I know the metaphor is saying why would god create such a fearful world and the theme is “everyone makes mistakes including god” so this metaphor helps you understand how the author is trying to say that the world has many mistakes made by god. Another Poetry device used in the poem is Abstract and Concrete language. In this poem it is very...
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...famous line, “To be or not to be” has been used and reused in many different contexts. An example of an allusion from Week one’s reading assignments comes from The Hack Driver by Sinclair Lewis. During the story, the author makes reference the express man. He comments on how this man will probably get to Heaven’s gate and call St Peter “Pete” (LA Rocco & Coughlin, 1996, p. 59). Connotation- Connotation is the meaning or implication that the author gives, and the reader receives while reading a literary work. Connotations are not difficult to spot, because they are usually presented in the form of an opinion or assumption. For example, To Be of Use, by Marge Piercy, refers to workers becoming natives to the elements of their work environment (LA Rocco & Coughlin, 1996, p. 248). The entire poem places much emphasis on the positive aspects of good workers. As the author refers to these workers as natives, it implies that they perform their jobs easily and naturally, so the connotation is positive. Denotation- A denotation is the actual meaning of a word used in a literary work. Denotations provide contrast within literature; because they possess a literal meaning, while almost everything else is comprised of figurative meanings. For...
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...that we use it to represent ideas, objects, and feelings. Because language is only representative, you can interpret any given statement in more than one way. Sometimes the difference is simply literal versus figurative interpretation. Denotation and connotation are two more tools you can employ to discern the meaning of an unfamiliar term. For a writer to express herself precisely, she must understand both the denotations and connotations of words, and use that understanding to convey to the reader her exact intent. Every student learns about connotation and denotation in his or her English 101 and 102 classes. In those classes, you learn how to distinguish between the two as they appear in literature. You learn the concept or theory behind the terms. Learning to apply the concepts to your writing will quickly improve your writing style. You are the author of your essay, and the word author implies you are somewhat of an authority on your subject. With authority comes responsibility. One of your most important responsibilities as a writer is to be clear for your readers—your professors! For your paper to be successful, you want to be sure your reader understands exactly what you intended for your words to mean. That’s where connotation and denotation can help. The most noticeable feature that distinguishes human beings from animals is their (human beings) ability to communicate with each other in different contextual situations. Due to the flexibility and arbitrariness of language...
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...Thesis: In the poem “There is No Frigate like a Book” Emily Dickinson’s use of figurative language, sound devices and denotation and connotation show us how literature allows use of our imagination to go on a journey. At first glance it may seem that Emily Dickinson has written a simple poem in “There Is No Frigate like a Book”. However, further analysis reveals that she believes reading is a gift to all. Through observation of the poem we find her fascination with reading and the poem’s ability to take her reader on a journey; as well as reveal how reading can take us on any journey we wish to embark. The theme of the poem is that when we use our imagination while reading anything is possible, even travel to distant lands. The first clue that reveals this poem is about traveling through literature lies within its title. A frigate is a U.S. warship used mainly for escorting. The clever comparison of a frigate and a book set the tone and create excitement about where we will go. It is also this comparison that allows us to compare the necessary physical means required to take us on our adventure. The first thing that is noticed is the use of figurative language. The figurative language used in this writing is referred to as simile. A simile is a phrase that compares two different things. In lines 3 and 4 “nor any coursers like a page… of prancing poetry” we find the most obvious use of simile when comparing a horse to pages in a book. The other use of simile...
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...and the word are two separate forms of communication. If there is no caption on a photograph, the viewer would inject their own wording based upon on their own life experiences. “A photo is invaded by language the moment it is looked at and becomes an almost relic of the event it portrays.”(Mitchell) A viewer looking at a photo will immediately have thoughts come to mind, and those thoughts become the words of the photo. Roland Barth believes that a photograph has its own language that coexists within it, and he calls this a “photographic paradox” (Mitchell 512). He is saying that there are two messages in every photo: the denotation and the connotation. The denotation is the actual photo in literal form, and the connotation is what is implied or suggested by what is in the images. A photographer could change the message by changing the connotation of the photo. This could be done in many ways, such as...
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...BACHELOR OF ARTS IN INTERIOR DESIGN by PRECIOUS CHIRWA SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS | DESIGN CULTURE 1B:ADVERT ANALYSIS | | | JHB CAMPUSDATE : 08 SEPTEMBER 2015LECTURER : GERDA LEROUX | | | Table of contents Page 1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………… 3 2. What are semiotics? …………………………………………………….. 4 3. The three orders of significations ……………………………………… 4 4. Advertisement analysis ………………………………………………….. 5 - 9 4.1. Pleasures by Estee Lauder image ……………………………. 5 4.2. Connotation ……………………………………………………… 7 4.3. Denotation ………………………………………………………... 7 - 8 4.4. Myth ……………………………………………………………….. 8 5. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………… 9 6. Reference list ……………………………………………………………… 10 In this essay one will discuss the analysis of semiotics of the perfume Pleasures by Estee Lauder advertisement touching on the connotation, denotation and the myths that are employed in the advertisement presented to the viewer or the person that the advertisement is intended for. One will examine the advertisement in terms of their status as signs, whose subordinate meanings not only give an impression that is positive to the product, but will also be compatible with, and harmonizing to the feminine context in which they were situated. Although the advertisement may not physically represent the product, it provides an important iconic representation of both the product and what the product should stand...
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...uses a desperate tone to convey the amount of stress and pain they experienced during this trial. In the story, “Scylla and Charybdis,” Homer uses an epic simile to compare the way Scylla eats the men to the way a fisherman catches fish. In line 815 through 819, Homer writes, “A man surfcasting on a point of rock… will hook a fish and rip it from the surface to dangle wriggling through the air.” The connotation of the word wriggling is to twist and turn with quick writhing movements, and the denotation is the same, showing the reader that a huge effort is made in trying to escape. By using the word wriggling to describe the actions of the captured men, the author creates a tone of desperation. The tone is desperate because the description of the men’s movements implies that they are fiercely trying to survive, but they are not succeeding in escaping Scylla’s grasp....
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...A semiotic and discursive analysis of Givenchy’s Gentlemen Only advertisement Advertisements are common within society and we are constantly subjected to them in our everyday lives. On the surface, it is simply the way businesses market products. However some argue it also advertises lifestyles and social identities (Dyer, 1982). Semiotic analysis is the study of “signs” to understand the underlying rules of messages we receive, and looks at the sign itself, the codes which organise it and the cultural context in which the code and sign make sense (Fiske, 1990). Discursive analysis on the other hand focuses more on the “discourses” that give meaning to representations such as advertisements, and how representations produce social knowledge (Hall 1997). Both approaches have significant differences, yet when combined can help achieve a thorough analysis of advertisements in relation to the influence it has on social identity and society. Ferdinand de Saussure contributed greatly to semiotic study. He prophesised a study of “signs within a society” and labelled it “semiology” (Hall 1997). Saussure took a structural look at how signs constructed meaning by presenting a signifier which signifies certain ideas within a cultural context. These signifiers are understood through various codes which are embedded within specific cultures (Fiske, 1990). In the context of advertising, this model allows us to decipher the signifiers and what they signify, and in essence understand the “true”...
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...understanding of figurative language is absolutely essential. This series will explore the basic types of figurative language that you are likely to encounter in high school and early university settings; without knowledge of these, getting good grades is not a likely outcome, and succeeding in upper level literature courses will simply not happen. Although many teachers and professors do underline the importance of various kinds of figurative language, not many take the time to define it and explain its importance as a whole. Figurative language can most efficiently and simply be seen as a way of writing and speaking that goes beyond or even against the denotation of given words, and begins to explore their connotations. Denotation refers to the literal, dictionary meaning attributed to words or phrases, whereas connotation refers to the various associations that have been added to the words and phrases through their use in a given context. Figurative language therefore gains its power through use and common social...
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...WEEK 1: When did anxieties about media begin? * 18th century * Anxieties about the effect of gothic novels Jane Austen * English novelist * Romantic fiction * Northanger Abbey 19th century * Emergence of mass media and growth in literacy Famous ‘Red Barn Murder’ * Notorious murder committed in England * Maria Marten was shot dead by lover William Corder * Arranged to meet at Red Barn before eloping to Ipswich * Killed there and Corder fled, continuing to send letter to Martens family claiming she was in good health * Body was found after step mother had a dream about the murder * Story provoked numerous articles in newspapers, songs, plays, film The myth of effect Lumiere Film * Lumiere brothers were the first filmmakers in history * ‘L’Arrivée d’un train au Ciotât’ 1895 – French film directed by Louis Lumiere Anxieties about the new mass audience Every new media form Inspires anxieties about its possible negative effects The dystopian view * July 1995 * Negative view of the future of society and humankind * Technology deteriorates the everyday life of human beings and ruins civilization Inspires hope about its positive role in society The utopian view * Sketches a future in which technology improves the everyday life of human beings and advances civilization Transmission model Hypodermic needle theory (HNT) * Implies that the media has the power to inject highly influential...
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...and with the absence of decoration and unnecessary elements and rational thinking the “lion” image closely associates with modernism that we define today. Interestingly, in- class, we argued the exact opposite, “the great sea” looked more modern with its loose text and playfulness and the white space, than the “lion” image that used an old-fashioned font and illustration. This shows how all our verbal associations with visual imagery are constantly changing with our culture and provide them with context by referring them with our history. Nothing about these images have changed, just the system around it. In the other counter-example, we studied two ads (fig. 3, 4) that appeared to have a very different denotation because of their stunningly contrasting approach in design styles. In design terms, where one’s (fig. 3) very rigid, clear, structured and logical other (fig. 4) appeared extremely abstract with its wild and crazy churning forms created using algorithm. These ads were in fact intending to...
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...stronger because it reveals that “chink” is just as offensive as “nigger” (Leong 483-485). The reader’s point of view is influenced by the wording because it makes him or her feel uncomfortable. Leong does this on purpose because it is important to impact the reader’s emotions. Furthermore, “Being a Chink” is an effective illustration for the construction of comparison and contrast because it affects the reader’s evaluation. “Being a Chink” includes definitions to stimulate the reader’s response through terms and meanings. The essay contains denotation and connation to define words. To illustrate, denotation is the dictionary term and connotation is a definition outside of the dictionary. Leong’s essay incorporates these definitions because it is important for the reader to know enough about the material in order to fully grasp what is being discussed. For example, the label “chink” is a name that is either used with denotation or connotation: “Sometimes these things are innocuous, depending on the particular word and the context in which it is used” (Leong 482). The reader is impacted by the definitions in “Being a Chink” because it explains the effects for calling someone a “chink” (Leong 483). Definitions are needed to give the reader additional information on a subject that he or she may not be familiar with. For example, before reading Leong’s essay, many readers probably start the essay not knowing anything about the topic; however, “Being a Chink” is filled with informative...
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