Literary Term 11 & 12 – Denotation and Connotation
Denotation is the dictionary definition (or literal meaning) of a word. Some words have more than one meaning
Connotation refers to the associations which are attached to a word, as opposed to its literal meaning. There is a connection between symbolism and connotation. Connotations can be positive or negative.
Example: That new kid in class is unique.
This could mean that the new kid is interesting or it could mean that the new kid is weird.
Take a look at this video and fill in the following table for the four words discussed:
Table:
| Postivie/Negative | Connotation | Denotation | Word or Phrase |
