- What are denotative language and connotative language?
- Examples of denotative and connotative language
We explain what denotative and connotative language are, the characteristics of each one and various examples.
What are denotative language and connotative language?
When we speak of denotative language (or denotation) and connotative language (or connotation), we are referring to the two forms of interpretation or assignment of the meaning of the words that exist: the one that takes them in an objective sense, and the one that he takes them in a metaphorical sense.
Denotative language is one that is established in dictionaries, which operates universally for speakers of the same language. idiom, and that exists in any context possible. It is the language used by Sciences and formal explanations. For example, the denotative meaning of "rat" is that of a hairy rodent with a long hairless tail, which usually lives in garbage dumps and drains in cities.
On the other hand, connotative language is one that works on the basis of "double meaning" or metaphor, that is, to the cultural or social association that is superimposed on the objective meaning, giving it new nuances and new uses. This meaning usually varies between communities from speaks and between geographic regions, and often to grasp it we must have the right context.
The sayings they are a perfect case of it, or also the dialect vocabularies. For example, in Venezuela the term "rat" is used to refer to someone cruel or malicious, while in Argentina it is usually used as a synonym for "mean", "miser" or "not very generous".
Denotative and connotative language are part of the same coin, and one does not usually exist without the other, since language operates as a reflection of our thought and of our individual and collective emotions. On the other hand, artists of verbal language (writers, poets and the like) work with both types of language, to establish its own meanings and expand what language is capable of saying with the same words.
Examples of denotative and connotative language
The following are examples of denotative and connotative language from like words:
| Denotative language | Connotative language |
|---|---|
| Birds are flying, feathered, bipedal animals. | A bird in hand is better than a hundred flying. |
| There are very few stray dogs in this city. | In this city we lead a doggy life. |
| Venus and Mars are the closest planets to Earth. | Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. |
| I'm very hungry right now. | I am hungry for experiences and knowledge. |
| Today's sky is full of clouds. | Cristina always has her head in the clouds. |
| Cats are generally nocturnal animals. | At night, all cats are gray. |