Lexicology: A Current Guide

The connotation of a word is what the word implies in addition toits denotational meaning. It is the set of associations that a word’s usecan evoke. E.G.: a hovel denotes “a small house” and besides impliesthat it is a miserable dwelling place, dirty, in bad repair, and, in general,unpleasant to live in. We call connotation what the word conveys aboutthe speaker’s attitude to the social circumstances and the appropriatefunctional style, about his approval or disapproval of the object spoken,or the degree of intensity.There are four main types of connotation. They are:stylistic (e.g. to beat it — to retire, horse — steed),emotive (e.g. dog — doggie),evaluative (e.g. famous / well-known — notorious), andexpressive or intensifying (e.g. splendid, superb, fantastic, beastly,etc. are used colloquially as terms of exaggeration).We can also speak of pragmatic connotations, i.e., those of dura-tion, manner, attending circumstances, etc.The connotation is the idea suggested by its place near or inassociation with other words or phrases. For example, childlike andchildish both have the denotation of “like or characteristic of a child”.However the two words have their own connotations. Childlike suggeststhe favourable qualities considered typical of a child: innocence andtrustworthiness, for example: childlike is generally favourable on allage levels. Childish connotes the unfavourable characteristics of a child:foolishness or immaturity, for example: when applied to adults, childishis almost invariably a term of reproach.Often a word’s connotation will be fully explained in the dictionary.Yet the context of the word can also help to reveal the general andadded meanings. The context is the part of the statement in which theword or passage at issue occurs, that which leads up to and follows aparticular expression.