All students are required to comment TWICE a week. A week goes from Monday to Sunday. A comment can be a response to my or others' posts --- or a new post. All posts must be relevant to class discussions and assignments. Each post should be 1-3 paragraphs.
Remember, it is OK to disagree with one another, but we must always be RESPECTFUL of one another.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Connotations
Explore two synonyms that have extremely similar denotations but different connotations. When is it better to use one than the other, and vice versa?
13 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Two synonyms that have extremely similar denotations but different connotations are glad and ecstatic. They both basically mean happy, but on different levels. For example, you would use the word glad when you are talking about something minor or something not terribly important. On the other hand, it would be better to use ecstatic when talking about something more important or having a happy feeling on an extreme level. Here are two sentences that would be appropriate for each word: I was glad when my teacher announced that there would be no homework over the weekend. I was ecstatic when the doctor said that my cousin would be ok after her surgery. Both of the words mean happy, but they would be more appropriate in different sentences.
Connotations and denotations are very similar but make a big difference. Denotations are dictionary definitions whereas connotations are how people look at particular words. Different people have different connotations, but there are many general ones. For example, thin and scrawny are synonyms but thin has more of a positive connotation. When you think of scrawny you think awkward, malnourished, and too skinny. However, being called thin is a complement. Another connotation is cheap and inexpensive. Inexpensive is a positive connotation while cheap is negative. Inexpensive sounds like you bought something for a good price but cheap makes whatever you're talking about seem to have a lower value.
Two words with similar denotation, but very different connotation are sad and depressed. You would use sad if you got a bad grade on a test. "I got a 65% on that test. I'm sad.". You would use depressed when something extremely horrible happened to you. "I have the bubonic plague and I might die. I'm so depressed..." Yes, that was a little morbid, but you get the idea. Depressed descibes something alot worse than being sad, while they both mean the same thing.
There are several ways words can differ on the level of connotation despite the fact that their denotation is constant. One example of this concept is how angry differs from furious. Both mean mad, but each is different on the emotional level. Furious is more emotionally mad than angry. An example of angry would be, "The fact that my sister stole my shirt without asking made me angry." Differently, an example of furious is, "My friend cheated on her test and got an A while i studied hard and got a C. That made me furious."
As you can see through these examples, there are different situations in which each word is appropriate. Furious is used for a higher level of being mad. But, angry can be used for a less serious issue. These examples can be found throughout vocabulary. Although using each word in the same sentence may make sense, there are better options. Using the correct word can enhance your communication, writing and understanding of vocabulary. This tool is important throughout school years and beyond when writing.
Two synonyms that have very similar denotations but different connotations are pretty and gorgeous. They both in context mean good looking, but pretty is a lower level of saying someone is attractive then using gorgeous. For example, you may use the word pretty to talk about this girl you saw walking down the street. On the other hand, you would want to say gorgeous if you really wanted to express how you feel about someone's beauty. Also, it could almost mean someone has close to perfect features. You can use the words in this appropriate context. I just met this new girl today, she's very pretty. She has really nice eyes. I saw this gorgeous kid in the store today. He had the perfect face.
Sensational and miraculous, two commonly used synonyms with very similar denotations, yet with distinctly different connotations. Both miraculous and sensational mean an astounding and incredible event or piece of information. However, miraculous relates to something outside of the realm of possibility. And sensational, although both words may cause a sensation, is on a lower tier than miraculous. As sensational relates to something that causes excitement in the interest of the public, such as 'a sensational new trend' rather than that of a 'miraculous new trend.' With that, we know something that can be found to be miraculous can in fact be sensational, but, something sensational is not always miraculous. For example, the discovery of aliens would be both miraculous and sensational. Be that as it may, something such as a discotheque opening up may be a sensation, but it is no miracle, rather a sad cry from an era lost long ago. Even with similar denotations, words can have markedly different connotations, just like miraculous and sensational.
Two synonyms that have similar denotations but different different connotations would be enjoy and love. Both words are synonyms of the word "like" but they are very different in the degree or level of the word. For instance you could say: I enjoy walking my sister to preschool in the morning. Or you could say: I love walking my sister to preschool in the morning. Both words are correct in the sentence but they change the degree of how much you like to walk your sister to school. There is a big difference between love and enjoy. It is up to the person writing the sentence to decide what word would be more appropriate when trying to get their point across.
2 words with similar denotations but different connotations would be genial and vivacious. They both generally mean the same thing, happy, amiable, friendly and pleasant. But with genial you would use it more in that context, like "As the hostess at the party, she was very genial with all of her guests". But vivacious means more of a crazed, energetic happiness, like "When she was with him, i noticed her personality as being more vivacious and bubbly than when she was just with us and our friends". Both generally mean the same, but vivacious is used in a different context as a stronger adjective.
Two synonyms that have denotations that are almost the same, but connotations that are different, are small and tiny. You wouldn't describe, say, the tip of a tack as small, but you would say tiny. Although both generally mean the same thing, there are still certain "rules" as to only use tiny, or only use small, to describe certain things. The miniature ants that you see sometimes are something else that you would describe as tiny rather than tiny. A fly, however, is more "small" then tiny. Both the these words have to do with something being little in size, but they are both appropriately used in different ways.
scared terrified Two synonyms that I know to be extremely similar are scared and terrified. After watching multiple horror movies this past Halloween week, I see the difference between the two. When a girl is sitting in class, with a failing test grade laying on her hands, she may be scared for the reaction she may get from very, very strict parents. When the same girl is faced with an axe murderer in her house, covered in her parents' blood, she terrified of that murderer. Terrified and scared are very much alike, though terrified more applies in a life and death situation and scared has a softer tone.
Two synonyms are tumoltuous and angry; both words have similar deffinitions (Denotations) but they are used differently (connotations). These two words mean mad, but angry is used more as a broad term that can cover a wide array of levels of anger. You could be angry that you have to walk the dog, or you could be angry because a gas leak in your house caused it to explode and take your life's work with it. Those levels of anger are quite different, but yet angry works in both sentances. The latter of the two uses of angry was much more extreme. Tumoltuous is an extreme anger, so it would work in that sentence, but you wouldn't be extremely angry because you had to walk the dog, so angry would work better there. These words help put feelings (levels of anger) into words.
Two synonyms that have similar denotations but different connotations are tired and exhausted. Both of these words are presumed to be the same, but are very different. In the word tired, it is relaxed, therefore it should be used in a relaxed sentence such as, "I was tired after school." It is general. If you were to say, "I was exhausted after taking the test and then running one mile," you were actually exhausted and not just making a general statement.
Like and love are two synonyms that have similar denotations but different connotations. When you like something or someone, it is not a strong feeling. In addition, it may be something/someone you do not need, but may like in your life. Love, on the other hand, is about someone or something you need in your life. Love is not a word you use to describe everything. It is very limited. Like, on the other-hand, is used to describe many different things.
For example, you can like a kind of clothing or like a food. You can also like a certain class or time of the year. Love, is about someone you wouldn't know what to do without. Sometimes, you love someone you don't realize you need. For example, a parent is someone you love. You may not realize it but they are always there for you. They are the people that get you through the day with your head held high.
Like and love both mean something good in your life. They are things you don't want to let go of. The different is, when you let go of something/ someone you like, you will get over it. If you love someone, it's not easy to loose or let go of them. Love is a very strong feeling that can't be described. Using the right word to describe something is very important and everyone should know how know the difference between these words and many other words.
13 comments:
Two synonyms that have extremely similar denotations but different connotations are glad and ecstatic. They both basically mean happy, but on different levels. For example, you would use the word glad when you are talking about something minor or something not terribly important. On the other hand, it would be better to use ecstatic when talking about something more important or having a happy feeling on an extreme level. Here are two sentences that would be appropriate for each word:
I was glad when my teacher announced that there would be no homework over the weekend.
I was ecstatic when the doctor said that my cousin would be ok after her surgery.
Both of the words mean happy, but they would be more appropriate in different sentences.
Connotations and denotations are very similar but make a big difference. Denotations are dictionary definitions whereas connotations are how people look at particular words. Different people have different connotations, but there are many general ones. For example, thin and scrawny are synonyms but thin has more of a positive connotation. When you think of scrawny you think awkward, malnourished, and too skinny. However, being called thin is a complement. Another connotation is cheap and inexpensive. Inexpensive is a positive connotation while cheap is negative. Inexpensive sounds like you bought something for a good price but cheap makes whatever you're talking about seem to have a lower value.
Two words with similar denotation, but very different connotation are sad and depressed. You would use sad if you got a bad grade on a test. "I got a 65% on that test. I'm sad.". You would use depressed when something extremely horrible happened to you. "I have the bubonic plague and I might die. I'm so depressed..." Yes, that was a little morbid, but you get the idea. Depressed descibes something alot worse than being sad, while they both mean the same thing.
There are several ways words can differ on the level of connotation despite the fact that their denotation is constant. One example of this concept is how angry differs from furious. Both mean mad, but each is different on the emotional level. Furious is more emotionally mad than angry. An example of angry would be, "The fact that my sister stole my shirt without asking made me angry." Differently, an example of furious is, "My friend cheated on her test and got an A while i studied hard and got a C. That made me furious."
As you can see through these examples, there are different situations in which each word is appropriate. Furious is used for a higher level of being mad. But, angry can be used for a less serious issue. These examples can be found throughout vocabulary. Although using each word in the same sentence may make sense, there are better options. Using the correct word can enhance your communication, writing and understanding of vocabulary. This tool is important throughout school years and beyond when writing.
Two synonyms that have very similar denotations but different connotations are pretty and gorgeous. They both in context mean good looking, but pretty is a lower level of saying someone is attractive then using gorgeous. For example, you may use the word pretty to talk about this girl you saw walking down the street. On the other hand, you would want to say gorgeous if you really wanted to express how you feel about someone's beauty. Also, it could almost mean someone has close to perfect features.
You can use the words in this appropriate context.
I just met this new girl today, she's very pretty. She has really nice eyes.
I saw this gorgeous kid in the store today. He had the perfect face.
Sensational and miraculous, two commonly used synonyms with very similar denotations, yet with distinctly different connotations. Both miraculous and sensational mean an astounding and incredible event or piece of information. However, miraculous relates to something outside of the realm of possibility. And sensational, although both words may cause a sensation, is on a lower tier than miraculous. As sensational relates to something that causes excitement in the interest of the public, such as 'a sensational new trend' rather than that of a 'miraculous new trend.' With that, we know something that can be found to be miraculous can in fact be sensational, but, something sensational is not always miraculous. For example, the discovery of aliens would be both miraculous and sensational. Be that as it may, something such as a discotheque opening up may be a sensation, but it is no miracle, rather a sad cry from an era lost long ago. Even with similar denotations, words can have markedly different connotations, just like miraculous and sensational.
Two synonyms that have similar denotations but different different connotations would be enjoy and love. Both words are synonyms of the word "like" but they are very different in the degree or level of the word. For instance you could say: I enjoy walking my sister to preschool in the morning. Or you could say: I love walking my sister to preschool in the morning. Both words are correct in the sentence but they change the degree of how much you like to walk your sister to school. There is a big difference between love and enjoy. It is up to the person writing the sentence to decide what word would be more appropriate when trying to get their point across.
2 words with similar denotations but different connotations would be genial and vivacious. They both generally mean the same thing, happy, amiable, friendly and pleasant. But with genial you would use it more in that context, like "As the hostess at the party, she was very genial with all of her guests". But vivacious means more of a crazed, energetic happiness, like "When she was with him, i noticed her personality as being more vivacious and bubbly than when she was just with us and our friends". Both generally mean the same, but vivacious is used in a different context as a stronger adjective.
Two synonyms that have denotations that are almost the same, but connotations that are different, are small and tiny. You wouldn't describe, say, the tip of a tack as small, but you would say tiny. Although both generally mean the same thing, there are still certain "rules" as to only use tiny, or only use small, to describe certain things. The miniature ants that you see sometimes are something else that you would describe as tiny rather than tiny. A fly, however, is more "small" then tiny. Both the these words have to do with something being little in size, but they are both appropriately used in different ways.
scared terrified
Two synonyms that I know to be extremely similar are scared and terrified. After watching multiple horror movies this past Halloween week, I see the difference between the two. When a girl is sitting in class, with a failing test grade laying on her hands, she may be scared for the reaction she may get from very, very strict parents. When the same girl is faced with an axe murderer in her house, covered in her parents' blood, she terrified of that murderer. Terrified and scared are very much alike, though terrified more applies in a life and death situation and scared has a softer tone.
Two synonyms are tumoltuous and angry; both words have similar deffinitions (Denotations) but they are used differently (connotations). These two words mean mad, but angry is used more as a broad term that can cover a wide array of levels of anger. You could be angry that you have to walk the dog, or you could be angry because a gas leak in your house caused it to explode and take your life's work with it. Those levels of anger are quite different, but yet angry works in both sentances. The latter of the two uses of angry was much more extreme. Tumoltuous is an extreme anger, so it would work in that sentence, but you wouldn't be extremely angry because you had to walk the dog, so angry would work better there. These words help put feelings (levels of anger) into words.
Two synonyms that have similar denotations but different connotations are tired and exhausted. Both of these words are presumed to be the same, but are very different. In the word tired, it is relaxed, therefore it should be used in a relaxed sentence such as, "I was tired after school." It is general. If you were to say, "I was exhausted after taking the test and then running one mile," you were actually exhausted and not just making a general statement.
Like and love are two synonyms that have similar denotations but different connotations. When you like something or someone, it is not a strong feeling. In addition, it may be something/someone you do not need, but may like in your life. Love, on the other hand, is about someone or something you need in your life. Love is not a word you use to describe everything. It is very limited. Like, on the other-hand, is used to describe many different things.
For example, you can like a kind of clothing or like a food. You can also like a certain class or time of the year. Love, is about someone you wouldn't know what to do without. Sometimes, you love someone you don't realize you need. For example, a parent is someone you love. You may not realize it but they are always there for you. They are the people that get you through the day with your head held high.
Like and love both mean something good in your life. They are things you don't want to let go of. The different is, when you let go of something/ someone you like, you will get over it. If you love someone, it's not easy to loose or let go of them. Love is a very strong feeling that can't be described. Using the right word to describe something is very important and everyone should know how know the difference between these words and many other words.
Post a Comment