Connotation And Dennotation
Connotation is the meaning we automatically associate with a word or phrase. 'Good for you' has a positive meaning, but it can be used sarcastically, in which case this meaning is subverted. Sarcasm has the power to flip the meaning of any word or expression, regardless of its connotation. For example, a stubborn person may be described as being either strong-willed or pig-headed; Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."¨ For example, if you look up the word snake in a dictionary, you will discover that one of its denotative meanings is "A of numerous scaly, legless, sometimes venomous reptile.
English Language Arts
