Chapter 3 The Emotive Function of Language Denotation
- Slides: 7
Chapter 3: The Emotive Function of Language
Denotation, Connotation, and Cognitive Meaning (p. 18) • The denotation of a term consists of all the objects picked out by the term. • The connotation of a term consists of those properties (characteristics) a thing has in virtue of which it is contained in the denotation.
Denotation, Connotation, and Cognitive Meaning (p. 18) • Types of Connotations – The objective connotation consists of all the properties objects in the denotation have in common (whether or not anyone knows what they are). – The subjective connotation consists of all the properties you use to pick out the objects in the denotation. – The conventional connotation consists of all the properties a group of people use to pick out the objects in the denotation. The conventional connotation is what you usually find in a dictionary.
Denotation, Connotation, and Cognitive Meaning (p. 18) • Cognitive meaning alludes to the connotation of a term in any one of the three previous senses. The cognitive meaning tells you what the characteristics of a thing are.
Emotional Connotations of Words (pp. 18 -21) • Different words with the same or approximately the same cognitive meaning can affect you in different ways. – Does it make any emotional difference whether you describe someone as a killer, a soldier, or a military hero? • Euphemisms – Death is nasty. It is much better to “pass away. ” – Euphemisms disguise the negative emotional impact of unambiguous terms such as ‘death’.
Why noticing emotional connotations is important (pp. 20 -21) • Biases – Biases can blind a person regarding what is seen (Chapter 10) or what is important (Chapter 11). – The choice of words can show one’s biases regarding a person, a group, an organization, or an object. – Positive and negative biases should be taken into account in evaluating the accuracy and completeness of descriptions (Chapter 4) and the evidence presented to support a position.
Why noticing emotional connotations is important (pp. 20 -21) • Emotional terms and arguments – Arguments provide reasons to accept the truth of a claim (the conclusion). Only factual claims are relevant to accepting the truth of a claim. – Weasel Words: There are words such as ‘of course’ or ‘certainly’ that have positive emotional connotations and suggest that there is evidence even when none is presented.