Look up the following words in a dictionary

Look up the following words in a dictionary: • House • Home

Dictionary Definition: • House • Home The place where one lives; A dwelling place DENOTATION- the dictionary definition of a word

BUT… sometimes words have additional feelings, emotions, or ideas associated with them love comfort home family safety

connotation: • The feelings, ideas, or emotions associated with a word beyond its dictionary definition HOUSE – a structure or building HOME – brings up feelings, memories, emotions of family

connotation: Words with the same DENOTATION can have very different CONNOTATIONS: thin, slender, skinny • Positive connotation: slender • Negative connotation: skinny • Neutral (in between) connotation: thin

The words trip and vacation have the same DENOTATION (dictionary definition). Which word has a more positive CONNOTATION?

fun friends vacation Family relaxation

Number your opposite DTAP page from 1 -5. Which word has a more POSITIVE CONNOTATION? 1. child 2. immature 3. shot 4. clever 5. car kid youthful injection sly automobile

SO WHAT? Why is it important to recognize the CONNOTATION of words? • As a READER – it helps you to understand what is going on and to understand “shades of meaning” • As a READER – it helps you to understand the author’s “thinking” • As a WRITER – it helps you to understand the importance of word choice to get your point across. • As a WRITER – it helps you understand that not all synonyms necessarily fit what you want to say- be careful of word choice

What is the writer thinking? • The girl ran courageously into the flaming barn to save her colt. • The girl ran recklessly into the flaming barn to save her colt.

What is the writer thinking? • Joe walked at a sluggish pace. • Joe walked at a leisurely pace.

DENOTATION – the dictionary definition of a word CONNOTATION - the feelings, ideas, or emotions associated with a word beyond its dictionary definition