Social Research Glossary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Home
Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2012-24, Social Research Glossary, Quality Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/socialresearch/
This is a dynamic glossary and the author would welcome any e-mail suggestions for additions or amendments.
|
|
_________________________________________________________________
Connotation
Connotation as a noun means that which is implied. As a verb, to connote means to imply or to betoken.
Connotation in philosophy is usually equated with an abstract (dictionary) definition as opposed to the particulars that are denoted by the word. In this sense of the term, ‘rose’ denotes all the existing roses while the connotation (in the dictionary sense) would be the abstract definition a flowering shrub with thorns.
Connotation in literature relates to implied properties of a denoted object. Connotation is thus sometimes referred to as a second-order construct. This means that whereas a symbol might denote an object (as the symbol rose denotes a flower on a thorny stem) the same symbol may connote something further (the connotation of rose may be love).
This idea of connotation as a second-order construct is central to semiology and can be found in structuralism in general.
Chandler (2011) writes
The term 'connotation' is used to refer to the socio-cultural and 'personal' associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the sign. These are typically related to the interpreter's class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on. Signs are more 'polysemic' - more open to interpretation - in their connotations than their denotations. Denotation is sometimes regarded as a digital code and connotation as an analogue code (Wilden 1987, 224).
As Roland Barthes noted, Saussure's model of the sign focused on denotation at the expense of connotation and it was left to subsequent theorists (notably Barthes himself) to offer an account of this important dimension of meaning (Barthes 1967, 89ff). In 'The Photographic Message' (1961) and 'The Rhetoric of the Image' (1964), Barthes argued that in photography connotation can be (analytically) distinguished from denotation (Barthes 1977, 15-31, 32-51).
See also
Barthes, R., 1977, Image-Music-Text. London: Fontana.
Chandler, D., 2011, Semiotics for Beginners: Syntagmatic analysis, last updated 10 November 2011, available at http://users.aber.ac.uk/dgc/Documents/S4B/sem06.html
Top