Denotation

case for example, hair color works as a sign because different hair colors convey different hidden meanings that viewers may or may not even be deliberately aware of. Berger argues that when analyzing a sign it’s meaning has both a denotation and a connotation. The denotation is the literal meaning the sign carries. That is blonde means fair or light colored hair, while brunette denotes dark brown colored hair. These meanings are the signifiers. However, their connotations hint to the cultural…

The world of semantics is dominated by two types of naming theories: descriptivist and causal. Defenders of these two theories seem to discredit each other, thinking the world of semantics must choose one or the other. I, however, do not believe this has to be the case. In this essay I will argue that parts of descriptivist and causal theories of names can come together to create a better overall theory of names: a hybrid theory. I will do this by looking at the argument Gareth Evans makes in…

Victims” “The Victims” by Sharon Olds is written about a child that holds a heavy hate towards their father. Through the use of diction, Sharon Olds creates a tone of resentment in “The Victims”. The tone is set through both the connotation and denotation behind the specific words that she uses. Olds creatively practices these tools when she changes the construction of the language about half way through the poem. The beginning of the poem is written from the perspective of a child, allowing…

Based on the denotation, one would think unprofessional hairstyles differ, going on a case-by-case basis; in reality, “Googling “unprofessional hairstyles for work” yielded image results mainly of black women with natural hair” (Alexander). This indicates there's a common…

Ultimately, the Commonwealth's power to enact legislation for same-sex marriages depends on whether the constitutional meaning of 'marriage' in s 51 (xxi) includes same-sex unions. The connotation/denotation distinction is argued to accommodate adaptability and flexibility within the Constitution as it recognises the core meaning of a term as well as its application on evolving circumstances. However, there are also arguments against this model, asserting that it is contradicting and does not…

clear danger to people and animals alike.”, the author uses the words negligent and clear danger. Both of these words have very negative connotations and highlight the frustrated tone of the author. They highlight the tone because of both their denotations and connotations. The word negligent means failing to take proper care in doing something. Negligent does present very strong…

Introduction In recent years, there was a growing demand for more and more communication; many facilities were made in this field in order to enable people from different cultures to easily interact with each other, thanks to technological advancements. This present chapter provides a clear overview of the concepts of communicative and pragmatic competence with all its components. Also, it accounts for cross-cultural communication and its different aspects. 1. 1. Communicative…

Racial Profiling in New York Prisons In this short essay, I will talk about how rhetoric, connotation and denotation are used, as well as a few fallacies committed in, “The Stain of Racism in New York’s Prisons,” by the Editorial board at The New York Times. “The Stain of Racism in New York’s Prisons,” discusses the author’s opinion how Black and Latino men are discriminated against in the prisons of New York. They provide lots of evidence to support their opinion on the discrimination of Black…

The Questionable Science of Learning Ideas and concepts that many scientists and new age astronomers produce can make a person, tiresome of trying to understand if the listener is determined to learn on his own accord. This forestall can make a mind unaccountable of its learning abilities, making them “tired and sick” (5). In Walter Whitmans, “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” the speaker gives an insight to a character who is perplexed trying to learn from a scholarly lecture but soon is…

Stasis: Agreeing to Disagree The debate regarding the decline of the humanities is complex and multi-facetted with divergent opinions on both sides of the argument. Some individuals follow the notion that the humanities may be suffering a decline due to students veering toward other more societally approved and lucrative career paths. Moreover, some worry that this situation is propagated by an overall lack of funding and interest in the humanities, which may play an integral role in the…