Denotation and Connotation

Our aim of the lesson was to understand the concepts of denotation and connotation.

At the beginning of the lesson, we were asked to write words associating to a colour, for example, white could represent purity, freshness, innocence or the winter and similarly, green could resemble nature, envy, naturalistic meanings or the army. We had to complete this task portraying red, black, blue and pink as well. From the colour connotation chart I learnt how everyone has stereotypes for a particular colour and cultural upbringing and society influence us to associates words with colours.

I learnt through the lesson, the study if signs and symbols and how they are interpreted.

Human communication is defined as a sign; gestures, facial expressions, poetry, rituals, clothes, food, music, Morse code, marketing, commercials and film.

All media texts have two layers of meaning, for example:·      

       ·    Denotative level – What we actually see.

       ·    Connotative level – What you associate with this image.

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            For instance, a denotation would be a word, colour or image, for instance, red, and a connotation would be the concept or meaning or associations of it.

 

Anchorage

This means the fixing of a meaning to a text.

Media texts ‘re-present’ the world to us. The media ‘meditates’ how we view the world and in many ways can dictate if we respond to type or ‘stereotypes’ of things in a positive or negative way.

This lesson reflected positive meanings and helped demonstrate an understanding of signs and particular words. I will be inspired my meanings and will continue to remember these and come across them in everyday life, and consider the reflective lesson when meeting with one.