The denotation is linked to the explicit meaning of the words.
From the Latin denotatio , denotation is the action and effect of denoting (a verb that, said of a word or phrase, refers to its objective meaning). The concept works as the opposite of connotation .
Denotation is linked to the meaning of the referential mechanism with the information transmitted by a linguistic unit. This is an explicit meaning , unlike connotation, whose meaning is suggested since the semantic value is not given by a lexical signifier.
Denotation and connotation in trademarks
Trademarks are an example of how denotation and connotation work. A bar named The Old Bridge Pub has a denotative meaning (the name that specifically identifies it as The Old Bridge Pub) and a connotative meaning (the English phrase suggests that it is a British-style pub). Most brands , in general, go beyond denotation and connote various meanings (the restaurant El bar del padre does not connote the same as the Palais d'or ).
Denotation, in short, refers to the direct meaning of a term, that which is found in a dictionary and that mentions the relationship between the linguistic sign and its referent.
The denotation of "dog" refers to a domestic mammal of the canid family, although the connotation may refer to a low-level soccer player.
Different examples
The denotative meaning of dog indicates that it is a domestic mammal of the canid family, while, based on the connotation of the term, it can be pointed out that a soccer player is a dog when he is not of a good level. A rose , to cite another example, also has a denotation (it is an organic plant being) and several possible connotations (love, melancholy, etc.).
It should be noted that denotation and connotation complement each other , they are necessary to give richness to a language since our communication is based on the transmission of what we perceive from our environment and the images we create in our minds; In other words, we use language to share content with others that is often not objective, even when we believe it is.
Denotation and objectivity
Although objectivity and denotation go hand in hand, this association can be looked at from two different angles: by referring to a car using that same term we ensure that our interlocutor understands exactly what we are talking about, without the need to make any abstraction or relationship with elements outside the conversation; You could safely say that we are being denotative.
However, what happens if a month before having this dialogue the interlocutor has lost a loved one in a car accident? This fact, although not present in the conversation, cannot go unnoticed by the other person: inevitably, it will add a negative connotation to the until then innocent noun, and their understanding of the message may be affected. How to be denotative in a world that perceives reality in infinite ways?
No one can ensure the integrity of a message once it leaves our mouths or once we put it on paper or in the pixels of a monitor. Through denotation we reduce the chances of misunderstandings, but it is impossible to eliminate them completely.
The importance of context
On the other hand, denotation is always subject to context , and this shows certain subjective nuances within its structure. In the thousands of years that our species has been on this planet, its conception of itself, other living beings and the objects that surround it has changed substantially; Likewise, he has learned to create and manufacture countless elements that are impossible to find in nature.
The term horse , pronounced at a time in which that poor species was used as the only possible means of transportation, necessarily denoted this use; Today, although they are still exploited, their objective meaning is different. Similarly, the definitions of human products , such as clothing and household appliances, vary: saying computer today and three decades ago denoted devices that have very little in common.