Tactical or Strategic Purposes:
An author might be inclined to use connotations to create emotional associations with a particular word. These connotations could be either positive or negative and could allow the author to become more expressive and abstract in the eyes of the reader. Connotations may evoke certain emotions in the reader, which could allow for the author’s writing to become exceedingly persuasive or emotional. The usage of connotations can also make the author’s points more concise in nonfiction pieces.
On the other hand, an author might use denotations to create a literal contrast with the connotation of a specific word. Authors may use denotations in order to become more straightforward with the reader. This could allow the reader to clearly understand the author’s word choice. Denotations are used when the author wouldn’t want the reader to associate any figurative language with the word.
Steps for Analysis:
Since most connotative and denotative words cannot be understood unless the audience understands the author or character’s point of view, the reader must dive deeper into the analysis in order to understand the connotation or denotation.
Understand the context that comes before and after the particular word or sentence
Identify the author’s goal in the writing
Think of how the particular word creates certain emotions or hidden meanings
a. Think of the possible incentives the author might use
Think of how the author would want the reader to feel after reading the particular word
Consider how it relates to the rest of the writing
Nonfiction Prose of Connotation and Denotation
“To date, the United States has sanctioned 140 Russian oligarchs and their family members, seizing their ill-begotten gains: their yachts, their luxury apartments, their mansions” (President Biden).
“Let me be clear: Freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize, and debate openly. It means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments” (Hillary Clinton)
Biden, Joe. "Remarks by President Biden on the United Efforts of the Free World to Support the People of Ukraine." The Royal Castle
in Warsaw, 26 Mar. 2022, Warsaw, Poland. Speech.
Clinton, Hillary Rodham. "Women's Rights." United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Sept. 1995, Beijing, China.Speech.
When President Biden gave his remarks and opinions on the United Efforts of the Free World to support the Ukrainian people, Biden used connotations to emphasize the tyrannical actions of the Russians directed toward Ukraine. For example, the usage of the word “oligarch”, presents a negative connotation because the word is mostly used to describe a controlling dictatorship. “To date, the United States has sanctioned 140 Russian oligarchs and their family members, seizing their ill-begotten gains” (Biden). Instead of using other synonyms such as government members or officers, Biden used the negative connotation of “oligarch” to paint a hostile appearance of the Russian government.
Furthermore, Biden also includes a depiction of the corrupt system by detailing the Russian government’s enormous wealth. While their people and soldiers were fighting in the war, Biden details that the Americans had to seize the Russian officials while they were enjoying their mansions and yachts in private locations. Using negative adjectives and creating connotations, Biden influenced American citizens’ views on the Russian and Ukrainian wars. From the president’s remarks, the people watching his speech are more likely to gain a negative impression and opinion of the Russian government and are more likely to support the Ukrainian side.
During Hillary Clinton’s speech regarding women’s rights, she used her personal definition of a word to become more straightforward with the people in the audience. “Let me be clear: Freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize, and debate openly. It means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments” (Clinton). Clinton defines and reiterates her view of the word “freedom” in terms of women’s rights in contrast to the government’s view of freedom. Her usage of denotations can allow the audience to understand her perspective of freedom more clearly. The definition of freedom can vary from person to person, however, with denotations, the audience can understand Clinton’s associations with the word “freedom”.