DENNOTATION AND CONNOTATION

In literary works, usage of selected words or dictions are giving the difference respon from the readers. Selected words that use to express the idea from the writers sometime are   different with the real meaning. The purposes  are making the words look like more beautiful, and giving the readers feel different atmosphere when they are in reading literary works. Every writers express their feeling through the different ways. One of them is using connotation and denotation. connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries. Connotation is very important in poetry for it is one of the mean by which the poet can concentrate or enrich meaning-say more in fewer words.

Connotation is frequently described as either positive or negative, with regards to its pleasing or displeasing emotional connection. It can be positive when the words used for giving good statement. It also can be negative when the words used for giving bad statement. For Example : “Akbar is a Strong-willed”. a word “Strong-willed”  it can be positive when the word used for explain the people who has good determination. And “Pig-headed”  it can be negative when the word used for explain the people who never want to receive suggestion and advice from the others.

Within today's society, connotation branches into a mixture of different meanings. These could include the contrast of a word or phrase with its primary, literal meaning (known as a denotation), with what that word or phase specifically denotes. The connotation essentially relates to how anything may be associated with a word or phrase, for example, an implied value judgment or feelings.  For example : in bahasa we known that “buah tangan” if  we mean every single word, it will be “buah” its mean fruits. And “tangan” is mean hand or a part of body. It will be different when those word combined into one. It will produce new meaning is “Oleh-oleh”.

Connotation not only one which can be parameter of good poetry or other literary work. On other parameter is denotation.  Connotation and denotation are not two separate things/signs. They are two aspects/elements of a sign, and the connotative meanings of a word exist together with the denotative meanings. Connotation represents the various social overtones, cultural implications, or emotional meanings associated with a sign.Denotation is the real meaning of the word. Denotation represents the explicit or referential meaning of a sign. Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the ‘dictionary definition.’ For example, the name ‘Hollywood’ connotes such things as glitz, glamour, tinsel, celebrity, and dreams of stardom. In the same time, the name ‘Hollywood’ denotes an area of Los Angeles, worldwide known as the center of the American movie industry. An other  example of word chair. Let see this sentence “ Anas Urbaningrum dropped the chair just because a corruption case. Those sentence means that, Anas Urbaningrum dropped from their position in a party. The chair here means, a position (Leader, vice leader and so on) an element of style, refers to the words writers use to express ideas. If those word being in dennotation, the “chair” means the real form of chair, that is place for sitting.