A powerpoint presentation based on Chapter 3 of "Critical Reading", an internal publication of Unindra

1. CRITICAL READING
“Interpreting Connotations of Words”

2. Muhammad Iqbal
201112501099

3. Eka Budi Asih
201112579049

4. Denotations and
Connotations

5. What is Denotation?
• Denotation is an explicit or literal defitinion that
can be found in any dictionary.
• What a word denotes is its objective meaning.

6. Example of
Denotation
What this picture denotes is
a flower with a sweet smell
that grows on a bush with
thorns on it stems.
We call it a Rose.

7. What is Connotation?
• Connotation is subjective cultural or emotional
association that some word or phrase carries.
• What a word connotes is the ideas and
associations it suggests.

8. Example of
Connotation
The word ‘baby’ literally
means a very young child.
In this picture Spongebob
uses ‘baby’ connotatively to
show his endearment and
affection.

9. Types of Connotations
• Positive Connotation is words that make people
feel good.
• Negative Connotation is words that provoke a
negative emotional response.
• Neutral Connotation means not good or bad;
indifferent; used when the author doesn’t want to
show strong emotions either way.

10. Examples of Types of Connotations
Positive Neutral Negative
That’s a
glamorous
necklace.
That’s a nice
necklace.
That’s a
gaudy
necklace.
Alex is a little
one.
Alex is a child. Alex is a brat.

11. The Function of Connotations
• To make a persuasive and convincing writing.
• To make the author’s ideas acceptable and
believeable.
• To influence the readers’ thinking.

12. Which one is the best aprroach if you want to
change your friend’s opinion?
How do you feel about this
one? And how about this?

13. Which one is the best book review that makes
the reader want to buy it?
What do you think about this
one? And what about this?
• The White Hotel by D.M Thomas
is a highly imaginative novel;
reading it, I entered into a dream
world, filled with the most
extraordinary and unique
fantasies.
• The White Hotel by D.M Thomas
is a highly unrealistic novel;
reading it, I entered into a dream
world, filled with the most
extraordinary and eccentric
fantasies.

14. The use of connotative words is not
always supertitious or bad.
Poets, novelists, and dramatists also
make positive use of connotations.
Their intention is not only deceive the
reader but to make them ‘see’, ‘hear’,
and ‘feel’ through words.

15. Tone and Mood
Two very important aspects of writing that are
normally implied rather than stated.

16. What is Tone?
• Tone is like a tone of voice
• It reflects the author’s attitude toward his or her
subject and sometimes towards his or her
readers.
• Tone can provide a clue to an author’s
purpose.

17. Kinds of Tone
• Objective or subjective tone
• Optimistic or pessimistic tone
• Humorous tone
• Ironic tone
• etc

18. The following paragraphs illustrate different
tones.
• Anas Urbaningrum is everything
a statesperson should be. An
eloquent speaker, he has ability to
choose the right words at the
right moment. Filled with
determination as he is. He will
undoubtedly be elected
president.
• Anas Urbaningrum is a true
politician. A smooth talker, he
knows just what to say and
when to say it. Devour with
ambition as he is. He will
undoubtedly be elected
president.

19. What is Mood?
• Mood is the feeling that a text produces in the
reader.
• Mood produced by a text can be happy, admiring,
enthusiastic, dissaproving, angry, etc.
• Mood can tell you something about the
circumstances surrounding the topic.

20. Can you identify the mood of these paragraphs?
Members of the union leadership met yesterday with management
to debate what they called the “union-busting tactics” of their
employers.
When a representative of management spoke, she was greeted
with a prolonged silence that ended in catcalls and whistles. On
the part of of the workers. Clearly, the audience was not please with
her proposals.
When the meeting ended, union and management left in stony
silence.

21. Summary
• Denotation is an explicit or literal defitinion.
• Connotation is subjective cultural or emotional association.
• Paying attention to connotations of words is particularly
important in helping you understand what is not explicitly
stated in the text, especially tone and mood that is implied
on the text.

22. Thank you for your
attention.
Group B Critical Reading

23. Let’s have a look at this video!...

24. “Interpreting Connotations of Words”
(this presentation is an excerpt of
Chapter 3 of “Critical Reading”, an
internal publication of Unindra)