Words You Should Now Know - junior skill builders- 123docz.net

advocate explicit

component futile

context implement

controversial italicize

decipher perceive

enigma predominant

Extra Word(s) You Learned in This Lesson _______________________________________

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THE PREVIOUS LESSONfocused on strategies for ﬁnding the meaning of words by looking closely at their context, or surroundings. In this lesson, you’ll learn to identify subtle differences in the meanings of words that may seem quite similar at ﬁrst.

At ﬁrst glance, many words seem to convey the same thought, but upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that this is not always the case. Words can meanvery different things. We describe a word’s meaning by using these two categories:

Denotation:the literal, dictionary deﬁnition of a word.

Connotation:the suggested, emotional, cultural, or implied meaning of a word.

L E S S O N 4

create meaning from connotations

No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.

—HENRYBROOKSADAMS(1838–1918) AMERICAN NOVELIST AND HISTORIAN

This lesson will help you become more aware of how one word can convey sev- eral meanings. Becoming sensitive to the implied meaning of new vocabulary words will help you build your word power.

Think about two simple words we all know and often use: home and house.

Dictionary deﬁnitions of these words are quite similar:

house(noun):a structure serving as an abode for human beings.

home(noun):one’s own dwelling place; the house or structure in which one lives; especially the house in which one lives with one’s family; the habitual abode of one’s family.

But, do the two words always mean the same thing? Look at the following sentences and consider the different uses of the word home.

Israel is the ancestral home of many of the world’s religions.

Pedro is an American citizen, but he considers Mexico his home.

The way home for the runaway is often long and lonely.

In each sentence, the word homemeans something different, something more subtle and complicated than the denotative meaning of a dwelling or a structure.

In the second sentence, Pedro’s emotional attachment to Mexico is great enough for him to think of it as home, a place of warmth, love, family, and happiness, even though he has an actual dwelling or abode somewhere in the United States.

In general, words have connotations that are positive or negative; some- times a connotation is neutral, but this is less likely. Most often, words derive their connotations from the context in which they appear, or the way people use them. It’s rare to use words only in their denotative, dictionary meaning, and because words can carry complicated meanings, it’s important for you to be sensitive to their possible connotations. The more connotations you know, the stronger your word power will be.

P R AC T I C E 1 : I D E N T I F Y I N G C O M M O N WO R D C O N N OTAT I O N S

Read the following sets of words, and then write each word in the appropriate column according to the connotation, or association, it has for you and your friends.

1. thin, plump, fat, slim

2. chatty, quiet, talkative, moody 3. snooty, friendly, vain, proud 4. shack, residence, apartment, condo

Positive Connotations Negative Connotations Neutral Connotations

How many words did you write in the neutralcolumn? Did you hesitate about certain words? Is it fair to conclude that most words you use have a connotative meaning at least slightly different from their denotative meanings?

SAY I N G E X AC T LY W H AT YO U M E A N

Whenever you speak or write, be aware of any connotations of the words you use. As you know, the words you choose convey your meaning; that’s what language does. But not only words have connotations; whole sentences do.

Spoken or written language that includes carefully chosen connotative words to convey emotions or subtle suggestions make sentences more interesting and help listeners or readers get a clearer understanding of what you’re really trying to say. The more precise your words, the more power they will have, and the better your overall communication will be.

P R AC T I C E 2 : C R E AT I N G M E A N I N G T H R O U G H C O N N OTAT I O N

For each sentence below, identify the change in meaning created by the substi- tution or addition of a new word or words to describe the underlined word or words in the sentence. If you don’t know a word, look it up in the dictionary.

The example has been done to give you a sample to follow.

Example

The candidate raised his arms above his head as the crowd applauded loudly.

The victorious candidate raised his arms heroically as the crowd applauded uproariously.

Denotation of the sentence:A candidate won and the crowd applauded.

Connotation of new sentence:An extremely popular candidate won and felt proud of his victory. This sentence is much richer in

connotation; it communicates meaning more effectively.

Now, describe the differences between sentences by telling denotative and new connotative meanings. You may want to include a description of the writer’s attitude toward the subject in each case.

1. After Hurricane Katrina, the city ran out of ﬁrst aid supplies.

In the tragic wake of Hurricane Katrina, the city’s ﬁrst aid supplies were found to be inadequate and drastically lacking.