Words have denotation (factual definition) and connotation (emotional and cultural associations). Negative connotations have unpleasant undertones and can depend on individual perception. Writers must be careful with connotation to stir emotions effectively.
Word meanings have two parts. The denotation of a word is a factual definition that can be found in a dictionary. Connotation, on the other hand, is the definition plus any accompanying emotional and cultural associations. A negative connotation is the linguistic term for a connotation that has unpleasant or bad undertones.
A word with a negative connotation has emotional baggage. As the previous sentence shows, the connotation of a word can change based on its context or how it is used in a sentence. The words “emotional” and “baggage” don’t necessarily have negative connotations by themselves, but together they have a negative connotation. For example, if someone is said to have emotional baggage, people may think they are unstable or that they should seek advice.
Socially, people agree that many words have positive or negative connotations. Without this language agreement people could not communicate very well. For example, most people will agree that the word “thrifty” has a positive association with the idea of a practical person who doesn’t spend money needlessly. The word “cheap”, on the other hand, has a negative connotation and is often seen as an insult. As thrifty, however, economic also describes someone who does not spend money generously, but is usually associated with a stingy and stingy person.
The negative connotation may also depend on individual perception. The word “snake” has negative connotations for many people as fear of snakes is common. The mere mention of the word snake makes some people cringe; yet it is a delightful word for a herpetologist, a zoologist who specializes in the study of snakes. The individual perception of a word can become even more defined depending on the person’s experience and psychological make-up. If a person loses their life savings to a financial advisor’s shady investments, the term “financial advisor” may have a negative connotation for that person.
Writers, who often work their magic by associating words and images, have to be very careful about connotation and its impact. Literature and poetry are written to stir emotions. The writer’s focus on words and their context within a poem or novel helps him to express both ideas and emotions. For example, a poet might write “squirrels fight in the trees.” The negative connotation of the word “bickering” helps create an image of how loud and boisterous squirrels can be.
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