Activity: Connotation

All the words in the activity are synonyms for thin. That is, they share the same essential features as the word thin.

Yet, few people choose bony or skinny as words they would like to describe themselves, but many choose slim or lean as words they would like to have used.

This activity shows again that there are no two words with exactly the same meaning, and it also shows that the difference is not always a feature of the object or referent itself, but is rather a perspective carried by the user of the language.

The main difference between slim and bony or between skinny and lean is a perception of attractiveness or unattractiveness. Behind the denotation of thin is a connotation that influences the use of the word. Connotation refers to the perceptions of an individual that are attached to a word and are separate from the more objective denotations that are attached. That is, it is likely that native speakers of a language will agree on the denotation of a word (i.e., that all these words are synonyms for thin), but it is less likely that all native speakers will agree on the connotations (i.e., that skinny is an attractive description or an unattractive description).