Sign Meaning: Denotative vs Connotative
By: Blanche Clemente,Lavaniyah Kanthavanam,Nashid Ahmed,Tre Folkes
“ The Hollywood sign would be an example of a denotative sign”
Each sign can have multiple meanings. These meanings can be denotative, or connotative. The denotative meaning of a sign is its most direct, literal meaning. It is a sign that does not rely on personal or cultural context to be understood for what it is, that any culture can agree on. For example, the denotative meaning of Hollywood is simply the neighbourhood in California that was established in 1886. However, the connotative meaning of a sign refers to the cultural and/or personal associations that an individual can associate with the sign. A connotative sign meaning is what’s implied to the viewer through the personal perspective of the user as well as the cultural context that it is displayed in. In the same Hollywood example, the connotations associated with it are lavishness, luxury, glamour and celebrities.
“This images represents the connotative sign of what Hollywood represents.”
The implications this can have can especially be seen in a student’s academic work. Since connotative language is a literary device in English class, being able to discern how to use it effectively is important. This is also important when managing a profile, be it for yourself or for a brand that you represent. Cultural implications are especially important to understand when dealing with unfamiliar audiences — for example, the hand gesture we in the west use to signal that something is “OK” can be considered offensive in some cultures. More recently, in 2019 the gesture was listed as a symbol of hate by the Anti-Defamation League due to its ties to the alt-right political movement. Generally, it is important to understand the meanings that others can derive from signs that you use, even if they may seem okay with your intentions.
“This image represents the connotative sign of what Hollywood represents.”
Sources used in the text:
NPR Cookie Consent and Choices. Npr.org. (2021). Retrieved 23 April 2021, from https://www.npr.org/2019/09/26/764728163/the-ok-hand-gesture-is-now-listed-as-a-symbol-of-hate.
