Hi! I think, denotation is a present action, like a representamen is denoting an object, or like somebody is denoting something. Connotation is not an actual action, but a trait a term has due to its history, or due to the understanding of the person who hears or reads the term-denoting word- then the connotation is part of the persons history, as you wrote: "associations we might have with a term". So, denotation and connotation are two completely different things: An act and a trait. Denotation is the act of calling a term by indicating its core meaning, bringing it into consciousness. Connotation is everything the term brings into consciousness, apart from its central meaning or core meaning that is denoted. As I wrote, "connotation" does not say, whether the marginal or additional meanings (the connotations) are carried along with the term due to the terms history, or are suppositions, prejudices, the recipient has. So, connotations are dangerous reasons for misunderstandings and quarrels. Very dangerous words with many connotations are for example: "culture", "consciousness",... Think of others! There is this game "happy family" or "set of four cards"- And in the window of a shop I have seen such games like "monsters", "diseases", and "dictators". I think it would be a good idea to create a happy-family-game with connotated terms! But can any term beat the extremely malicious term "culture", which as I estimate consists of approx. 99 percent connotations??
Best,
Helmut
Gesendet: Samstag, 21. Februar 2015 um 16:15 Uhr
Von: "Tom Gollier" <[email protected]>
An: "Peirce List" <[email protected]>
Betreff: [PEIRCE-L] Denotation and Connotation
Von: "Tom Gollier" <[email protected]>
An: "Peirce List" <[email protected]>
Betreff: [PEIRCE-L] Denotation and Connotation
Coming to these things via Peirce, I always thought "denotation" corresponded to extension or what Pierce called "logical breadth." However, perusing the internet the other day, it seems "denotation" has come to mean the dictionary definition, while connotation refer to associations we might make with a term. This distinction, such as it is, fits completely within the intension or logical depth of the term.
Is this another one of the those re-definitions worked by modernism so as to bring everything within its framework? I'm thinking of what happened to realism and nominalism. And if so, does anyone have any historical details as to how this came about?----------------------------- PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to [email protected] . To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L but to [email protected] with the line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the BODY of the message. More at http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm .
