M5.2 Lesson 2 | HI-LING working page

Lesson 2: Denotation, Connotation,

and Prototypes

Definition:

Denotation: Denotation is the literal or primary meaning of a word, without emotional or cultural associations. It is the basic, dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation: Connotation is the additional or secondary meaning of a word, often shaped by cultural, emotional or personal associations. It goes beyond the literal definition and includes the feelings, ideas or impressions that a word can evoke - this can be positive or negative.

Key Concepts

Idioms
Proverbs
Metaphors
Prototypes

Exercise 1

Using the definitions above, which denotation and which connotation can be derived from the following words?

Blue

(Solution:

Denotation: a color

Connotation of "blue": In many cultures, the color blue is associated with calmness, tranquility, and sadness. For instance, the phrase "feeling blue" is often used to express feeling sad or melancholic. „Being blue“ can mean to be drunk.)

Snake

(Solution:

Denotation: A long, legless reptile.

Connotation: In some cultures, a snake can represent transformation, rebirth or healing due to its shedding of skin and renewal. However, in many Western cultures the connotation of a snake is often negative or associated with deception, danger or betrayal, possibly due to certain cultural myths or stories such as the famous Bible passage of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden where the serpent tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree.)

Activity 1:

Denotations and Connotations

UNIT 2: Idioms, Proverbs, Metaphors

Idioms:

Idioms are phrases or word combinations with meanings beyond the literal definitions of the individual words used. They hold cultural significance and are often specific to a particular language or region - a shared convention. This can pose a challenge for second language learners, as idiomatic expressions are typically acquired through local and informal language usage rather than being explicitly taught.

Even native speakers might not always know the origins of idioms. For example, "It's raining cats and dogs" is an idiom that does not mean actual cats and dogs are falling from the sky but rather refers to very heavy rainfall. Or the expression "three sheets to the wind," meaning someone who is seriously drunk, originates from sailing and nautical terminology. It refers to a ship that is out of control and lurching, which metaphorically describes a person in a state of heavy intoxication.

Proverbs:

A proverb is a complete sentence expressing a wisdom of life or an instruction for action. They are often short, pithy and rhymed. For example, "A stitch in time saves nine" advises that taking care of a problem early prevents it from becoming more serious or difficult to handle.

Metaphors:

A Metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another. It is used to create a vivid image or make a comparison between unrelated objects or ideas to help explain a concept. Metaphors are not meant to be taken literally but to provide a deeper understanding by describing one thing in terms of another. For instance, "Time is a thief" is a metaphor, where time is compared to a thief to emphasize how it can seem to steal moments or opportunities. Metaphors paint a vivid picture or mental images, help to explain or illustrate complex concepts or emotions, convey emotions, feelings, or experiences in a more expressive or artistic manner and finally add depth and richness to our language (written or spoken) by making it more engaging and interesting.

Exercise 2

Putting together proverbs, sayings and metaphors and their meaning. Connecting numbers

1. Where there's smoke - there's fire. (proverb)

Meaning: This proverb suggests that if there are signs or indications of a problem or trouble, there is likely a real issue underlying them.

2. Actions speak - louder than words. (proverb)

Meaning: This proverb implies that what a person does carries more weight or importance than what they say.

3. Break - the ice (idiom)

This idiom is used to describe the action of starting a conversation or initiating a social interaction in a situation where people may feel awkward or tense especially in first meetings.

4. Break - a leg (idiom)

Meaning: This idiom is a way of wishing someone good luck, especially in the context of a performance or show. It's considered a superstition not to say "good luck" directly in such situations.

5. Her voice is - music to his ears. (metaphor)

This metaphor doesn't mean her voice is literally music but suggests that he finds her voice very pleasant, just as one enjoys listening to music.

6. The classroom was a - zoo. (metaphor)

This metaphor doesn't mean there were actual animals in the classroom, but it implies that the classroom was chaotic or disorderly, like a zoo.

Activity 2:

Proverbs, Sayings, Metaphors

UNIT 3: Prototypes

Prototypes:

Prototypes are particularly central representatives of a category. For example, if you hear the shout "There's a bird!", what do you think of?

When we hear the word bird, we automatically have a mental image in front of our eyes. This mental image is the prototype. What exactly the prototype is, varies depending on the culture and personal experiences. In European society, the prototypical bird is a blackbird or a sparrow. In America, on the other hand, it is the robin. And in other countries other types of birds.

So if you make the statement "There's a bird!" in America, they will most likely think of a robin and not a blackbird or a sparrow like we Europeans do.

A penguin, on the other hand, would not be a good prototype for a bird. A penguin shares some characteristics with other birds (like wings and a beak) but many characteristics do not match the characteristics of other birds. A penguin cannot fly and has no feathers.

Imagine a circle. In the centre there are one or more elements with many typical characteristics of the category. The further you move away from the centre, the fewer typical characteristics the elements have. Elements outside the outermost circle no longer have typical characteristics and do not belong to the category.

PICTURE OF CIRCLES

ially in first meetings.

4. Break - a leg (idiom)

Meaning: This idiom is a way of wishing someone good luck, especially in the context of a performance or show. It's considered a superstition not to say "good luck" directly in such situations.

5. Her voice is - music to his ears. (metaphor)

This metaphor doesn't mean her voice is literally music but suggests that he finds her voice very pleasant, just as one enjoys listening to music.

6. The classroom was a - zoo. (metaphor)

This metaphor doesn't mean there were actual animals in the classroom, but it implies that the classroom was chaotic or disorderly, like a zoo.

Exercise 3

Here you see pictures of several recipients. How would you label these items?

Now imagine that the containers are filled with mashed potatoes. What would you call the containers now?

UNIT 4: Labov's cup experiment

This experiment is a study by the famous linguist William Labov from 1973, with which he wanted to show the fuzziness of prototypes. Labov and his co-workers showed subjects (in a randomised order) drawings of recipients that could be considered "cups" or could bear a greater or lesser resemblance to a "cup".

If there was no context, the vessels were mostly called "cup" because they roughly correspond to our idea of a cup.

So, what makes a cup? Shape, size, and a handle are the most obvious factors. But what about content? When the context in the experiment was changed and the respondents were asked to imagine food in the containers, "mug" or "bowl" were also increasingly mentioned.

This suggests that it is not only the properties of an object that influence the choice of name, but also the context in which we find the object. Thus, prototypical representatives of a category can change depending on the context in which they are found. This is called boundary blurring.

LABOV CUP PIC?

Final thought for this lesson

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