Denotation and Connotation

Denotation and Connotation are two principal methods of describing the meanings of words in films etc. To look into this in more detail, in class we were asked to look up the difference between the two words and sometimes they seem to be very similar but are actually very different meanings which both word to help the audience to understand a film

Connotation:
Connotation are the meaning that comes along with a word so it is added to a specific object. The online Literary Dictionary states it as "the range of further associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition to its straightforward dictionary meaning (the primary sense known as its denotation); or one of these secondary meanings". What this means is basically depending on the situation that a word is used in, the meaning may change to what it initially meant.

Denotation:
Denotation is a logical word where the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests. It is what something literally is, linking exactly to the dictionary meaning of the word

Examples of these two words:
One of the most popular examples of a connotation which is used within many different thrillers if the kitchen knife where is can be used to everyday life such as cutting foods, which doesn't pose much of a threat. However, using a knife could also be conveyed as a dangerous murder weapon in a thriller used to kill someone as a weapon. This use of connotation will therefore help to build tension and suspense in a thriller, allowing the audience to wonder what the significance of the object will be.