Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

A-Z 289Referencesword formationdenotation [Lat. denotare ‘to mark, toindicate, to mean’]1 Denotation vs connotation: denotation refers to the constant, abstract, and basicmeaning of a linguistic expression independent of context and situation, as opposed to theconnotative, i.e. subjectively variable, emotive components of meaning. Thus, thedenotation of night can be described as the ‘period of time from sunset to the followingsunrise,’ while the connotation may include such components as ‘scary,’ ‘lonely,’ or‘romantic.’2 Denotation as reference (also designation): when a lexeme ‘denotes’ a particularobject or state of affairs, it does so in the sense of an extensional reference (extension). Intensional meaning ( intension), which refers to characteristics, traits, orfeatures, is distinguished from extensional meaning.3 Denotation vs designation: following the second definition above, denotation refersto individual elements (e.g. bluegill, pike, trout), whereas by designation, oneunderstands the reference to classes of elements (e.g. freshwater fish). In unique objects(e.g. sun, God) the distinction is more or less moot, since the identity of element and setis one and the same.meaning, semanticsReferencesdenotatum1 Generally, any object in reality that is denoted by a sign.2 Denotatum vs designatum: the denotatum of a linguistic expression (e.g. poets)denotes the single elements of the class, e.g. Shakespeare, Goethe, etc., whereas‘designatum’ refers to the class as such ( extension).