E319 Connotative Shifts

We have discussed how the connotation of a word, positively or negatively charged, can drastically affect one’s message.

Connotation may affect every aspect of rhetoric, from the appeals to the audience.

Your goal is to find a word that carries multiple connotations (positive and negative – most words have both).

Go to your local library and consult the Oxford English Dictionary in order to document these connotative shifts.

v the original and current denotation of the word (make note of any drastically different denotations in-between; otherwise, these will suffice)

Get a poster board and visually depict these criteria in some creative way. You have creative control over this aspect of the assignment.

If you cannot draw, then don’t. Use the computer, magazines, three-dimensional objects, etc.

You will turn in your poster and your annotated copy of your word entry from the OED.

After you have created your poster board, as a prompt, you will write a 2-3 page STP account that will meet one of two criteria (choose one tell me which one on the paper):

Ø juxtapose all of the denotations to the connotations in order to create a comprehensive understanding of the word (do denotations shift with connotations? why?)

Ø rhetorically analyze the set of denotations as it relates to the set of connotations (use the time shifts and text entries to determine author and audience)

A. Well, maybe there is one that you’ve always wondered about. You could pull one from TTC, The Scarlet Letter,

"Soldier's Home, "Letter from Paradise," "Why Soldier's Won't Talk," Everyday Use, or a previous text you have read.

Please do not use any of my examples, and please do not use another student’s example (it belongs to them, and they may use it if they wish).

A. If multiple denotations and connotations are drastically different, you should chronicle them; however, if they are extremely similar,

I suppose it’s OK to omit a few… let’s shoot for around 7-10 TOTAL (not per denotation).