Complete Denotation and Connotation Sentences with Examples

In everyday life, we often encounter changes in the meaning of a word, depending on the use of the word. These sentences use the same words, but have different meanings. Sometimes we are a little confused by the use of words that have different meanings, from the actual meaning of the word. Departing from this, we recognize the existence of denotative and connotative meanings in a word.

Actually, what is the real meaning of denotation and connotation? How is the use of words with denotative and connotative meanings in sentences? To answer this question, the following is a review of complete denotation and connotation sentences along with examples.

Denotation Sentence

Before discussing denotative sentences, we need to understand what denotation means. The denotative meaning is the real meaning where there is no other meaning or hidden meaning contained in it. When it comes to a word, the word denotation is a word that has meaning or conveys a message as written in dictionaries and other literature.

A denotative sentence is a sentence that contains message with real or denotative meaning. In this case a sentence does not hide a special meaning or other meaning in it. So that what is written in the sentence is what actually wants to be conveyed in the sentence.

To distinguish a sentence is a denotative sentence or not, we can see it from the context contained in the sentence, namely the existence of a double meaning in the sentence or is sentence it has a double meaning or not. If a sentence does not have a double meaning or contains ambiguity, then the sentence is a denotative sentence.

Example (1): sistereatrice with fried chicken.

The sentence above is an example of a denotative sentence because the sentence does not find any other meaning contained in it. The verb 'eat' in the sentence has the real meaning, which is to put the staple food into the mouth and chew and then swallow it as stated in the Big Dictionary Language Indonesia (KBBI). As for the context of the sentence that is put in the mouth, chewed, and swallowed is rice and fried chicken. So that the sentence clearly conveys the message that is Sister eats rice and fried chicken.

Example (2) : He tried to get up from the adversity that befell him.

The sentence has the word 'rise', but not 'rise' which has the meaning of getting up and standing up as stated in the Big Indonesian Dictionary. When looking at the context of the sentence 'wake up from adversity' this means a person's efforts to get through difficult times and try to get back on track with life. Although it is a bit similar to the meaning of 'rise' in the context of the sentence, the phrase 'rise from adversity' does not have the real meaning of rising. So the sentence above is not a denotative sentence.

Example Sentences of Denotation

• Sleep: (in KBBI) – in a state of stopping (relaxing) the body and consciousness (usually by closing the eyes). Example:
  1. Dad slept in his study last night.
  2. Normal people use the time during the day to work and the night to sleep, but that doesn't seem to apply to Anna who is a DJ by profession (disc jockey).
  3. Bertania accidentally sleeps in class after staying up all night doing her schoolwork.
• Eating: (in KBBI) – putting staple food into the mouth and chewing and swallowing it; other meanings – use, need, or spend (time, cost, etc.). Example:
  1. My sister ate uduk rice complete with cakes, omelette and orek tempeh.
  2. One meal, he can finish three plates of rice.
  3. This inner-city highway construction project takes a long time.
• Running: (in KBBI) – walking at high speed; other meanings – lost or silent; other meanings – go (out) not in a good way (illegitimate), run away. Example:
  1. Usain Bolt still holds the record for the 100 meter sprint with the fastest time to date.
  2. He ran as hard as he could to avoid being chased by a dog that appeared out of nowhere.
  3. His enthusiasm is now gone.

• Table: (in KBBI) – home utensil (furniture) that has a flat area as a table top and legs as a support (various shapes and uses). Example:
  1. Andi bought a new table for the dining room of his new home.
  2. The fragile desks that were previously used in the classroom have now been replaced by new, much sturdier tables from previous.
  3. The standing tables were slightly blocking the way of the carnival participants.

• Brush: (in KBBI) – cleanser made from bristles (fibre, fibers, etc.) with a base and hold (various shapes). Example:
  1. The brand X toothbrush is claimed by the manufacturer as the toothbrush recommended by four out of five dentists in the world.
  2. The rendang stains on my clothes are hard to remove even though I have soaked it overnight and I brushed it many times.
  3. I left my toothbrush at Anita's house when I stayed last night.

• Bathing: (in KBBI) – cleaning the body with water and soap (by sprinkling, immersing oneself in water and so on). Example:
  1. In one study, it was mentioned that in fact a person is only recommended to take a bath once a day.
  2. In the past there were no worries when children bathed in the river, but now waste industry has polluted the river into a source of clean water.
  3. Anja chose to take a bath with warm water to relax her muscles after a hard day's work.

• Fruit: (in KBBI) – the part of a plant that comes from a flower or pistil (usually with seeds). Example:
  1. December is the durian season, but if it is in season like now, the price of durian is only ten thousand to fifteen thousand rupiah per fruit.
  2. This year the Nusantara Fruit and Flower Festival changed its name to Fruit Indonesia.
  3. Dragon fruit is very suitable to be cultivated in the Yogyakarta area.

• Children: (in KBBI) – second generation; another meaning – a small human being; small animals; another meaning – a person who comes from or was born in (a country, region and so on). Example:
  1. The husband and wife were finally blessed with twins.
  2. In the era of the 90s to 2000s we still often see children playing outside the house or the field together with their peers, it is really different from children era now that seems to only focus on their sophisticated gadgets and toys.
  3. Si Doel is a soap opera that was trending in the 90s which tells about Doel, a Betawi child who earned an engineer degree.

• Teach: (in KBBI) – instructions given to people to be known (to be followed). Example:
  1. Mrs. Diana is one of the teaching staff at the Insan Cendikia Islamic High School.
  2. Abraham teaches Business Financing courses at the Bogor Agricultural Institute.
  3. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Ayu teaches private tutoring for high school students at the Insantama Integrated Islamic School.

• House: (in KBBI) – building for residence; Other meanings – buildings in general (like buildings). Example:
  1. Houses in the Cibubur area on average are marketed at a price above one billion rupiah.
  2. The house looks unkempt from the outside and a lot myth blows if the house is haunted.
  3. We were forced to sell the house that my grandfather inherited because my father moved to another city.

• Drowning: (in KBBI) – sinking into the water; another meaning – shipwreck (of a boat or ship). Example:
  1. For a moment, the committee thought that one of the participants in the water polo competition had drowned.
  2. Still eggs fresh will sink if put in water.
  3. He was traumatized by a lot of water because as a child he almost drowned in the pond behind his grandfather's house.

• Broom: (in KBBI) – household utensils are made from fibers (sticks, fiber, etc.) which are tied into bundles, given short or long stalks to clean dust, garbage and so on. Example:
  1. Every morning and evening, he regularly sweeps his yard.
  2. The broom that Dita bought at the market turned out to be of poor quality, the proof is that it has only been used for a few hours and the fibers have fallen everywhere.
  3. Flying brooms only exist in magical fairy tales such as Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.

Connotation Sentence

Just as in understanding denotative sentences, to understand connotative sentences we need to first understand what connotation means. The connotative meaning is the meaning that is not the actual meaning of a word. The connotative meaning is usually an additional meaning from the basic meaning which is developed in accordance with the situation encountered so that the additional meaning is usually a subjective sense of its users. This also causes the connotative meaning of a word not to be based on truth conditions (non-truth conditions).

Connotative sentences can be divided into two types, namely the meaning of positive connotation and the meaning of negative connotation. Positive connotation is a figure of speech that has a good meaning. Example: golden child (meaning favorite child), light-handed (likes to help), and so on.

While the negative connotation, is the opposite of the positive connotation, which is a figure of speech that contains a meaning that is not good/bad/negative. Examples of stubbornness (meaning difficult to understand by others or selfish), the red rooster (meaning fire, or usually used to express the occurrence of a fire), bite the finger (meaning feeling disappointed), and so on.

In addition to the meaning of connotation, there are other terms that are also expressions of the meaning of connotation, namely:

• Idiom.

Idioms or expressions or proverbs are examples of connotative expressions that are often used in works of art literature, but without realizing it, the use of idioms has penetrated daily life. Examples of toil (meaning hard work), the salt of life (meaning life experience), and so on.

• Metaphor.

Metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things directly in a short form without the use of words – word comparison. According to Altenbend, metaphorical figure of speech compares two things as the same thing, but in fact they are not the same or different, as example right hand (meaning a trusted person), king of the day (sun), princess of the night (moon), flower of the nation (hero), and others etc.

Example Sentences of Connotation

1. The song 'Fall of Flowers' was created to honor and remember the services of the nation flower who died on the battlefield. (flower of the nation means heroes).
2. She is right hand leader organization so that there is no doubt about its ability. (right hand means confidant).
3. High School 3 Jayakarsa clean sweep all gold medals at this year's National Science Olympiad (OSN). (to sweep clean means to win).
4. Ari cold sweat waiting for his job interview turn this afternoon. (cold sweat means nervous).
5. That fox caught when it will eat the eggs of the residents' chickens. (to get caught means to be caught).
6. Her heart is broken when you see your mother lying down in the hospital. (his heart is broken means very sad).
7. Shidq still considered green in the world of politics. (green means inexperienced).
8. The atmosphere of the capital is still hot after clashes between protesters and police. (hot means tense).
9. This time it's February steady heart studying in Australia. (to strengthen the heart means to strengthen/confirm, not to waver)
10. In discussing this matter, it should be resolved by cool head. (cold head means calm / patient).
11. Since her first arrival on this campus, Tia has become a topic because of her beauty and intelligence. (fruit of lips means talk / talk of people).
12. Danish badminton couple forced put your feet up earlier than the tournament Indonesia Open after being defeated by Indonesia's top pair, Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in the second qualifying round. (lift up means go/leave place).
13. It turns out that the rumors of Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Kook's dismissal from variety shows “Running Man” after seven years of working together is not just hearsay. (rumor means rumours/news that is not yet clear).
14. Marc Marquez managed to outperform Valentino Rossi in the race for the world championship title iron horse race, Moto GP this year. (racing iron horses means motor racing)
15. In the fairy tale it is told that Crocodile with his wits trapping the cow, the mouse deer, knowing this, decided to help the cow. (sense of scheming means cunning ruse)
16. Indonesia must swallow a bitter pill after being defeated in the 2016 AFF Cup Final by Thailand. (Swallowing the bitter pill means feeling disappointment)
17. Shintia looks stiflingly hot with all the talk about him. (hot means annoyed)
18. Currently trending swerve become a politician. (swerving means switching professions)
19. The artists who became politicians, scramble chair both in the regional and central parliaments. (seat means fighting for position)
20. A middle-aged man dark eyes killed his wife and two children with a machete. (dark eyes means very angry, so forget and rage)
21. Andriana even though she is beautiful and rich, but she doesn't have many friends at school because she is famous full of oneself. (high heart means arrogant)
22. It's very sad for the two old parents, in their old age they still have to work hard to support their only child, who sits idly every day. (stand idly by means do nothing/lazy)

Thus the discussion of complete denotation and connotation sentences along with examples. May be useful.