Chapter 7: Denotations and Connotations

Chapter 7--XXX

Chapter 7: Denotations and Connotations

A. Synonyms

1. obtrusive (adj.), p. 129. Undesirably noticeable. [L. ob (against) + trudere (to thrust)]
“But over and above the standard signification of a term . . . there may be certain nuances of meaning that are more difficult to describe because they are less obtrusive or more dependent upon context than designation [connotation.]. / a. modest b. hidden c. glaring d. indecent
2. perceive (tr.v.), p. 130. [per (thoroughly, completely, intensely) + capere (to seize)].
“Even if you were once chased by a cow, and the word ‘cow’ is associated in your mind with danger and violence, you can perceive, at the same time, that in the common world of the English language, cow connotes the opposite characteristics . . . .” / a. understand b. undermine c. fool d. confuse
3. impermanent (adj.), p. 131. The essay uses impermanence, which is the noun form. [L. im (not) + per (throughout, thoroughly), + manere (to remain)
“Because most cots are rather temporary resting places, ‘cot’ can connote impermanence, though it doesn’t designate impermanence, since a cot doesn’t have to be temporary by definition.” / a. stoic b. lasting c. unyielding d. temporary
4. bovine (adj.), p. 135. [LL. bovinus, L. bos, cow] Bos is the genus name. / a. efficient b. cowlike c. liquid d. four-legged
5. incessant (adj.), p. 134. [L. in- (not) + cessare (stop, yield). / a. pertinacious (holding tenaciously to a purpose, belief, opinion, or course of action; stubbornly or perversely persistent; obstinate) b. intermittent c. occasional d. without pause
6. apposite (adj.), p. 133. Strikingly appropriate and relevant. The quotations at the beginning of the chapters in the text are apposite to the content of the chapter. / a. appropriate b. intrepid c. contradictory d. opposed
7. verbal (adj.), p. 130. The noun use is pretty much restricted to grammar. / a. grammatical b. word-for-word c. pertaining to words d. part of speech
8. subtle (adj.), p. 128. Not immediately obvious; able to make fine distinctions ("a subtle mind"); devious or insidious (a subtle reminder that you are not the breadwinner and therefore are less-than).
Latin subtilis, the ultimate source of English subtle, seems to have originated as a weaving term. It probably goes back ultimately to the phrase sub tela, meaning "beneath the lengthwise threads in a loom." Tela, source of English toilet (meaning "dressing or grooming oneself" or "dress, attire, costume"), was a contraction of texla, a relative of English textile. subtilis developed the meaning "fine woven," which subsequently broadened out to "fine, thin." By the time it reached English, via OF sutil, it had evolved further to "making fine discriminations."
“But we often need to understand meanings that take some skill to see the precise shade that a word has in its context, the subtle hints conveyed by a metaphor or simile.” / a. unobtrusive b. radical c. obvious d. aboveboard
9. coherence (n.), p. 133. The quality or state of cohering, especially a logical, orderly, and aesthetically consistent relationship of parts.
[Latin cohaerere : co- (together), + haerere, to cling.]
“Poetry is the best place to study word connotations. Indeed, what makes a poem a poem (not just verse) is in part the complexity and coherence of its connotations.” / a. confusion b. originality c. style d. congruence (agreement, conformity, harmony, correspondence. From L congruere, "to agree")
10. deceptive (adj.), p. 128.
“The interplay between these two branches [denotation and connotation] of the signification makes possible some of the most vital and useful, but also some of the most tricky and deceptive, ways of using language.” / a. guileless (without deceit) b. misleading c. analytical d. elegant

B. Definitions

1. cope (intr.v.), p. 127. To contend with difficulties and act to overcome them. Same root as coup as in coup d'etat, from the OF coper, and originally meant "hit, punch."

The OF verb was a derivative of the noun cop, meaning "a blow," which in turn was a variant of colp, from which modern French gets coup, borrowed into English in the 18th century. The modern English sense of the verb developed via "come to blows with" and "contend with" to "handle successfully."

For sentence from the text, see refinement below.

2. refinement (n.), p. 127. A keen or precise phrasing; a subtle distinction.

Both the adjective and the noun fine have come a very long way since their beginnings in Latin finis, end. The etymological sense of the adjective "fine" is "finished," hence, "of high quality." It comes via OF fin from Vulgar Latin finus, an adjective formed from the Latin verb finire, meaning "to limit" or "to complete" (source of English to finish). A derivative of finus was the noun finitia, from which ultimately English gets finesse. The noun fine comes from an OF word, fin, this time a noun descended directly from Latin finis. In medieval times this was used for "money to be paid at the completion of legal proceedings," hence the present-day sense of "payment imposed as a punishment." From the same ultimate source, but reflecting different aspects of that source, come confine and define (meaning "limitation) and refine ("high quality").

“Now, for some purposes we don’t need to concern ourselves about the full meaning of a discourse. It’s enough to know that the house is on fire, or that your sweetheart has jilted you. This is the gist of the message, and it’s plenty to cope with. You aren’t interested in the refinements: that the first started at 5:19 a.m. in the cellar, or that your sweetheart sincerely hopes you will always be friends.”

3. comprehension (n.), p.129. The sum of meanings and corresponding implications inherent in a term.

com + prehendre (meaning “to grasp”)

“When a term acquires a fairly fixed conventional meaning, it applies to a distinct set of things, and these things are its comprehension.”

4. import (tr.v.), p. 133. To carry or hold the meaning of; signify.

“

5. aspect (n.), p. 128. A way something can be viewed by the mind.

“And as we get a better understanding these things [the subtle hints conveyed by words], we become better able to deal with another important aspect of words–their effects upon our feelings.”

6. injunction (n.), p. 134. The act or an instance of enjoining; a command, a directive, or an order. Law A court order prohibiting a party from a specific course of action.

“But each [word used] will also, unless the context guards against it, import a judgment about the case–that the United States gave in too far, or got too little in return, or was spineless, or too hasty.”

7. judgment (n.), p. 133. The act or process of judging; the formation of an opinion after consideration or deliberation. Not the "good sense" sense of the word.

See sentence above.

8. insinuation (n.), p. 134. Covert, sly, underhanded, often derogatory suggestion.

“[Election campaign rhetoric frequently uses] certain terms . . . over and over . . because their very useful connotations afford a chance to make all sorts of insinuations that would not survive careful scrutiny if they were baldly stated.”

9. grasp (tr.v.), p. 131. To take hold of intellectually; comprehend.

10. vital (adj.), p. 127. Necessary, essential.

C. Etymologies

1. rhetoric (p. 129).

Middle English rethorik, from Old French rethorique, from Latin rhetorice, rhetorica, from Greek rhetorike (tekhne), rhetorical (art), feminine of rhetorikos, rhetorical, from rhetor. See RHETOR. Which yields,

Middle English rether, from Latin rhetor, from Greek rhetor.

2. nuance (p. 124). [French, from Old French, from nuer, to shade, cloud, from nue, cloud, from Vulgar Latin *nuba, from Latin nubes.]

3. meterologist (p. 131). [Middle English metheor, atmospheric phenomenon, from Old French meteoros, from Medieval Latin meteorum, from Greek meteoron, astronomical phenomenon, from neuter of meteoros, high in the air : meta-, meta- (beyond, transcending) + -aoros, lifted akin to aeirein, to lift up + logy (study of) + IST (one who studies)]

4. succulent (p. 135). [Latin succulents, from Succos, juice.]

D. Analogies

1. vocation : stethoscope as avocation : backpack

a. hobby b. leisure c. backpack d. job

A vocation is etymologically a "calling." The word comes via OF vocation from Latin vocation. This was derived from the verb vaccaria, "to call," which came from the same base vox, meaning "voice," source of English vocal, voice, and so on. Also from vaccaria come convoke (to call a meeting, convene), evoke (to summon or call forth: actions that evoked our mistrust; to call to mind by naming, citing, or suggesting: songs that evoke old memories; to create anew, especially by means of the imagination: Grapes of Wrath is a novel that evokes the Depression in accurate detail); revoke (to void or annul by recalling, withdrawing, or reversing: re- (back) + voce); vocabulary; and vouch.

An avocation means "an activity taken up in addition to one's regular work or profession, usually for enjoyment; a hobby; sometimes "one's regular work or profession." And closer to its etymological roots "distraction or diversion," from the Latin avocare, to call away : a-, away + vaccaria, to call.

Stethoscope, etymologically, comes from a Greek word stethos, meaning chest, + scope, coming into English via Italian, scopo, from a Greek word skopion meaning "an instrument for observing," as in telescope, microscope, etc.

2. meticulous : careful as slovenly : slipshod

a. slipshod b. tidy c. makeshift d. fastidious

3. explicit : implicit as curse : euphemism

a. argument b. euphemism c. discussion d. anecdote

Explicit means "fully and clearly expressed; leaving nothing implied; fully and clearly defined or formulated: "My mother made her explicit . . .". Or "forthright and unreserved in expression: They were explicit in their criticism. Or readily observable: an explicit sign of trouble. Or describing or portraying nudity or sexual activity in graphic detail.

Something that is explicit has literally been "unfolded." Like explicate, the word comes from the past participle of Latin explicare, a compound verb formed from the prefix ex- (to reverse or undo, as in the prefix un-) and plicare, meaning "to fold" (source of English ply as in plywood, and three-ply and related to English fold). At first, in the 16th and 17th centuries, English retained the literal sense of the original, but gradually it dropped out in favor of the metaphorical "to make clear, distinct, and open" (already a sense in Latin).

Implicit means "understood though not directly expressed: an implicit agreement not to raise the touchy subject." Or "contained in the nature of something though not readily apparent: Frustration is implicit in any of my attempts to understand the computer." Or "having no doubts or reservations; unquestioning: implicit trust." It is a compound word, in- (in, into, within) + plicare, to fold, meaning "to entangle, unite."

4. delicate : insensitive as attuned : discordant

a. discordant b. attenuated c. unformed d. exquisite

5. ludicrous : laughable as somber : gloomy

Something that is somber is etymologically "under a shadow, in the shade." The word comes from the French sombre, an adjective derived ultimately from Vulgar Latin subombrare, "put in shadow or shade." This was a compound word formed from Latin sub-, meaning "under," and umbra, meaning "shade, shadow, " source of English umbrage, umbrella. Another descendant of the Latin word in the Spanish sombra, meaning "shade," from which was derived sombrero, "hat for giving shade."

Gloom, with its adjective derivative gloomy, comes probably from the Middle English word gloumen, meaning "to become dark."

a. ridiculous b. delightful c. gloomy d. salubrious (conducive or favorable to health or well-being)

6. mislead : deceive as misrepresent : prevaricate

a. mistake b. misunderstand c. alienate d. prevaricate

E. Imposter

1. wary

a. bold b. cautious c. on guard d. watchful

2. armaments

a. weapons b. missiles c. guns d. flags

3. stabilize

a. firm up b. shake c. immobilize d. steady

4. responsive

a. answering b. imaginative c. sensitive d. reactive

F. Matching

1. sibling (p. 130), m. brother or sister

The sibling/gossip connection: In OE sibb occurs as a noun meaning "kinship" and as an adjective meaning "related by blood or kinship" A modern descendant of sibb is sibling, "one of two or more persons who have the same parents." By the 11th century, a compound had been formed from the noun sibb prefixed by god, the ancestor of Modern English god. A godsibb, therefore, was a person spiritually related to another, specifically by being a sponsor at baptism. Today, of course, we would call such a person a godmother or godfather, using god in the same way. By the 14th century, the d had begun to disappear in both pronunciation and spelling, and godsibb, developed into gossib and then gossip, the form which is used today. The meaning, too, had begun to change, and the sense of gossip as a close friend or comrade developed alongside the sense of a godparent. Chaucer's Wife of Bath tells her fellow-pilgrims on the road to Canterbury of having once gone walking with a lover and "my gossib dame Alys." From there it was only a short step to the gossip of today, a person no longer necessarily a friend, relative, or sponsor, but someone filled with irresistible tidbits of rumor.

2. conventional (p. 126), j. customary