Connotation, according to Farina (2017) can be described as the implied meaning of a word. Within contemporary society, connotation can bring about different meanings which might contrast with the literal definition of the word. In general, connotation communicates on how anything can be associated with a word. Connotations can either be positive, and they depend on the cultural, social, or personal experiences of the individuals. For example, the terms retarded and developmentally challenged to have the same denotations but can be interpreted differently. Developmentally challenged might be positively connoted as a mentally challenged person while retarded might be negatively understood as a slow person.
A negative connotation is when a given is used arouse unpleasant feeling within a person. They generally give bad ideas and invoke feelings such as fear, dread, and anger among others. They are mostly avoided and when used, they are used to one’s advantage. For example; even though the word retarded means slow mental or physical development, it might be used to wrongly label people with disabilities. The word retarded can also be used as a negative connotation to imply an insult to a person especially when the intention is to provoke them to act in a certain way (Farina, 2017).
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A word may be categorized as a negative connotation when the intention in which it is used is negative. This means, in essence, the word that is used has negative implications. For example, when retarded is used on a person who is a slow learner, its connotation of the word becomes negative. Similarly, the word retarded can be used as a negative connotation when it has been used negatively as a synonym for the word stupid.
Given the above points, it is true to state that a word such as retarded can take on a negative connotation. This applies in the context of if it has been used to create negative feelings in an individual. A word can also take on a negative connotation if the intention it was used for was negative. In this context, if the word retarded was used with the intention to create a negative implication such as an insult. Therefore, any word, including retarded, can take on a negative connotation.
Reference
Farina, J. (2017). Everyday words and the character of prose in nineteenth-century Britain .
