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Connotation: making associations A
Different kinds of associations
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We often associate words [make connections] with something that is not obvious from the literal meaning of the word. The dove, for example, is a white bird that has associations with peace. So if a journalist calls a politician a dove, they are suggesting that he or she is a peacemaker. Similarly, they might call a more aggressive, hard-line politician a hawk, a bird which hunts its prey. Some associations like those of dove and hawk will be shared by most speakers of English and they may even be included in a good dictionary for learners. Sometimes associations are not the same for all native speakers of the same language, but may vary from one geographical area to another. Black cats, for example, have associations with good luck in Britain but with bad luck in the USA. Many associations are purely personal. Someone who had a bad experience of dogs in childhood may think of a dog as being fierce and frightening, whereas for others dogs may represent loyalty and friendship. The most commonly shared association of the word dog in English is ‘faithfulness’. However, the phrase a dog’s life is used to refer to a very unhappy and unpleasant life.
B
Understanding associations Journalists, advertisers and other writers or speakers who want to interest and entertain their audience often make use of word associations. A fashion advert might ask, for example, ‘Would you like to have that Paris look?’, which draws on the associations of Paris with glamour and style. Or someone might refer to cowboy builders, meaning builders who are not careful or trustworthy. It might seem difficult at first to understand this kind of language, but your knowledge both of the world and of the primary meanings of words will help you. Paris, for example, is known throughout the world as a centre of high fashion and it is quite possible that the name Paris is associated with glamour in your own language too. If you have seen a Western, you will have seen how cowboys often behave in a careless and dishonest way. Think, for example, about the words shark, scar and diamond. You probably know their literal meanings – a large sea creature with sharp teeth, a mark left on the skin after a cut has healed, and a precious stone, respectively – but what associations do you think they have for English speakers in general? What might someone mean if they said the following? ‘They’re all sharks in that garage.’ ‘I think that new office block is a scar on the landscape.’ ‘Emma’s a real diamond.’ The idea of sharks as sharp-toothed creatures with an aggressive reputation should help you to understand that the speaker does not like the garage. The fact that a scar is a mark of a wound on something that was once unspoilt should help you to appreciate that the speaker does not like the new office block. The beauty and high value of a diamond as a precious stone should help you to see that the speaker has a high opinion of Emma.
Language help Research into language learning shows that words are better remembered if you have personal associations in mind as you learn them. Remember to think about what your associations with a word are as you learn it. 198
English Vocabulary in Use Advanced
