Conceit is down a ways or so.
>:O
Denotation = Dictionary definition of a word.
Connotation = Implied meaning of a word that may have little or nothing to do with its actual definition.
For example:
- See entry #1. A rock is a solid (possibly crunchy) thing you may discover in a pile of mud/dirt; a stone.
- HOWEVER, entries 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 suggest possible connotative meanings of the word. An Italian mobster may think of infiltrating a secure building to recover diamonds when he hears this unassuming word. A drug lord might think of his favorite money-maker. An annoying little kid may start begging for sweets. A crazed metal fan (not that all metal fans are crazed) might scream "RAWK OOOOOON!!!" A dinosaur may think of that bastardly asteroid. A geologist might think of an actual rock.
- A writer can use connotation and denotation interchangeably. Consider this sentence: "Feel Smear has created a delicious vat of beef stew, but Liquor Gas is the one who really knows how to craft a fine concoction."
- Concoction tends to make people think of something tasty, like regurgitated lemon casserole. Concoction's literal meaning, "something prepared by mixing ingredients," also applies, however; it is not a word used solely to evoke a feeling. It's a normal word that automatically evokes positive thoughts. Had Liquor Gas made deep-fried soap chocolate instead of beef stew, one could still use the word "concoction" since ingredients were used to create the final product. However, deep fried soap chocolate does not sound appealing at all, so one would be better off using a word that evokes negative connotations, such as pile.
So, now you have to do something: identify the most logical purpose of the underlined word. Was it used because of connotations, or did I just randomly select a word where only denotation applies?
1) "I like orange juice."
2) "Gary backed into my car. Why didn't she look behind her? What a moron. Now I have to go to the post office and ship some rocks to my friend. He's a geologist. Geologists are NOT hilarious."
3) "Industrial waste is tasty," said Mr. Detonate when investigators asked him where his ex-wife was.
4) "Miss Dissolve can't find her ex-husband. She thinks she left him in a dumpster, but he's actually cruising in a Hummer downtown."
5) "Stabeetlets! You jerk, you broke my plate! I'm going to kick you in the SHOE!"
Conceit
Not to be confused with arrogance.
- Conceit is this screwy concept that is much like an allegory, only it's fancier. It generally explores more possibilities in comparison while allegory retains a 1-1 comparison.
- Here, just let the dictionary explain it:
- For example, if Bootack of Mar Mar says "Tardlock saw a staff of scintillating, shimmering dewdrops of gossamer, forever anchored to its master, traveling abroad and observing the wonders of the world" when really it's just Tardlock's dog carrying a stick with some water on it, he is using conceit. Yeah, I suck at writing convoluted metaphorical stuff, but you get the idea.
To identify conceit... umm... look for multi-metaphors/images. I guess. Else just pretend your suspect is a conceit; nobody will really know if you're right or not. Hell, you could probably get by with "extended metaphor." BUT OF COURSE, it does help to know the differences!...err, yeah.
Which one is a conceit?
1) Poafsteed threw a newspaper at me.
2) Fruitsocks had an incredible affinity with seismically-challenged primates, never ceasing to buffer their mini-cataclysms with his endlessly affectionate tazer rod and billowy straight jackets.
Good Luck!
Not sure if either of those are actually conceit.
