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Every word and every phrase has a meaning, whether it's denotation, connotation, or contextual meaning. Oftentimes there could be a difference between them.
EXAMPLE
Take a look at the word "sick." The denotation of that is to be ailing physically or emotionally. The connotation of sick is generally negative, but watch how it can change:| Sick | ||
| Denotation | Connotation | Contextual |
|---|---|---|
| Ailing physically or emotionally | Negative | Awesome. "Those graphics are sick." |
When different groups work together, they start to develop their own language. Maybe in this instance, you have a group of graphic designers, and they use the word "sick" to mean something good. "Sick" now all of a sudden has a positive connotation.
If they were to be communicating outside of their group, this could be a common source of miscommunication. On the other side, if you're outside of that group, and they're talking about the word "sick," it's important to not assume that you know the meaning of it.
Let's take a look at another example.
EXAMPLE
Suppose you have an employee who sends out an email that says, "I need you to create a flowchart for this project."| "I need you to create a flowchart for this project." | ||
| Denotation | Connotation | Contextual |
|---|---|---|
| Visual representation of responsibilities and deliverables identified by shapes | Rigid/structured | Informal timeline with due dates |
The denotation of "flowchart" is a detailed visual representation of responsibilities and deliverables identified by shapes. The connotation of a flowchart is something that is quite rigid and structured as shown in the image below.
Say this employee works on an established team, and their group's idea of a flowchart is just an informal timeline with some loose due dates. To that employee and their team, a flowchart is merely a straight line with some additional lines to show dates and what is due. In this situation, the context for the flowchart has changed. The team is giving the word "flowchart" a much lighter and more informal treatment than the denotation suggests.
Because the people on this team communicate all the time, they have a common understanding of what their pared down flowchart looks like. However, people who are not in that group (or new to the group) may not understand. The next section gives some clarifying tips to help successful teams unite in such situations.
Using the flowchart as an example, there's a way to remedy situations where there is a misunderstanding or a lack of clarity. The employee who requested the flowchart should be clear and concise in their communication. They should get to know their audience, especially If they're outside the internal group, to properly tweak their message and instructions. By taking extra steps to give their context for a flowchart, the receiver of the message will be in a much better position to deliver what's needed.
Note groups or individuals with different cultural backgrounds and experiences. You want to be sure that the intention of your message has been received correctly. It's also important to communicate clearly to groups of people who have experienced ineffective communication because it's never too late to model and practice what strong communication looks like. Finally, pay special attention to complex communications that involve many people or high-stakes decisions. If the rules of communication seem too loose in these situations, follow through with team members by over-communicating to make sure each person understands their role and task.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY KELLY NORDSTROM FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. PLEASE SEE OUR TERMS OF USE.
