The French semiotician Roland Barthes (1913 - 1980) termed the straightforward description of a text denotation and the added layers of associated meaning and values that society (people interpreting it) gives that text connotation.
A word has a literal meaning (denotation) e.g. rose
Beyond this, it may have a symbolic or cultural meaning (connotation) e.g. romance, true love
Meaning includes both denotation and connotation
Barthes gives us the example of the advertisement for Panzani tinned and
dried products as an example of how imagery can create a barrage of
persuasive meanings through connotation. How does this text persuade the
consumer that Panzani products are an essential ingredient in natural,
wholesome, fresh and home-made Italian cooking?
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