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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