Here's why:
* Connotation refers to the emotional and cultural associations attached to a word, beyond its literal meaning. It's the implied meaning, the feeling or idea that comes to mind when you hear or read the word.
* Denotation refers to the literal dictionary definition of a word.
For example:
* Home (denotation: a place of residence) can evoke feelings of comfort, security, and love (connotation).
* Cheap (denotation: inexpensive) can evoke feelings of low quality, or even stinginess (connotation).
Connotations are powerful because they shape how we understand and interpret language, influencing our thoughts, feelings, and actions.