Here's why:
* Connotations are the emotional associations, cultural implications, or secondary meanings that a word carries beyond its literal definition.
* Literal meaning is the core, dictionary definition of a word.
Example:
* "Cheap" has a literal meaning of "low in price."
* Connotations of "cheap" can be negative (low quality, poorly made) or positive (bargain, good value).
While connotations can significantly influence how we perceive a word and its use, they don't change the actual meaning of the word itself.
In essence: Connotations add layers of meaning to a word, but the literal meaning remains the foundation upon which those layers are built.