CONNOTATION: CLASSIFICATION OF CONNOTATIVE UNITS, THEIR TYPES, AND STAGES OF EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This article analyzes the concept of connotation and its role in linguistics from both theoretical and practical perspectives. In addition to the lexical (denotative) meaning of a word, the supplementary meanings—connotative layers—are examined across emotional, evaluative, stylistic, symbolic, and cultural dimensions. The study undertakes a comparative analysis of the views of local and foreign scholars and illustrates various manifestations of connotation through literary examples from Uzbek literature. The findings demonstrate that connotation significantly expands the semantic potential of words and functions as an essential linguistic phenomenon that reveals the interrelation between language and culture. Furthermore, the article explores the interconnection and differences between connotative units and connotation, while also highlighting the evolutionary development and types of connotative units, supported by relevant examples.