Point of View
Reading Plus
Recognizing
Slant
and Bias
Taylor
Associates
®
Recognizing Slant and Bias|
KLevel K-1
COMPREHENSION SKILLS PRAC
When
authors present a character or idea in either a good light or a bad one, they
will often use shades of meaning to sway readers. By examining an author’s words, a
reader can often “read between the lines” and identify the author’s slant or bias. This
is the author’s prejudice either for or against the subject being discussed. Think about
the way you describe things. If you are telling your parents about a party you attended
over the weekend, you might not use the same words or highlight the same details that
you would in describing the same party to a friend. You often choose the words you use
based not just on their actual meanings, but also on the shades of meaning or the feeling
they convey.
Words used for verbal and written communication have accepted definitions or denotations. These are the literal definitions found in a dictionary. Other words — such as slang
terms or words used in a local dialect, in a geographic region, or by a specific demographic group — have definitions that may not appear in a dictionary. People who use
these words are applying a less well-known definition to the term or phrase. The connotations of words are the feelings or implied meanings they suggest. These differ from the
literal definition. Sometimes a word’s connotation is part of local or generational slang.
“Retro” and “old-fashioned” both describe things, ideas, or fashions of an earlier time.
When someone’s clothes or ideas are described as “old-fashioned,” it is usually meant
as a pejorative, as having a negative connotation. “Retro,” on the other hand, can be
used with a positive connotation or a neutral one, depending on the situation, circumstance, and cultural context. If a woman’s outfit is reminiscent of the 1960s, and this is
considered a good thing among her friends, then saying that her outfit is “retro” would be
a compliment, or have a positive connotation.
Some connotations are not as dependent on a group attitude. A person who prefers to
save money rather than spend it may be referred to as either frugal or cheap. These
two words have the same denotation. Both words imply that a person does not want to
spend money. However, the words carry very different connotations. A frugal person is
someone who has smart spending practices. A cheap person is someone who is stingy
with money. Other examples of words that have the same denotation but a different connotation are strong-willed and obstinate, and unique and weird.
The connotations of some words can change with circumstances or context. There are
words that have gained a negative connotation in modern times, but they did not have a
negative connotation in earlier times. For example, by today’s standards, eighteenth and
nineteenth century authors were often sexist. The heroines of authors like Henry James
were often submissive and retiring, which at the time was how women were expected
to behave. The works of these authors are a reflection of the society in which they lived.
Terms once commonly used to define racial or ethnic groups are today considered offensive and divisive. As attitudes and cultural expectations change, so do connotations.
Almost any word can be given a positive or negative connotation depending on tone of
voice and the meaning of the rest of the sentence.
Copyright © 2013 Taylor Associates/Communications,
Inc.
Point of View
Reading Plus
Recognizing
Slant
and Bias
Taylor
Associates
®
Recognizing Slant and Bias|
KLevel K-1
COMPREHENSION SKILLS PRAC
Student Name_______________________________________________________________
For each of the following sentences, underline the word or words that give the sentence a strong
connotation, either positive (P) or negative (N) and write P or N on the following line.
1. The woman (observed, spied on) her new neighbor. _____
2. We jumped into the (refreshing, chilly) ocean water. _____
3. The (tan, mud-colored) van drove slowly down the road. _____
4. The sunset (glowed, burned) (deep red, blood red) on the horizon. _____
5. The candidate (planned, schemed) how to win the election. _____
6. Tyler decided to buy the (inexpensive, cheap) version of the product. _____
7. A large (group, mob) of students marched into the principal’s office. _____
8. Sara (smiled, smirked) at the new student from across the room. _____
9. Doug and I (debated, argued) over the shortest route to the mall. _____
10. Alan’s performance on the test was (adequate, satisfactory). _____
Read the following pairs of sentences. In each, only one word differs. Identify the author’s bias in
each sentence.
11. a. The man was devout in his beliefs.
b. The man was fanatical in his beliefs.
12. a. A strong fragrance wafted out of the garden.
b. A strong odor wafted out of the garden.
Create your own pair of sentences following the pattern above. Explain the positive or negative
connotation of each.
13. a.
b.
Copyright © 2013 Taylor Associates/Communications,
Inc.