AN ANALYSIS OF CONNOTATIVE MEANINGS FOUND IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

This research aimed to find out how connotative meanings appeared and were used in the comments of social media users, especially Instagram and Twitter. Connotative meaning was chosen because it was able to show the emotional, expressive, and even subtle insinuations of users without having to say them directly, especially the concept of connotative meaning attached to words or expressions using Geoffrey Leech's theory of meaning. This research used a descriptive qualitative approach. The data were collected from various social media posts, then were categorized and analyzed based on three main characteristics of connotative meaning, namely: shared by other communicative systems, unstable, and open-ended. Connotative meaning was shared by other communicative systems, seen in comments that conveyed feelings implicitly. Connotative meaning was unstable, seen in the different interpretations of a single comment by different people. Meanwhile, connotative meaning was open-ended, reflected in how comments were greatly influenced by the writer's personal point of view. By understanding connotative meaning, people could be more sensitive to the hidden messages behind seemingly simple comments. The results of the analysis showed that connotative meaning not only enriched communication on social media, but also became a way for users to convey deeper, personal, and nuanced messages.