Does the meaning of the word "awe" have a positive or negative?
is it connectioned with "awesome" and "awful"?
2007-01-13 11:03:19 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Words have meaning in two basic ways, denotative and connotative. The denotative meaning is what the word "means." For example, awe is defined in Merriam-Webster as 1 : an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime"
The connotative meaning is the way we might feel about a word. For example, if you were to see the Grand Canyon you might experience a feeling of awe. If you were very happy when you had this experience, the word "awe" would be associated with pleasant sensations, and therefore have a positive connotation. If, instead, you were to see an "awful" car crash, the word "awe" would be associated with that, and have a negative connotation.
Hope that helped.
2007-01-13 11:14:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mostly positive. It's connected to the word awesome but not awful. Awful doesn't mean "full of awe". There's a difference between awful and awfully. You can say "That's awfully nice", meaning that the person is filled with awe at the nicety being displayed.
2007-01-13 11:08:16 · answer #2 · answered by marklemoore 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Definition Of Awe
2016-11-03 22:47:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is postive. The word awful use to mean full of awe. Now it has taken on a negative meaning, but in general awe is positive.
2007-01-13 11:06:39 · answer #4 · answered by fifimsp1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just the word Pagan? And nothing else? I would have to say neutral, but by that I mean a mix of positive and negative. I was raised Catholic and the negative meaning was practically branded into my brain that I can't shake off. However, I have met a lot of nice people who were pagans, so there's a positive meaning too.
2016-05-23 22:16:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Awe is amazement. It can be either neg. or pos. just as amazement can.
Awe inspiring can be good or bad. Awful dropped the e but is derived from the two words awe and full.
2007-01-13 11:06:55 · answer #6 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've always considered it a positive remark for example "Awe, what a cute baby!" or "Awe...thank you for the beautiful gift!"
I'm sure other members could think of some more, because I think is widely used as slang to show empathy and happiness.
2007-01-13 11:08:19 · answer #7 · answered by LS 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, both are connected, and it has a positive connotation. The thing with awful is that if you're full of awe, the old idea is that you were dealing with god and that meant you'd be dead.
2007-01-13 11:06:42 · answer #8 · answered by Rat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's one of these words that has shifted meaning.
Awful literally means "to fill with awe", so you could describe a great cathedral or piece of music as awful, and actually be complimentary.
2007-01-13 11:06:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
BOTH.
You bite into a chilli dog and spillage drops on your white shirt: "Awe"
You look through the nursery window in the hospital to look at your newborn laying there: "Awe"
2007-01-13 11:08:29 · answer #10 · answered by gabound75 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋