Today I have chosen to look at the words “skinny” and “thin”. The sense and denotation of these words are the same. The sense of “skinny” and “thin” is slim or having little flesh on the body. The denotation of each of these words is anything and everything that is skinny or thin. These words mean the exact same thing but when we are deciding where to use each word, our expressive meanings vary. I feel like to me, skinny has more negative connotations than thin. Skinny makes me think of sickly or not well while thin is more of a complimentary way to say that someone looks slender or lean. When someone points out that someone is skinny I feel that it usually comes with concern but when that word is replaced with thin, I think more people would take it as a compliment rather than be insecure because of it. Skinny reminds me of a common expression of being all “skin and bones” meanwhile thin does not make any negative connections for me. If you were to see a malnourished animal you might instinctually describe it as being very skinny. If you know your cousin has been working out and trying to lose weight and you see them after a long time, you might compliment them on how thin they look. Overall skinny and thin can be interchangeable especially when talking about an object such as a piece of technology that is thin or skinny, but the expressive meaning varies more when applying it to humans and living things in general.

The pair of expressions that have the same denotation but different expressive meanings that I chose are “House” and “Home”. Recently my family has been looking for a new house and my mom refers to the “house” itself as what it is, the building, and then tells me she wants to make it our “home”. The two words obviously mean the same thing but denote a different meaning. The meaning of “house” is the structure or building itself where someone or many people rent, buy, or sell. Whether it’s 1 bedroom or 4, has a backyard or not, or has a garage. Though there are various rooms and amenities a house can have, it is always a house. The word “home” has a meaning of where these people live and spend most of their day and lives in. The denotation of the home has a cozy, warm and comfortable feeling that comes from the home. You make the home out of the house. Depending on how you design it, paint it or furnish it, you make it your own homey atmosphere that’s pleasant to live in, sleep in, and, depending on who you ask, spend your life in watching your family grow.