WHAT IS THE EMOTIONAL CHARGE OF LANGUAGE? - LITERATURE - 2025

The emotional charge of language refers to the emotional effect that each word has. Consequently, they can provoke both positive and negative reactions in people.

Through the emotional charge of language, the emotions of the people to whom the speech or written content is directed can be influenced.

Words have the effect of devaluing and appreciating what is mentioned. Consequently, some words that have the same meaning are differentiated by the emotional charge they have.

For example, if a person when talking about the lady in charge of cleaning their home calls her a "servant", you can immediately see how they devalue her.

This does not happen if instead he says: "the maid" or "the cleaning lady", since that is how he values ​​and respects her.

This shows how each word has an emotional meaning different from the cognitive meaning. That is why care must be taken when using certain words.

Emotional charge of language

Language is the system of codes through which human beings can communicate their ideas and feelings, using writing, speaking or sign language.

In this sense, each person chooses the ideal words to express what they feel or make other people feel a certain emotion.

According to the aforementioned, it is evident that language is intertwined with emotions. For this reason it is that we talk about the emotional charge of language, which is defined as that which allows us to appreciate how some words convey pleasant or unpleasant reactions.

Usually the emotional charge of language has a general effect. This happens when words produce the same emotional effect on a group of people (members of a church, community, or the entire population of a country).

However, sometimes the emotional load can vary from one individual to another. That is why people sometimes cry when listening to a song, while others do not. This happens because it does not produce the same emotions in everyone.

Examples of emotional load of language

Example A

“Tomorrow afternoon a group of coworkers will go to eat junk food (also called junk food), to celebrate the promotion of one of them. Then they will go toast in a dump. "

In this example we can see how words are used that devalue the action. Making whoever hears it a bad mental image of what that meeting will be like.

By using the phrase "junk food" you think that what will be eaten will be something old, some waste or food that is in bad condition. On the other hand, when using the word “dump”, you immediately think of an ugly or bad-looking place.

Example B

“Tomorrow afternoon a group of coworkers will go to eat hamburgers, to celebrate the promotion of one of them. Then they will go to toast in a tavern. "

Here it is observed how the phrase changes, since words were used that have the same meaning but that have a different emotional charge (in this case favorable).

Now it is not thought that what will be eaten is some type of waste, but it is known what type of food it will be.

The same happens when using the word "tasca", since the name is not derogatory.

Synonymous words that have different emotional load

Synonyms are two terms that have a similar semantic load. That is, they have the same meaning or at least a similar meaning. Therefore, they can be interchangeable depending on the context.

Now, the fact of being synonyms does not mean that they have the same emotional charge. There are synonyms that give the speech negative, positive and neutral effects; it all depends on what word is used.

Therefore, it is necessary to choose the words to use properly. All with the aim of ensuring that the message has the emotional charge that is desired.

Examples of synonyms and words used as synonyms that have different emotional charge

- Maid and maid

Both words refer to the person who is in charge of helping their bosses with household duties, such as: cleaning the house, preparing food, doing laundry, among others.

However, when the word servant is used it is because it is meant to express that what that person does has little value (this word is derogatory).

Psychiatric and shrink

Psychiatric and shrink are two words that refer to an institution that is responsible for caring for people with mental illnesses (psychosis, depression, among others).

Only when the word "psychiatric" is used, respect is shown for the people who are cared for in that institution. Which does not happen when the word "loquero" is used.

Susceptible and fussy

One of the meanings of the words touchy and fussy refers to a person who gives importance to everything and is prone to being easily offended.

However, both words have a different emotional charge. The word picky for some people is offensive.

Smart and brainiac (not synonymous but I know this way)

Intelligent is an adjective defined as the general ability of an individual to pose and solve comprehension problems. Many times as a form of teasing or play the word brainiac is used instead of intelligent.

In that sense, the word brainiac can have a negative and positive effect on people. It all depends on who says it and how they say it.

An example of a positive effect is when a friend calls you a brainiac when you can solve a math problem that others have not been able to. There the word is used in a humorous way with the aim of praising the person.

But if the word is said with annoyance by a person who is envious, it has a negative charge.

Other examples are:

- Flatter and lick boots.

-Baby and.

-Poor and miserable.

-Idle and lazy.

The former have a neutral emotional charge while the latter are derogatory words and phrases (emotionally they are negative).

References

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5. Emotive language in argumentation, retrieved on October 03, 2017, from ndpr.nd.edu
6. Language and emotion, retrieved on October 3, 2017. Deunc.edu
7. The rule of language in emotions, retrieved on October 3, 2017, from ncbi.nlm.nib.gov