Question

verbal language:
a. includes any form of written messages that use words such as business letters
b. is never governed by a system of rules
c. refers to words that are assigned connotative, but not denotative meanings
d. refers to words that are assigned denotative, but not connotative meanings

1. denotative meaning:

a. refers to personalized associations we make with any word
b. is more commonly thought of as the dictionary definition
c. are not the kinds of meaning you would reasonably assume another communicator is attributing to the words in a message
d. is defined as when you avoid giving any meaning to the word at all

Explanation:

Denotative meaning is the literal or dictionary - based definition of a word. Option a refers to connotative meaning (personalized associations). Option c is incorrect as denotative meaning is a standard meaning that can be assumed. Option d is not the definition of denotative meaning. Option b correctly states that denotative meaning is more commonly thought of as the dictionary definition.

Answer:

B. is more commonly thought of as the dictionary definition