All Ears English Podcast
AEE: What Are You Really Saying? Subtext and Connotation in English
17 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is an all ears English podcast. What are you really saying? Subtext and connotation in English.
welcome to the all ears english podcast downloaded more than 200 million times are you feeling stuck with your english we'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection not perfection with your american hosts lindsay mcmahon the english adventurer and michelle kaplan the new york radio girl coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.
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Learning vocabulary is not as straightforward as reading a dictionary and memorizing.
Chapter 2: What does subtext and connotation mean in English?
Many words have multiple connotations. Today, find out what that means and how you can start to figure out what native speakers mean when they use certain words.
Are you still translating from your native language into English in your head? Are you always getting confused between the different grammar tenses? Let's figure out what you need to work on. Find your current English level with our five minute quiz at allearsenglish.com slash fluency score.
Hey there, Michelle, what's going on with you? Hey, I'm good. Lindsay, how are you? Excited to be on the microphone. Excited about the new year. All good. All good. What are we getting into today, Michelle?
Yeah, well, we're going to answer an interesting listener question. So, well, Lindsay, why do we talk about, like a lot of times on the show, we're talking about positive and negative connotations of words. Why do we talk about this?
Well, I mean, especially at the level that our listeners are, you know, B1, B2, C1, especially pushing B2 and C1. We don't want to just know the word. We want to know what's the undertone of the word, right? Like, what are we trying? What are we actually saying?
Right, right. What's beneath the surface, like we're digging deeper. We're not just saying, okay, here are your vocabulary words on a page. Yeah. And there you go. There's so much more to learning English or any language.
Yeah. That's what gets us to those higher levels of English. So that's why it matters. And today we're going to answer an awesome listener question. We love great questions, guys. So we're going into a fresh new year, 2026. Go ahead and send your questions to support at allearsenglish.com. Make it a very specific question. Michelle, shall I go ahead and read this YouTube question? Sure, please.
All right. This comes from our YouTube channel, Mansour58100. You say connotation many times. What does it mean? What are the synonyms and antonyms of connotation? Yeah. Good question, right?
Very good question because we do always throw this word around. So... Let's really dig deeper into what does it really mean? We certainly use it a lot. And like Lindsay said, this is kind of the meaning behind the word, the association, the implication, the feeling, right? That's what a connotation is.
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Chapter 3: How can understanding connotation improve your English skills?
Right. So we can always learn the definition of a word. We can look it up in the dictionary, but it doesn't always tell you the complete story. I mean, that's why we're here. And that's something I warn listeners with when it comes to AI and ChatGPT. It attempts to give you that nuance, but it can never give you the full color nuance. Right. Yep.
You need to see it in context and role plays and really, truly understand it from a native speaker. So.
Yeah, exactly. So there's so much to it. So guys, we're going to talk more about this in just a second, but please make sure that you hit the follow button wherever you're listening to All Ears English or on YouTube, hit subscribe, never miss anything from us.
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Yes. Exactly. So again, when we talk about the word connotation, we're talking about the subtext, what's beneath the actual word. So these are things like how do people feel when they hear it? Or what are you implying when you use this word or expression? So a word with a positive connotation has a good feeling to it. A negative connotation has more of a negative connotation.
feeling to it, right? Sure.
Yeah. Well, let's give some concrete examples. So our listeners know exactly what we're saying here, Michelle. So the word cheap. Yeah, it's loaded. So we also say the word loaded, like words can be loaded, right? Meaning loaded up on meeting behind the scenes. And cheap is one of them. Tell us more, Michelle.
Yeah.
Yeah, because this can be different depending on the context. So some words you hear it and it pretty much just has a negative or a positive. And then some of them are in between and you have to listen for the subtext. What are we actually saying? So for example, this dress looks cheap. I shouldn't have bought it. So would you say that's negative or positive? That's pretty negative, right?
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Chapter 4: Why is it important to know the undertone of words?
But sometimes this can be kind of a euphemism, right, for weird.
Yeah.
Yep. So, for example, oh, your outfit, it's different, right?
It reminds me of when I was a kid. I feel like, I don't know, my mom used to always use this as kind of a euphemism for oh, that person is just a little bit different, right? Because it's a little bit more politically correct, right? And she wouldn't want to say that person's weird. Instead, just a little different, right? Yes, just different. That's all. So I love that. So funny.
And the word challenge is our next one, right? So for example, working with Tim is a challenge. He's not easy. Right? Mm-hmm.
Negative, right? Negative. Pretty negative. Or, I want to take on a challenge. I'm excited for what's to come.
Right? And again, working with Tim is a challenge. Kind of a euphemism for awful. Right? Working with Tim is awful. It's horrible. It's hard. Right? Mm-hmm.
Yeah. So guys, you see some words or expressions can be the same, but have different connotations depending on how we use them. But some are mostly completely, you know, more black and white, positive or negative. So, and the same thing goes for actual idioms too, not just single vocabulary words.
But for example, a positive, a word with a positive connotation is cheerful, negative connotation, rude. Right.
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Chapter 5: How do positive and negative connotations affect word choice?
Maybe it has a hole in it or something.
Right? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. So really interesting stuff here. Connotations are huge. I mean, we have to learn the whole subtext. We have to learn the whole story and many different ways to use every word. And some of them are black and white, maybe. Good or bad some of them it really really depends and you have to listen a little bit more closely to know What the person means?
Yes, I love it. Guys, go check out episode 2536, How to Be Better Than Decent at English Vocabulary. Interesting. Yeah. Really good. This has been great. So all of our listeners, you guys are ready to start to challenge yourself to look towards getting into that C1 level by seeing those nuances, seeing those different connotations, right, Michelle?
This is something I want to invite our listeners to take a look at. It builds connection. I mean, well, it's necessary for connection, crucial for connection, don't you think?
Yeah. I mean, guys, this is going to take you to the next level once you start, you know, really learning. And that's what we're here to help you with, you know, teaching you the whole story of every possible word or every possible idiom, because there's usually a story to everything. Don't let that stress you out. I mean, that's one thing.
Yes, there's a lot to learn about each word, but there are some of the more basic words and we're here to help you along the way. So don't stress by thinking, oh no, I have to learn a whole novel about every word. No, we're here to help you and give you some of the basics and the best ways to do it.
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Chapter 6: What are some examples of words with different connotations?
And also I think there's something to trusting your ability to listen closely to tone of voice, right? So you're going to hear these things in people's tones of voice, right? You're going to hear whether that connotation is good. What does it really mean in the way someone delivers it in the context? We want to start to really tune into tone of voice. That's huge. Yeah.
Love it. All right, Lindsay. Well, this was fun. And thank you to our listener again for this really excellent and important question. And Lindsay, I'll talk to you next time. Sounds good, Michelle. Talk to you soon. Have a good one. All right. Bye.
Bye.
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