Words are not right or wrong in themselves but as they succeed or fail in doing what the writer wants them to do. A word is "right" in a sentence when it expresses the writer`s meaning and is appropriate to the situation in which it is used. Effective writing depends on an awareness of the different levels of meaning that words convey. Words do not only have literal meaning, they also evoke emotional responses-ideas or feelings about them. These two aspects of meaning are known as denotation and connotation. The term `connotation` can also lead to confusion. As used by philosophers it is generally opposed to `denotation,; but the way in which the two terms are contrasted is by no means constant throughout the philosophical literature. The denotation of a word is its literal, or dictionary meaning of a word. To such a meaning we respond intellectually. For example, the denotation of criticism is "evaluation". The denotation of silviculture is "forestry". The denotation of library is "a place where book`s may be read or borrowed." In addition to denotation, most words have mild or strong connotations, positive or negative responses which they evoke in the reader or listener. These responses are based on one`s personal experience with the object or idea represented by that word. The connotations of a word may be quite different from its denotative meaning. For example, to most people criticism suggest a negative, offensive act. This association has even become part of its denotative meaning, despite the fact that criticism originally meant (and still does) an evaluation or judgement-whether positive or negative. Although connotations involve personal reaction that are often shared by many people, the reactions may not always be the same for everyone. For example, to some people library has favorable connotations-peace, quiet, knowledge. To others, the word has unfavorable connotations-confinement, stuffiness. The writer must therefore be aware that words have different connotations for different readers. Words that are similar in denotative meaning often have very different connotations, or take on unexpected connotations in context. Readers may be amused or puzzled by an inappropriatechoice of words, or they may take offense. In addition to connotation, words have what we call sennotation -a term we have coined to describe the ability of words to evoke sensory responses. On occasion we, too, may want to persuade our audience by playing on their emotions and senses. Select words, then, for all three of their qualities: denotation, connotation, and sennotation. That many words do acquire new or additional denotations and connotations is not particularly surprising. They are, after all, symbols that are manipulated for communication.