How do we know that language is more than denotation?

In order to answer this question, we first have to understand what is meant by "denotation". According to the dictionary, denotation means "the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests." In other words, it is literally what the word means, not the meaning between the lines of a text. The antonym for denotation would be connotation. So, for example, when the word "dog" is used, the denotation of the word would be a mammal with four legs and a tail. The connotation on the other hand would be that it is known as the man's best friend, as it is always happy and exuberant. That is a connotation as the word "dog" itself does not mean the "dog" is friendly. And so, this question actually asks how we do we know that language is more than what it is actually meant by the words used, or the language used. 

I strongly believe that language is not simple denotative. One of the examples I like to use when saying this relates to my cultural Chinese heritage. As family is one of the most important aspects of Chinese culture, there is a lot of different naming within the family. For example, I have an older sister, however although in english I would simply call her "sister", in mandarin depending whether she is my older sister or younger sister I would call her differently, 姐姐(JièJié) and 妹妹 (MèiMei), respectively. This is a great example of language honorifics, which relates to a hierarchical structure within a language, meaning that there is a different tone of importance and respect when talking this way. This clearly shows that  that language is way more than denotation, not only in mandarin but in many languages, especially asian languages. Honorifics ar a connotation of a way of referring toa person. For instance, when 姐姐(JièJié) is used, not only does it refer to an older sister, as it implies a greater respect when referring to her and increases the tone of formality. There is also a contrast to this: when a person calls someone who is not related to them, for example a waitress, as a 妹妹 (MèiMei), it is disrespectful depending on the context of the situation, unless you are an elderly person, which in this case is completely normal and expected. 

Honorifics is a great part in the Chinese language. 

Relating to the the previous topic of perception, there is also a huge role of schema in language. Depending on how you were raised and what your culture is, the way you used your language is greatly impacted by this. Schema affect the way you communicate, as it shapes the way you see things. It is important to talk about perception when talking about language, as they work hand-in-hand.

Furthermore, the TOK book gives us a great argument that shows that language is much more than simply denotation. The example that is given is the symbolic system, which is a language, as a language is classified as anything used as a mean/system of communication. So for example a restroom sign is either a sign of a man, or either a sign of a women, If we simply saw language as a denotation, the signs would only mean a man and a women. However, we know that that signs implies that behind the door that the sign is hung on, there is a bathroom for the sex the sign shows. The same in science labs, where many symbols are used for hazardous material and dangers in the lab. And if we dig deeper into science, the periodic table is made of symbols of elements, and so shows us that it is not simply a denotation, because if it were the symbol C would not mean Carbon but be genuinely understood as a letter. 

Moreover, sign language for the deaf is a example of the language being more than denotative. As shown in Sound and Fury, sign language plays a vital role in the lives of deaf people. But if language were denotative, deaf people would only see different movement and shapes of hands of people, and not the meaning that is trying to be conveyed. 

Concluding, we know language is more than denotative because each language has its own connotations. Whether it being honorifics in a language, or whether it is symbols in another, language has a greater meaning than simply the literal, direct meaning of the words or symbols.