It is assumed the term “wild” has a negative connotation when it describes something or someone. Within the Cambridge Dictionary, the word’s various definitions have a consensus of it meaning a deviation from societal norms and something conventional. The multiple definitions perpetuate the notion that the “wild” is undesirable because it deviates from the “norm.” The definition as an adjective implies the “wild” is uncontrollable and uncivilized. As a noun, the “wild” is untamed and does not reside within the realm of domesticity. As a verb, it implies the refusal of settling down. The standard way of thinking about the word “wild” has it that it’s assumed to be antithetical to a tame and behaved demeanor. Overall, the definitions of the term “wild” imply that the term means being unconventional and astray from control.
I agree that “wild” means uncontrollable and deviating from convention. However, I have a problem with the negative connotation that is usually behind the word. The use of the term to describe someone means there is something undesirable or unnatural. I would dispute that the term is not inherently negative but can be positive. While it is true that “wild” is untamed, it does not necessarily follow that it is unpleasant. Because it does not adhere to society’s convention of normalcy, the term could mean living uninhibited and free. Being “wild” means liberation because there is a lack of restraints that can hold something back. Ultimately, I believe that the term “wild” is capable of being seen as something positive because it can also mean freedom.
-Anna Allen
This was so well thought out! I love your take on the negative/positive connotation of wild and I definitely agree that wild can have positive meanings depending on the context. In causal settings, I tend to use wild to describe something that is out there, but I mean it in the positive way you were describing.
Although I appreciate your different approach when defining the word “wild”, I think classifying it as ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ isn’t appropriate because we don’t know what context the word is being used in. In addition, something positive for one person can seem negative to another because the classification is solely based on the morality of the individual. This definition seems pretty opinionated and different people will have varying thoughts on it.