Emoticon

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Emoticon Smile Face

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Kaomoji

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Alleged use of emoticon, 1862-08-07

Emotikony-kurjer-warszawski-1881-tekst

Emoticons are pictorial representations of a facial expression using characters—such as letters, numbers, and punctuation marks—to express a person's feelings or mood, or as a time-saving method. The term "emoticon" is a blend of the words emotion and icon. They are a significant aspect of internet culture, allowing users to convey emotions in online conversations, which might otherwise be difficult to express through text alone.

History

The use of emoticons can be traced back to the 19th century, used in casual and humorous writing. However, the modern use of emoticons started in the 1980s with the advent of personal computing. The first documented use of the emoticon :-) and :-( was by Scott Fahlman on a bulletin board system at Carnegie Mellon University in 1982. Fahlman suggested these symbols as a way to distinguish serious posts from jokes, marking an important moment in digital communication history.

Types of Emoticons

Emoticons can be broadly classified into two types: Western and Eastern. Western emoticons are typically read from left to right, such as :-) for a smiling face. On the other hand, Eastern emoticons, influenced by manga and anime, are read from top to bottom, like (^_^) for a smile.

Western Emoticons

Western emoticons focus on the mouth to convey the emotion, with the eyes and sometimes the nose playing a supporting role. Common examples include:

• :-) or :) for a smile
• :-( or :( for a frown
• ;- ) or ;) for a wink

Eastern Emoticons

Eastern emoticons often use a wider variety of characters and are more expressive in terms of eyes and mouth. Examples include:

• (^_^) for happiness
• (T_T) for sadness
• (-_-) for annoyance

Usage

Emoticons are used in various forms of digital communication, including email, instant messaging, and social media. They help convey tone and intent, which can often be lost in text-based communication. For instance, a joke might be misinterpreted as a serious statement without the use of an emoticon to indicate humor.

Impact

The widespread use of emoticons has had a significant impact on digital communication. They have contributed to the development of a new digital language, transcending linguistic barriers. Emoticons have also influenced the creation of emoji, which are pictograms that serve a similar function but are more visually detailed.

Controversy

While emoticons are popular, they have also been subject to criticism. Some argue that they can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations in communication. Others believe that overreliance on emoticons can diminish the quality of language skills and inhibit the ability to express emotions through words.

See Also

• Emoji
• Internet culture
• Digital communication

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