A World Full Of Smileys: How Emojis Changed The Way We Communicate

Image source: money.cnn.com

The way people communicate is continuously evolving, especially in our current generation as feelings and intentions can be portrayed by a single image, or in this case, an emoji. Last year, the Oxford dictionary has acknowledged the “laughing while crying” or LOL with tears emoji as its word of the year. There is no official name for it, but when you see it, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Spoken, written, and even (physical) sign language are not enough sufficient to express feelings. The shift in digital communication is striking, and it looks like it’s here to stay. The use of emoji is not just appropriate for casual communication. In some office group settings, people no longer need to reply with words, going instead for the (y) or “thumbs up” emoji. Others use the “bow” emoji to acknowledge a senior’s presence in the group. This just shows that emojis can be used in some professional settings.

Image source: support.apple.com

Miscommunication is also common with emojis. Some people think that the “dancing lady” emoji refers to flirting, while for others, it is what it is—a dancing lady. These pictures may look complicated, but they display thoughts and intentions differently. It is also hard to judge if someone is just being sarcastic with just emojis. For many, it takes a strong relationship between parties to distinguish what the emojis are trying to portray—more of like an inside joke.

I can’t wait for the day that even those who think traditionally can see emojis as a vital communication tool. Welcome to the age of technology, folks.

Hi, I’m Taihwa Terry Ho. Let’s talk about apps and other tech stuff on Twitter.