The evolving world of emoticons

Creating an emotional world in cyberspace with emoticons

As computer technology developed and the Internet grew, emoticons saw limited use. In the early years of Internet communication, people were just beginning to learn clever abbreviations and the use of text symbols to convey emotion. Most people wrote expressive dialogue with complete sentences. Gradually a switch was made to simple text messages. As social networking sites developed, a new language began to develop. As this new language developed, the need to express human emotions grew. It was then that emoticons experienced a surge in popularity.

Emoticons are considered the pioneers of emotionalism on the Internet. Cyberspace was no longer a sterile place devoid of human emotion. Emoticons are a mainstay in this developing emotional world of cyber communication.

The invasion of emotion icons

Today, emoticons are the favorite among users of social networks. Currently the written language has been reduced to a series of abbreviations. Emotion-expressing symbols are a useful tool for conveying human emotions in the world of shorthand. People no longer communicate with well-crafted sentences. On social networking sites, short and sweet is preferred over long and drawn out. Emoticons are a crucial element in social media communications. Symbols widely used in instant messaging forums. Instant messaging is essentially real-time online chat. Many popular social sites allow users to chat with each other using a chat box. Emoticons are used to convey emotion without having to write a detailed message explaining a person’s current state of mind or well-being.

The emoticons are cleverly adaptable and manage to keep up with today’s technology. It was only a matter of time before these iconic little figures invaded cell phones. While cell phones are convenient, phones are rarely used for conversations that involve the use of the vocal cords. The preferred method of communication on cell phones is with a small keyboard. Incredibly, people prefer to play cryptic messages on a miniature keyboard instead of using verbal communication. Emoticons are used to further emphasize the skillful art of texting.

So many emotion icons have been set in the text message directories. If you’re not sure what a text message icon means, simply visit one of the many text message directories to find out what it means. These icons have found their way into most forms of communication today. Even the business world is not immune to these fanciful characters.

Emoticons have become so familiar and widely used; the business world has begun to accept them. Many people use text icons in emails at work. However, its use is usually limited to emails between co-workers. It would be inappropriate to send professional emails to clients that contain the use of icons. Many people rely on emotion icons in emails to avoid misunderstandings. Emails cannot convey the tone of verbal communication. Also, many misunderstandings have been caused by a poorly worded email. Many people lack sufficient writing skills to develop an effectively crafted email. In most cases, people rarely have time to reflect on whether they will understand all the sentences they write. Emails are created in a matter of minutes. It’s almost like there’s a race to hit the submit button. Many email writers use emoticons because the icons are quick and easy to use.

Unfortunately, many young people have become accustomed to using emoticons and text messages. Many HR professionals have reported the use of both on resumes. Additionally, school teachers have reported its use in essays and exams. While many employees may use emoticons and texting slang in emails to co-workers, it is still considered inappropriate in professional correspondence such as job applications. Also, these symbols are not acceptable in professional business correspondence. A vendor or customer does not want to receive a letter sprinkled with icons. Emoticons are useful in the business world; however, its use should be limited to the employee email system.

Evolution of emotion icons

While emotes can be built with one or three keystrokes, many people turn to animated emotes. Text emoticons are still used in cell phone text messages, however, due to the popularity of their use, many cell phone companies have developed animated icons. Also, many programs allow you to download animated icons. With the click of a button, you can have a happy face emoticon that smiles with a thumbs up or rolls your eyes with the classic “whatever.”

Smiley face emoticons are now considered a classic. While these emoticons are still popular, they have changed. These little characters have developed legs, hands and hair. Many programs allow you to customize the emoticons. You can add hats, clothes, jewelry and change the color of the eyes. Customizing these icons is a creative way of expression in the virtual world. Emoticons have become as diverse as the world’s population.

Almost every Internet culture has developed its own emoticons. The smiley face is an international symbol and has been adapted to represent many cultures, including Mexican, Irish, Asian, and Australian, among others. Emoticons evolved from a simple use of colons and parentheses to fun icons with style.

Today’s modern emoticons can talk, sing and laugh. Emoticons are no longer limited to smiley faces. Almost any icon or character that expresses a human emotion is considered an emoticon. Many different shapes include puppies, cats, aliens, and dancing bananas. In the online world, these icons electronically convey human emotion in a whimsical way and are only limited by the human imagination. Anyone can create emoticons using online software programs dedicated to creating these eclectic icons.

The evolution of emoticons continues. These characters will continue to change as technology changes. If you agree that Scott Fahlman is the original creator of the emoticon, these iconic characters will soon be turning 30 years old. As emoticons continue to develop, no one knows what the next generation of emoticons will look like. Rest assured, these emoticons will continue to help humans express their emotions in the cyber world.

The way people communicate has changed significantly since Scott Fahlman wrote his first smiley emoticons on the computer. Most likely, he had no idea that the little symbol would win over a generation and become an important communication tool. For the younger generation, emoticons are an important tool for self-expression.

Emoticons are meant to be silly and funny. It is a simple way to express emotions in cyberspace. However, it should not replace the art and creativity of written language. It seems as if we are going back to the use of symbols instead of eloquently written words. While emoticons can enhance casual online banter, they have no real-world application.

Emoticons are perfectly acceptable in online chats and social networking sites. However, its use is not acceptable in the professional world other than in informal emails. Symbols should not be used to enhance a resume and should never be used when completing a job application. This is a humorous tool to convey human emotions in an impersonal online world. Emoticons will continue to be part of the virtual world.