close
test_template

Emojis Are not a Complete Language though They Are Important Today

About this sample

About this sample

close

Words: 664 |

Page: 1|

4 min read

Published: Mar 14, 2019

Words: 664|Page: 1|4 min read

Published: Mar 14, 2019

The digital age has brought with it many innovations in technology. The creation of emojis is one such innovation that has remained a firm fixture in the use of language in the digital arena since its introduction in the 1990s (Alshenqeeti). Indeed, it could also be said that the use of emojis has become so widespread that in theory, whole (digital) conversations could be held using only these digital pictograms. Interestingly, emojis carry many features of modern language and sometimes seem to hold universal meaning. If this is the case, perhaps emojis could then be considered as a complete language on their own. However, it is more likely that they are an efficient way of supporting the otherwise somewhat emotionless, toneless language used on social media and messaging platforms but lack some of the key characteristics required to make them an actual language.

'Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned'?

There are many ways in which emojis help to enhance or support language. Primarily, they add to the emotion being conveyed by the writer in a situation where the reader otherwise has no other cues (visual or auditory) to connect with the writer’s meaning. For example, one could use the “tears of laughter” emoji after writing “this was so funny!” in reacting to a funny incident to convey that he/she found it extremely funny. In this instance, the reader will not mistake it for sarcasm or irony. However, if the writer was being sarcastic, he/she could perhaps add in the “eye-roll” emoji or “smirking face” emoji to convey that he/she is being sarcastic. In some instances, the writer need not even use any words to convey meaning. Emojis such as the “Christmas tree” emoji and the “gift” emoji could be used together to convey the idea of “Christmas present” or a combination of the “walking man” emoji and the “hospital” emoji could be used to mean “going to the hospital”. Therefore, it is clear that emojis could be used for the purpose of conveying short messages as well as for supporting the language.

An interesting emoji to analyze in this respect is the “eggplant” emoji which is simply a purple vegetable. However, given its phallic shape and the widespread use of dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr or Bumble, it seems to have taken on a new meaning. In fact, the American Dialect Society has even named this emoji the “Most Notable Emoji” of 2015 (Dictionary.com).The emoji is now mostly used for sexual innuendo (Dictionary.com) and a parallel could be drawn between its multiple meanings and polysemous words in linguistics. As it is used to convey sexual intent and imply sexual activity it is possible to identify its relationship to speech acts and implicature. In this respect, the “smirking face” emoji can also be used in many contexts- to convey the use of sarcasm, to indicate smugness, to indicate a shared inside-joke and sexual innuendo. This emoji then becomes an indicator of tone, mood and implied meaning.

However, emojis are not necessarily always efficient when used alone. For example, upon analyzing a corpus of over 30 million Tweets of British and American English, Italian and Spanish, it was found that not all emojis had universal meaning and that the meaning of the same emojis differed according to geographical location, habits and behavior associated with the relevant cultures (Barbieri et al). Therefore, there is a possible margin for misunderstanding when it comes to the use of emojis as a stand-alone language. Furthermore, although they enhance existing forms of language in a creative manner, they could not possibly hold their own in a fluent or complex face-to-face conversation like verbal or sign-languages do (Brown).

Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.

Although emojis enhance written/typed communication, they are not yet components of a stand-alone language as they are not necessarily specific in nature and cannot be used in conversations outside digital means. Therefore, their efficiency in enhancing language is left indisputable, but it is clear that they lack vital characteristics to make them an actual language in their own right.

Image of Dr. Oliver Johnson
This essay was reviewed by
Dr. Oliver Johnson

Cite this Essay

Emojis Are Not a Complete Language though They Are Important Today. (2019, March 12). GradesFixer. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/emoji-language/
“Emojis Are Not a Complete Language though They Are Important Today.” GradesFixer, 12 Mar. 2019, gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/emoji-language/
Emojis Are Not a Complete Language though They Are Important Today. [online]. Available at: <https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/emoji-language/> [Accessed 29 Mar. 2024].
Emojis Are Not a Complete Language though They Are Important Today [Internet]. GradesFixer. 2019 Mar 12 [cited 2024 Mar 29]. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/emoji-language/
copy
Keep in mind: This sample was shared by another student.
  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours
Write my essay

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

close

Where do you want us to send this sample?

    By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

    close

    Be careful. This essay is not unique

    This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

    Download this Sample

    Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

    close

    Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

    close

    Thanks!

    Please check your inbox.

    We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

    clock-banner-side

    Get Your
    Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

    exit-popup-close
    We can help you get a better grade and deliver your task on time!
    • Instructions Followed To The Letter
    • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
    • Unique And Plagiarism Free
    Order your paper now