Have you ever wondered why people use small images that are neither photos nor videos in between words when communicating on social media? You probably have seen some symbolic images and wondered what the sender means. Not to worry, these symbolic images are what we refer to as emojis.
Emojis are digital icons or pictograms used to express emotions, ideas, or concepts in digital communication. It’s important always to remember that the interpretation of an emoji can vary depending on the context and the individuals involved in a conversation. It is a good idea to consider the audience or the recipient and the potential meanings behind emojis before interpreting or using them.
But first, here are ways you can make your conversation more fun on social media with the use of emojis:
- To Convey Emotions: Emojis often express emotions or feelings in a text-based conversation. For example, you can show you are angry with an angry face 😠 without using the word; conversely, you can show a smiling face 😊 without necessarily using the words.
- To Add Context: Emojis can provide additional context to a message. For example, a thumbs-up sign 👍 can indicate agreement or approval, while a thumbs-down sign 👎 can indicate disagreement or disapproval.
- To Show Humour: Emojis can help convey the intended tone of a message. For instance, adding a moon face 🌚 or a face with a side smile 😏 after a humorous or sarcastic comment.
- To Express Reaction: Emojis are commonly used to react to a message or a post on social media. For instance, a heart ❤️ can express love or appreciation, while a clapping hands emoji 👏 can indicate applause or praise, and a laughing emoji 😂 can indicate humour.
- To replace words: Emojis can sometimes replace words or phrases. For example, this 🤝 can mean “it’s nice to meet you” or “It’s a deal”, 🔕 can represent “silence notifications,”, 🎂 can mean “birthday,” or a camera 📷 can represent “photo” or “picture.” This is often featured in official/playful broadcast messages.
- For Sexual Innuendos: Emojis are often used creatively to conceal certain meanings. For example, sexual meaning or relevant codes peculiar to a group. 🍆 is often used to mean a man’s genitalia, and 🍑 is frequently used for the butt or female genitalia.
- Cultural Expression: Emojis can reflect cultural references or symbols. For instance, flag emojis representing patriotism for a country, traditional clothing, food, or landmarks can be used to highlight cultural identity or celebrate specific events. 🎌🚩
- Minimise sentences: Emojis can help convey a message more succinctly. Instead of using multiple words to describe a situation or the way you feel, a single emoji can often capture the essence of what you want to express. For example, frustration 😫 or indifference 😐
. TheWitness
