Emoticons
Everyday, people around the world send out millions of emails and text messages. There has never been a period n history where so much correspondence is involved. It is a fact that people have no idea how to write neither do they have any idea how to interpret because an innocent email sent can result in many different interpretations – enthusiastic and sneering.
The inability of people to interpret their true feelings and emotions has resulted in the creation of the emoticons as there are too few cues in email communication. A transcript in TheMediaReport (2007) showed the discussion presented by Antony Funnell relating to this issue.
Summary
American professor Scott Fahlman from Carnegie Mellon University invented the original emoticon made up of typing a colon, a hyphen and a parenthesis on 19th September 1982 as a result of the inability of some people (his students) to accurately interpret emotions or intentions of email.
Everyday, people around the world send out millions of emails and text messages. There has never been a period n history where so much correspondence is involved. It is a fact that people have no idea how to write neither do they have any idea how to interpret because an innocent email sent can result in many different interpretations – enthusiastic and sneering.
The inability of people to interpret their true feelings and emotions has resulted in the creation of the emoticons as there are too few cues in email communication. A transcript in TheMediaReport (2007) showed the discussion presented by Antony Funnell relating to this issue.
Summary
American professor Scott Fahlman from Carnegie Mellon University invented the original emoticon made up of typing a colon, a hyphen and a parenthesis on 19th September 1982 as a result of the inability of some people (his students) to accurately interpret emotions or intentions of email.
(Example of the Original Emoticon)
In this modern age, software has turned these graphics into fairly ugly yellow things, combined with animation. However, a lot of mail still maintains the original characters as they dare not mess with the emoticons that have already been established and understood worldwide. Agreeing to this, Schirato & Yell (1996, p.109) said that ‘ for any text to be recognizable and readable it must draw upon already established and shared set of meaning’.
(Example of current Emoticon graphics)
Email Etiquette
Similarly, the discussion presented by Antony Funnell stated that email is a symbol of the way we treat each other where it reflects the kind of person we are in reality. Email etiquette can be categorized into two parts, formality (the way we address a person in the email) and the occasion (it should not be used to express feelings, especially in sending out an apology).
Few good email etiquette include:-
- Not writing in CAPITALS
- Be concise to the point
- Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
- Keeping your language gender neutral
- Not forwarding virus hoaxes and chain letters
Similarly, the discussion presented by Antony Funnell stated that email is a symbol of the way we treat each other where it reflects the kind of person we are in reality. Email etiquette can be categorized into two parts, formality (the way we address a person in the email) and the occasion (it should not be used to express feelings, especially in sending out an apology).
Few good email etiquette include:-
- Not writing in CAPITALS
- Be concise to the point
- Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
- Keeping your language gender neutral
- Not forwarding virus hoaxes and chain letters
Bad email etiquette include:-
- Bacn – ‘email you want but not right now’. It differs from spam as recipient has somehow signed up to receive it.
- Bacn – ‘email you want but not right now’. It differs from spam as recipient has somehow signed up to receive it.
Personal Opinion
To conclude, I believe that the genius creation of emoticons used to interpret emotions has played a vital part in the everyday life of urban youths. It has become a natural habit for people to insert emoticons into their emails and text messages. However, emoticons should not be overused to express feeling as face to face communication is always the better option. Similarly, emails should always be personal and good email etiquette ought to be practiced among all email users as generation Y has grew up in the world of texting, instant messaging, emailing and social networking. It has therefore, produced a highly literate generation that knows how to type, spell and use grammar.
References
‘Emoticons and email etiquette’ 2007, TheMediaReport, ABC.Net.Au, viewed on 12 November 2008, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2064342.htm
Schirato, T & Yell, S 1996, Communication and cultural literacy: an introduction, Allen & Unwin, NSW, pp. 90-117
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