With the advent of internet technology, online addiction has become rampant, especially among the younger generation. I admit that I’m an internet addict, but not one that plays online computer games, or meet random acquaintances through the internet.
I am an emoticon addict.
“An emoticon is a short sequence of keyboard letters and symbols that signifies a facial expression or emotion.”
I am a hardcore emoticon user, especially when it comes to chatting online. A random check on my Windows Live Messenger (or rather known fondly as “msn”) list revealed that I have about 240 emoticons saved in the program!
I love to use emoticons as they accentuate the emotions in the conversations you make online. Just like the non-verbal cues when conversing in real life, emoticons carry an emotional aspect and can give different interpretations to sentences. It also makes the conversation more informal, relaxed, and jovial! I tend to feel uneasy when some of my friends converse with me using full sentences and well structured messages.
However, I do feel that emoticons are best left out of formal correspondences. You can say that it’s almost equal to me not calling my superiors by their given name! Therefore, when I correspond with lecturers or business correspondences via e-mail, I always try to refrain from using smileys at the end of every sentence.
But how long can formal e-mail correspondences last? With the informal setting of msn and e-mail, attempting to structure your sentences so formally all the time can be rather impossible! We are so used to emoticons that it is only a matter of time before we would put that smiley face at the end of the sentence!
I am currently working on a research project with a clinical pharmacist at the
I also find it hard to interpret what the writer is feeling without the use of emoticons. At times, I thought that I have offended or disappointed them in some way, only to find out otherwise when I meet them in person. As a part time intern at a local radio station, I correspond with the station manager mainly through e-mails. His responses always sound condescending and sarcastic e.g. “I’m very busy now, ask someone else”. However, whenever I talk to him in person, he is very friendly and flamboyant!
So what do you think about emoticons? Do you think they’re necessary for online communications? Or has the gratuitous use of emoticons eroded the emotional aspect it brings to online communication?
Also, should they be used in formal settings? Or should they just be left for friends?
As you might guess, I too like the use of emoticons. Hey, it's another form of communication. (Of course, there is a specific time and place for every form/symbol of communication, from the middle finger to the most formal hello.)
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to use emoticons in blogging. Do you?
I agree that emoticons have become so commonly used, be it in text messaging or email, that I feel uncomfortable if I leave it out. I feel that this may be because we use them too flippantly, resulting in us interpreting each others' message by the type and number of emoticons used. This may or may not be a bad thing. Emoticons are effective in conveying our feelings with minimal effort, i.e. without having to type out the word or phrase describing how we feel. They are also visual images that may serve to evoke intended emotions more than mere words. However, misunderstandings may easily arise between some people who are used to receiving emoticons and others who may not have the habit of including them in their message.
ReplyDeleteI don’t normally include emoticons in formal letters though because I don’t think they are necessary. Formal letters usually have a neutral tone and adding emoticons would appear superfluous. Substituting words for emoticons in formal letters would also seem unprofessional.:)
*The smiley face here is an example of an emoticon I guess,and I think I included it to make the last sentence sound less offensive.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Chee Kiang,
ReplyDeleteThough I do not have the habit of using emoticons in my emails and such, I must agree that they do inject personal touch and emotions to the conversation. Not only do they accentuate the emotions, it often clears any ambiguity in the tone that may cause some misunderstandings to arise. If you ask me, I would say emoticons would be best kept with informal online communication. I feel it is not so much that emoticons may seem unprofessional but rather it will lead to people being less professional because they might rely on emoticons to express themselves so much so that they would be less particular about the phrasing of their sentences. We all know it takes great effort to draft a formal letter, thus it would be tempting to totally rely on emoticons to express ourselves. I guess in cases like business correspondences, we just got to stick to the traditional way.
Hey Chee Kiang,
ReplyDeleteGlad to meet another emoticon 'freak', the first being me. Like Terence, I do not have the habit of using them in e-mails, but I sure do use them A LOT in sms. It is true that at times, they seem to relay emotions better than any number of words ever could.
Nowadays, the use of emoticons has become so popular that there seems to be an emoticon corresponding to every possible emotion fathomable! Which is a good thing given the fact that emoticon addicts like us aren't complaining.
Cheerz!
Brad: I can guess as much that you're an emoticon user! I think that people are also getting used to emoticons in the formal setting, but limited to a few symbols such as the yellow face smileys! I won't be giving you a heart emoticon "<3" now would I?
ReplyDeleteI've attached a link here on how to use emoticons in blogs!
http://mltan100.blogspot.com/2008/02/use-emoticon-on-blogger-blog.html
Grace: Hi Grace! I agree with you that formal settings tend to have a more neutral tone to it. But say if you have been corresponding with a particular person for a very long time, will you "let loose" eventually? =)
ReplyDeleteTerence: Hmm, I didn't analyze the use of emoticons as eroding the way we phrase our sentences! Thanks for bringing that up! Like my question to Grace, after a long period of correspondence, will you insert that smiley somewhere? =D
ReplyDeleteDhinesh: You know you are an emoticon 'freak' when you naturally type out ":" and ")" after each sentences in our text messages!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, when will you be on-air again!?
Wow !!! nice information,this blog is really interesting i love reading it.thanks for shearing this lovely information with us.
ReplyDeleteFun Games