How do you perceive emoticons?

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Jonluw

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May 23, 2010
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Hiya escapists, I should be studying right now, but I have nothing even resembling inspiration; so I thought I would ask you this:

When you see an emoticon, how do you read it?

For example, when I see the emoticon "XD", I think "ex-dee", and it takes a little while before I notice the emoticon. Certain other emoticons though, like ":)", I understand at once.

You can use this thread for discussing anything else regarding emoticons as well.
 

SomethingUnrelated

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Aug 29, 2009
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Well, they're supposed to look like facial expressions. So I link it with the facial expression I can most easily recognise it as. Only one I don't get is this one -> :L
 

Supernatural Girl

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May 31, 2009
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I usually understand emoticons easily. Except :L . I really don't get what that is supposed to be! XD and :D are my most used one, 'cause I'm just generally happy person. Go on, check my posts on here. Many of them have some sort of emoticon. :D

EDIT:
Squid94 said:
Only one I don't get is this one -> :L
Effing Ninja-ing Ba***rd :D
 

Benj17

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Mar 10, 2009
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i use :p and :') excessively, mainly because im usually taking the mick out of people

and i still don't get :L unless theres a special font it's supposed to be done in

OT: i get the majoirty of others, though i hate it when people use them out of context e.g. your dog died XD
 

Allan53

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Dec 13, 2007
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I use them on occasion, but generally I don't like them. That said, it's more how people use them that irritate me, for example people using "lol" as punctuation, rather then denoting any actual amusement (yes, I know lol isn't an emoticon, I just meant my reaction to them is similar)
 

Bellvedere

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Jul 31, 2008
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I've never even seen :L before... Weird stuff.

I generally use :D :p :)

Though when people do backwards smileys I tend to read them wrong

:) as :(

I don't know why.
 

Jonluw

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May 23, 2010
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Supernatural Girl said:
But you'd think a disappointed face might look a little more like this -> : / or : [
I think : L has a bit more "meh" to it. Also it reminds me of Pintsize for some reason.

Edit: Upon further examination, it looks slightly worried.
 
Jun 13, 2009
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Squid94 said:
Only one I don't get is this one -> :L
Thank you!

Everyone uses that now and tells me it's a laughing face. Seriously? How many people laugh with half their mouth dangling down and the other half straight. Emoticons are meant to be faces, that's the whole damn point! -descends into incomprehensible ranting gibberish-

Normally I'm fine with all the emoticons. Except for the ones as above. Those aren't faces, just idiocy made mainstream.
 

SomethingUnrelated

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Aug 29, 2009
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The Maddest March Hare said:
Squid94 said:
Only one I don't get is this one -> :L
Thank you!

Everyone uses that now and tells me it's a laughing face. Seriously? How many people laugh with half their mouth dangling down and the other half straight. Emoticons are meant to be faces, that's the whole damn point! -descends into incomprehensible ranting gibberish-
My point exactly! Thank You! And I particularly agree with the whole 'Emoticons are meant to be faces, that's the whole damn point!'.
 

Ironic Pirate

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May 21, 2009
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Supernatural Girl said:
I usually understand emoticons easily. Except :L . I really don't get what that is supposed to be! XD and :D are my most used one, 'cause I'm just generally happy person. Go on, check my posts on here. Many of them have some sort of emoticon. :D

EDIT:
Squid94 said:
Only one I don't get is this one -> :L
Effing Ninja-ing Ba***rd :D
I think it means frowning, but you have a rather major facial scar.

Or drawing/creating, with the tongue stuck out...

some people draw like that. I can't find a picture of it, damn you google!
 

PoliceBox63

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Apr 7, 2010
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I have a wide "vocab" of emoticons seeing as I have free texts to my best friend. Some of them are our own made up ones that resemble mannerisms we do in real-life like :* which means "ah yeah" or "sweet!" for when we make a noise with our lips that I can't describe.
Emoticons add to a conversation imo. They sometimes can clarify when we're being sarcastic and whatnot.
 

infinity_turtles

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Apr 17, 2010
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A forum i used to be active on had :L translate into a drooling smiley, so that's what I usually assume it is. Usually I just translate all emoticons into two things. "I'm annoying" and/or "I'm being sarcastic and want to make sure you understand that"