I Hate Emoticons

[hypovolemia]

See, when I see "Now I'm really looking forward to the weekend." the period looks like the guy isn't all that excited about it; if you type it as "Now I'm really looking forward to the weekend!" it shows excitement, but it's the kind of excitement that implies cheering, not the kind that shows someone is happy that their girlfriend is coming over. However, if you type it as "Now I'm really looking forward to the weekend =D" the exact mood intended is conveyed in the text.

That wasn't a particularly good example on my part. I might be able to come up with something better if I were actually in his position and/or cared enough. Anyway, humans have written letters (and novels or poems) for quite a long time. I'm pretty sure that they managed without emoticons. As I said, they are not necessary, just very easy and quick to use. I acknowledge that, but that doesn't mean I have to like them.

Sure, 12 year olds use emoticons, but when used properly it doesn't have to make you look like one. That's like saying 12 year olds use microphones when playing games online, so anyone using a microphone looks like a 12 year old -- or like saying 12 year olds play videogames, and adults shouldn't, for that matter.

It doesn't make any sense, but it doesn't have to, because it's not a conscious act, but an association. When you say "water" some people will immediately think of fire, others of ice. Same thing. And I find your answer very confusing. Please don't try to fry my brain.

Edit: Also, seeing a smiley face in a post directed at me makes me feel like the writer is trying to mock me. Another weird association.

Edit: Also, that 90% figure is a well known case of hyperbole. If it was 90%, written language wouldn't work at all.

I just looked that up. It's only applicable in a certain (very specific) context. Very interesting, but not necessarily a hyperbole. But yeah, still wrong.

 

[370999]

Isb't most of real life communication non-verbal? So emoticons can help getting across whetever you are being sarcastic or serious or what. I do agree that when people add them in completely superflously (Is that a word and did I spell it right? I think one of the answers is no)

 

[Burningsok]

I like using them

com'on they aren't that bad, if used properly

 

[Ice Car]

Doesn't it annoy the shit out of you.

Improper punctuation annoys the shit out of me even more. Doesn't it annoy the shit out of you?

Grammar Nazis annoy the shit out of me don't they annoy the shit out of you?

Umadbro? n_n

And way to ignore all the on-topic responses for that one. >_>

 

[JET1971]

..i.. O.- ..i..

Emoticons are not new created during the internet age. fact is they predate the internet and electric typewriters. they dont bother me unless they are those large ones that space the lines by 2 or more.

 

[Feste the Jester]

I just hate this one:

:3

Good fucking God, do I hate that one!

What does that one even mean?

OT: I like using them on occasion for some conveyance of tone over the internet. Also, because I like the penguin <(").

 

[Ice Car]

Doesn't it annoy the shit out of you.

Improper punctuation annoys the shit out of me even more. Doesn't it annoy the shit out of you?

Grammar Nazis annoy the shit out of me don't they annoy the shit out of you?

Not when they're only kidding around and making jokes that shouldn't get anybody all bent out of shape. I suppose an emoticon could have clarified my original post.

Lmao. I think the TC seriously needs to take a chill pill. ^_^

 

[SillyNilly]

Come on Op, lighten up.

I can understand being annoyed by the overuse of emoticons,

Spoiler: Like so..

but they serve a practical purpose if used wisely! Anonymity on the internet makes it hard to understand emotions and mannerisms.

Besides, this is the only cool emoticon, useful for any situation. Found someone using it on deviantART.

/)^o^(\ Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!

This thread is now 20% cooler.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Anyway, humans have written letters (and novels or poems) for quite a long time.

There's a huge difference in writing a letter and having a conversation, and only since Instant Messaging has been invented we've really been able to have conversations through text. And it's in conversations that emoticons find their use, as a crude replacement for non-verbal communication.

 

[Tulks]

Only when they are overused/ used in the wrong way. For example, A ' ' can show that you are trying to make a joke with your statment, and since you can't pass the tone/ inflection of your voice over the internet, it becomes a valuable tool.

This. In fact, and ;p are pretty much the only ones I use, and only when I'm concerned that word choice hasn't sufficiently conveyed my intended tone.

 

[Klarinette]

I just hate this one:

:3

Good fucking God, do I hate that one!

Yeeeah, I really hate that one. Also this: ^_^; or whatever. Is that a sweat drop or something?

Emoticons annoy me the most when people add noses, though:

 

[nifedj]

Emoticons are useful when you want to have something resembling a conversation online. We don't describe our speech the way we might in books, so when chatting to people it's a nice, shorthand way of expressing your tone/meaning.

 

[Thaius]

I put emoticons on the same level as things like "lol" and "brb." Overuse of them is irritating, yes, but they are part of the way our language has developed in response to the creation of the internet, and it's traceable and understandable as to why it developed in this way. Overuse of them implies a lack of ability to express oneself effectively, but they are the results of natural evolution of a language to cope with social, cultural, and technological advancement, and there is nothing wrong with using them. Condemning them all on principle is kind of stupid.

 

[Falconsgyre]

Emoticons are fine and all, but...

Don't you miss actually having to learn how to write in a way that conveys emotion instead of relying on conversational crutches?

 

[GingieAle]

I do use them sometimes. Like this one: or D: but thats usually only when I'm being a dumb ass joking around, which is pretty much all the time on the internet.

I do however love to use what I like to call verbal emoticons. Example: I am happy face, I am angry face, I am sad face.. You can also use variations of them. Some variations of sad face could be: I am not happy face right now, I am depression face, I am emo face, as well as: I am anger face, I am rage face and I am pissed off face, as variations for angry face. You can also use them as: That is awesome face or that is not happy face.

I use them all the time and have somehow influenced my friends into using them. I hope to infect the internet with my own retarded slang.

 

[Ice Car]

Emoticons are fine and all, but...

Don't you miss actually having to learn how to write in a way that conveys emotion instead of relying on conversational crutches?

Hm, I suppose we should all be very obvious with our sarcasm so we don't have to use an emoticon. Great idea! :3

 

[GundamSentinel]

In written communication they can be very useful in making yourself understood. And I much prefer them to 'lol'.

 

[Ledan]

They are invaluable. Why? Because when texting there is a difference between:
You fucking idiot
You fucking idiot
It allows the tone of your voice to be transmitted. Otherwise we would have to go " Crying my tears out: Whatever."

 

[Plurralbles]

:3 ^.^
@_@ Cool off dude.

I don't mind them.


_
('>')
() ()
""
bird
() ()
(',')
((")(")

bunny


>_> >_> <_<

~''~
(-)
cow >?

 

[5mj7R7yf4Dwr3gdZyyu9PeGNwYjlNrjzuh3iTXQG]

The French emoters [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_punctuation#Irony_mark][footnote]later called emoticons when some text engines would parse out known ones and replace them with actual graphic depictions[/footnote] during the 19th century and it didn't catch on, and the criticism of their extended puntuation still apply.

I've been around since before the more creative ones (e.g. roses, genetalia and other complex pictography).

But I avoid them for general use myself, since I prefer the practice of using literary cues that I'm joking, being ironic or sarcastic. On the other hand, I have used expanded HTTP[footnote]exempli gratia, blurb when I'm lampshading [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LampshadeHanging] my own preachiness.[/footnote] to indicate my own unreliability as a human witness.

The French favored literary tools over pictographic ones, though, granted, they involve longer posts and more skill. I would only ask you be sparing in their use. If you're adding lol[footnote]or XD...[/footnote] to the end of every statement, it makes it seem like you have a nervous chuckle than you actually find things funny. Of course, that may be exactly what you're intending to convey.

238U.