Emoji: Do they makes us better communicators?

An emoji or emoticon is an icon used to represent an idea or emotion in electronic communication.

It was designed by Shigetaka Kurita, an employee Japan’s NTT Docomo in the late 1990s in preparation for the debut of i-mode, the world’s first mobile Internet system.

Just to clarify, I will be using emoji in the plural form for this article, though there is still a debate as to whether it should be emoji or emojis. Merriam-Webster lists both plural forms.

Emoji have become inseparable from text messaging and social media. Whether or not you are an emoji power user, chances are, you have noticed how emoji increasingly play a central role in modern day communication.

As we spend more time communicating through lit up screens, billions of text messages and comments on social media are exchanged every single day in different languages, with thousands of emoji thrown in the mix. Their universal appeal is unquestioned.

Lovers woo one another with a heart emoji. We also use them to crack jokes and show tears of joy. We share a triumphant moment with high fives. We even blow kisses to each other.

Emoji bridge the gap between communicating what we intend to say, and how our messages will be interpreted. Strategic use of emoji make up for the absence of verbal and non-verbal cues such as intonation, gestures, facial expressions, and body language. They enrich our digital communications by adding context to what we mean to say.

To some, rampant use of emoji may come across as not taking a conversation too seriously, but on the flip side, not using them at all could make you seem aloof in the eyes of the recipient.

Wouldn’t you agree that adding a smiley face to “Good morning” or “See you later” sets a friendlier tone?

In a blog post published by Instagram in May 2015, it was revealed that emoji account for nearly half of the comments and captions on Instagram.

The platform witnessed a wide adoption of emoji among its users when Apple introduced the emoji keyboard on iOS in October 2011, and on most Android platforms in July 2013.

Even big brands are riding on the emoji trend to appeal to their target audience, as in the case of Coca-Cola’s recently launched marketing campaign on Twitter. Type #shareacoke into a tweet and you get an emoji of two Coke bottles clinking! I can’t remember the last time I had a conversation without the use of an emoji.

Personally I like emoji because they can spice up the most mundane online exchanges. Used correctly, these tiny avatars are able to convey my messages more accurately, specifically in situations when mere words do not come close to reflecting how I feel.