The Rise of Computer Emoji: How We Communicate in the Digital Age
The way we communicate has changed dramatically over the years. With the rise of technology, we now have numerous ways to communicate with each other, most of which involve the use of digital devices. One of the most popular ways to communicate today is through computer emoji. Emoji, which originated in Japan, are now used by people from all over the world to add emotion and personality to their text messages, emails, and social media posts. In this article, we will explore the rise of computer emoji and how they are changing the way we communicate in the digital age.
The History of Computer Emoji
Emoji are a set of pictographs that consist of various facial expressions, objects, and symbols. They were first developed in Japan in the late 1990s by Shigetaka Kurita, an employee at NTT DoCoMo, a Japanese mobile phone operator. Kurita created the first 180 emoji as a way to help Japanese teenagers express themselves in text messages. At the time, Japanese texts had a limit of 70 characters, so Kurita believed that emoji would be a great way to convey emotions and ideas in a limited space.
The first set of emoji were released in 1999 and featured primitive pixelated versions of what we know today. Despite the initial resistance from mobile phone companies, emoji soon took off in Japan and quickly spread to other parts of the world. Today, emoji are an integral part of digital communication and have even been recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary.
The Impact of Emoji on Communication
Emoji have had a significant impact on the way we communicate digitally. They are often used to add context to a message, express emotions, and inject humor into our conversations. According to a report by Emojipedia, the most popular emoji across all platforms is the laughing face with tears of joy, which is used to express happiness or laughter. Other popular emoji include the heart, the thumbs up, and the fire emoji.
Emoji have also been credited with improving reading comprehension in digital communication. In a study conducted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, it was found that the presence of emoji in a text message improved the readers’ ability to correctly decipher the intended tone of the message.
However, the overuse of emoji can also lead to miscommunication. According to linguist Lauren Collister, the context in which an emoji is used can greatly impact its meaning. For example, the eggplant emoji, which is commonly associated with food, has taken on a sexual connotation in certain contexts, leading to misunderstandings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, computer emoji have become an indispensable part of digital communication. From their humble beginnings as a way for Japanese teenagers to express themselves, emoji have become a global phenomenon that allows us to communicate in new and creative ways. While emoji have made digital communication more engaging and fun, they also require users to be aware of the context in which they are being used to avoid misunderstandings. As technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how computer emoji evolve and how they will continue to shape the way we communicate in the digital age.
