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Virtual body language describes the use of symbols within traditionally text-based online communication to represent subtleties, emotions or to denote context. As online communication evolved through the late 1970s and the early 1980s, text based images known initially as ‘smileys’, and then later ‘emoticons’, began to grow in popularity. (Krohn, 2004, p.322) These are now prevalent, and relatively standardized, within email and widely popular instant messaging services such as MSN and Yahoo Messenger.
Emoticons are graphic representations of facial expressions that many e-mail users embed into their messages. These symbols are widely known and commonly recognized among computer-mediated communication (CMC) users, and they are described by most observers as substituting for the nonverbal cues that are missing from CMC in comparison to face-to-face communication. (Walther and D’Addario, 2001, p.324). The denotation of the human face offers universally recognizable expressions and emotional connotations. The use of such tools can ensure that messages are not misinterpreted and that statements, which may be jokes or sarcastic comments, do not offend. (Cranford, 2004, p.246)
There is contention over who created and proposed the use of virtual body language imagery that is currently used today. Scott Fahlman claims to have introduced the most basic emoticons, or ‘simleys’ as they were then known, on the Carnegie Mellon University bulletin board on the 19th of September 1982. Fahlman’s invention was rediscovered by Microsoft employee Michael Jones through an ‘archaeological computing effort’ founded in early 2002, who, after hearing anecdotes of Fahlman’s proposals decades before, decided to restore and examine message threads from the early 1980s. (Jones, 2002) Though it has been alleged that a man by the name of Kevin Mackenzie introduced a very similar emoticon, meaning ‘tongue in cheek’, in 1972. (Lowe, 2003) As communication records can often be altered, and there is a great expanse of data to investigate, there is often great difficulty in finding validity within such claims.
Early users of the internet and online communication were often constrained by the graphic limitations of the technology of the time. Facial expressions could only be constructed through the use of text-based symbols found on most computer keyboards, which seemingly offered little variety in expression. The most common of these creations was the :-) symbol, which was commonly referred to as a ‘smiley’, coining the original term for later symbols to embellish. Later evolutions of these ‘smileys’ include:
Many forums and discussion boards now offer emoticon reference guides and databases, the biggest being that of Japan’s Channel 2 site, which offers a database of over 21,000 different emoticons. (Williams, 2003)
Instant messaging programs such as MSN and Yahoo Messenger are now altering the traditional formats of emoticons, by introducing more accurate depictions of human faces within their programs. Symbol recognition can also turn many of the most commonly known text constructed expressions, directly into images, many of them now animated. Third parties can now provide more graphic based emoticons after Yahoo and Microsoft released size and programming requirements for their software. The range of emoticons available for commoin use is now poised to expand exponentially.
Cranford, C. (2004) “A Generational approach to using emoticons as nonverbal communication�?, Technical Communication, 52 (2): 246, ISBN: 00493155.
Jones, M. (2002) ““Joke�? conversation thread in which the :-) was invented�?, URL: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~sef/Orig-Smiley.htm [accessed: 26/9/05]
Krohn, F. (2004) “Using emoticons�?, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 34: 321-328, ISBN: 00472816.
Lowe, R. (2003) “A brief history of smiley’s�?, URL: http://www.nerdtimes.com/emoticons/ [accessed: 26/9/05]
Walther, J., D’Addario, K. (2001) “The impacts of emoticons on message interpretation in computer-mediated communication�?, Social Science Computer Review, 19 (3): 324, ISBN: 08944393.
Williams, M. (2003) “Japanese emoticons 101�? ComputerWorld Canada, 19 (24), ISBN: 11956100.
--Dominic Jarvis 13:23, 26 Sep 2005 (EST)
