Using emoticons in your messages

Pepper said:
When I don't use emoticons I seem to get in trouble. I must remember to do it more often. Emoticons may be misunderstood but so can words. I do my best, that's all I can do.
Click to expand...
The bold part--agreed! Many people only concern themselves with the denotations of words not the connotations they've accumulated over years or in some locales. The subtext of southerner from US saying 'Bless your (his or her) heart is very different than simple dictionary definitions of the words.
 

Just like with words, when in doubt about meaning, i ask. Not that everyone, especially online, will answer a direct question trying to clarify one's perception of what they commented in whatever form. Some want to maintain ambiguity to preserve 'plausible deniability'.
 
Pepper said:
Ha! Been thinking about using the phrase 'Bless you heart' as the Southerners do! @feywon
Click to expand...
Watched this a while back. The only translation i don't agree with is his one for 'Bless your heart', but that may be because he's a guy. The women i knew growing up and now more often use it to mean something like: 'You're so ignorant only divine intervention could help you.'

 
Pepper said:
Ha! Been thinking about using the phrase 'Bless you heart' as the Southerners do! @feywon
Click to expand...
Being from Kentucky I can testify to the fact that there are many things that Bless Your Heart means. Usually a condescending insult. "He really thinks he can fix that, bless his heart." "She thinks that hairstyle is attractive, bless her heart." On occasion it really shows compassion, but rarely!

Personally, I loathe those "old school" southern phrases. It stereotypes people as a whole from the southern states. It's generally used by an older generation that's dying out and doesn't reflect the rest of the population.
 
Some of us have problems with hands and eyes strain and fumbly fingers due to nerve damage damage etc., etc.,
so having emoticons or gifs or shortened English spelling to accentuate points in posts
allows us to participate more often in the forum postings without spending too much time on the keyboard.
This is a senior forum after all...SunglassSmile.gif
cheers..we've still got it

old people.jpg
 
Rose65 said:
Apparently some mean rude things, the vegetable ones. I would hate to inadvertently get that wrong!
Click to expand...
In order to understand the meaning of displayed emoticons, hover over such icons with one's mouse that will display a terse text description.

The Internet lacks non-verbal cues for meaning that direct vocal conversation provides, with tone of voice and facial expressions. Thus can be easily mis-interpreted with text alone. Thus emoticons help an audience understand intent without using embedded distracting text explanations. Especially important for those using sarcasm or making jokes.
 
I use them.

Mostly the heart, the hug, the thumbs-up. Those are hard to misinterpret. I'm a bit careful of using the WOW because I always wonder if it's going to be interpreted as WOW! YOU ARE AWESOME! or WOW! WHAT KIND OF IDIOT ARE YOU?/I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID THAT!

I just wish they had a different WOW! for each one.

Same with the red-faced ANGRY button. Am I angry at what someone did to you or am I angry at what YOU did?

I agree that we need a WTF one for use when WOW! just isn't enough......LOL (not laughing AT you, just laughing, y'know?)
 
feywon said:
Watched this a while back. The only translation i don't agree with is his one for 'Bless your heart', but that may be because he's a guy. The women i knew growing up and now more often use it to mean something like: 'You're so ignorant only divine intervention could help you.'

Click to expand...
Here in the south of England.. they all say the same as the first statements in the video... In the north of the UK .. Scotland , as well..in fact Scotland mostly... they just go straight for the second sentence.. no messing..:ROFLMAO:
 
Rose65 said:
Apparently some mean rude things, the vegetable ones. I would hate to inadvertently get that wrong!
Click to expand...

It's all about context though, so you need not worry. If you sent me a vegetable emoji on here I would understand it was for a recipe. If someone sent me a veg emoji on Tinder (I'm not on there, by the way) I may interpret it differently.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top