In our modern world, emotions are everywhere. Even on those days that seem as ordinary, bland, and just meh, emotions find a way to sneak into our e-lives. They come at us in all shapes and forms – through emojis, emoticons, gifs, and so much more. ππ¬
But you know what? There’s something pretty special about these little digital icons. They’re not just random symbols on a screen. Let us look at them some more.
This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support. Please see the full disclosure for more information. I only recommend products I definitely would (or have already) use myself
Emoticons and Emojis
First Came Emoticons
Emoticon is short for emotion icon, and was the OG emoji, with a twist! Emoticons are simple combinations of characters, such as punctuation marks and letters, arranged in a way that forms a facial expression or emotion. For example, π represents a smiling face, while π represents a sad face.
One of the first examples (though not all experts now are sure of the intended use of the combination of punctuation symbols) is from poet Robert Herrick in 1648, when he wrote, “Tumble me down, and I will sit Upon my ruins, (smiling yet:).“
People were also using Morse code back in the 1800s to express emotions before emojis were even a thing! And of course, there is the classic “x” and “o” for hugs and kisses? Maybe that’s where it all began!
Then along came Scott Fahlman, the computer scientist who introduced the world to the first smiley face emoticons in the 1980s. π From there, it was like a domino effect – more and more emoticons started popping up everywhere! ππ’
But as technology evolved, so did emoticons!
Then Came Emojis
Fast forward to today, and we’ve got emojis – the cool, colorful cousins of emoticons! ππ They’re based on key commands and drawn icons, and they come in all shapes and sizes. From cute animal faces to delicious food icons (yes, even the famous smiling pile of poo π©), emojis have taken the digital world by storm!
The word emoji comes from Japanese e (η΅΅, ‘picture’) + moji (ζε, ‘character’). According to the wikipedia article, the connection between the word emoji and the word emoticon is purely coincidental.
Emojis are like the superheroes of our digital conversations. We can use those cute little icons to convey emotions, ideas, and even entire stories with just a single tap! π¦ΈββοΈπ₯ They are so popular that in 2015,Oxford Dictionaries named π (face with tears of joy) its Word of the Year!
So next time you’re texting or chatting online, don’t forget to sprinkle in some emojis or throwback emoticons to mix things up! πβ¨
(source: various including techopedia, wikipedia, emoticon-wiki)
The E Books
Emma Dilemma
Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O’Connell George with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter (Children’s Sibling Books/poetry | 6 -9 years, and up)
Description: Emma is Jess’s little sister . . . and her dilemma. How can one small girl be sweet, funny, imaginative, playful, and affectionate as well as a clinging vine, brat, tattletale, and nuisanceβall at the same time?
EstEEmated Evaluations: Enchanting, entertaining, emotive..
Everywhere Blue
Everywhere Blue by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz (Novels in Verse | 8 – 12 years, and up)
Description: A brother’s disappearance turns one family upside down, revealing painful secrets that threaten the life they’ve always known.
EstEEmated Evaluations: Emotional, engaging, educational, for everyone!
The Everyday Poem and etcs (for this day)
Eccentric Extraneous Exceptions…
NaPoWriMo’s day five prompt was to take a look at Alicia Ostrikerβs poem, βThe Blessing of the Old Woman, the Tulip, and the Dog.β And then write about how a pair or trio very different things would perceive of a blessing or, alternatively, how these very different things would think of something else (luck, grief, happiness, etc).
What They Heard
That joke they heard the other day
While eavesdropping on the subway
It was clever, with heart, also a bit sly
Each of them heard it, but with a different eye..
The kids (grownups now) ROTFLed so very hard
Their laughter echoed wide and far.
She cautioned them gently, “Pause, take a breath,
Else suffocation might steal this moment of mirth.”
The dad, having heard it with one eye
(You know what I mean)
Gazed at his offspring, wondering why
And how as well this could be unseen!
(Was a altogether different matter
That the joke cracked him up an hour after!)
As for her, tears welled up instantly
Donβt ask me, I know not the reason
Maybe it brought up a memory
Or unlocked some long forgotten emotion.
That joke they heard the other day
Well, it took each of them in a different way
But what it did happen right then and there
Was simply what is human nature.
~ Vidya @ LadyInReadWrites
Can I Say it in Emojis Instead?
ππ
πβ€οΈπ¦
ποΈπποΈπποΈπποΈπ
π§π¦ππππ
πππ
π©βπ«π¬”π,π«£,π¬οΈ
π«π«£ππββοΈππ€£”
π¨βπ§βπ¦ποΈπ
π€π
π€·ββοΈβοΈ
π΅οΈββοΈβ
(π€£β³)
π’π§
β
ππ
ππ
πποΈπ
πππ
~ π₯ππ©βπΌ
the etcs
My E name from India (not too many I can think of) is Ekta which means unity.
As for the songs, one song I enjoyed (and loved when my dad sang it too) is Kishore Kumar’s Eena Meena Deeka (a fun entertainer of a song) and you can watch it here. Another sweet romantic Bollywood song is below:
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, do let me know if you have read any of the books listed today? Which book would you pick first? Will you attempt a poem today? If you do, donβt forget to share it with me!
I am linking up to A-Z, Blogchatter, UBC, NaPoWriMo
And you can find all my A-Z posts (this year and previous yearsβ as well) here:
Nice job with E. I have to search sometimes to figure out what the emoji’s mean LOL
Janetβs Smiles
These look like some awesome books. I always love using emojis! They’re fun.
I never realized there was so much history behind those little digital icons we use every day. Learning about their origins and evolution was truly fascinating. Now, whenever I use emojis, I’ll appreciate them even more knowing their backstory.
I can’t believe you translated a poem in emojis lol….That is so awesome…wow….I love it.
You are always so creative! This is a fun look at emojis and different ways of expressing words and emotions.
Wow, what a fascinating dive into the world of emoticons and emojis! π It’s incredible how these little symbols have evolved over time. And those craft ideas are perfect for keeping the little ones entertained. Thanks for sharing such an informative and fun post!
I find myself having to restrain myself from using emojis in everyday text messages to avoid appearing juvenile, but emojis can say so much! Haha. I appreciated the little history of other shorthand. It will be interesting to see what we do next to send messages even more efficiently!
I find emojis to be a fun and effective way to convey tone in written communication. They add a touch of personality and help clarify the intended emotion behind the text.
Loving this post and I do so love to use emojis when posting as I feel like it brightens up a post and makes it stock out as compared to those without. I also love using GIF’s whenever I message my mom and my husband…. just a fun waty to express yourself!
I witness the evolution of emoticons to emojis. I love that you can express your emotions by using one emojis. It is so fun to use them.
I can’t imagine a world without emojis. Sometimes that is the best way to express what you’re trying to say in words.
Nice job withbthe letter E…esoecially when uou got to the End!
I love using emojis to describe my feelings or emotions. I donβt use them too often at the moment but then again I donβt have a significant other or spouse.
This sounds so much fun, and the books that you shared sound so amazing. Thanks for sharing this love ly poem about e.
I never really knew the backstory on emotion icons (aka the emoji). Thanks for sharing!