Emoticons in E-communications

For the most part, I'm with you -- it's especially alarming when (1) the messages don't even distinguish between the "LOL" and the rest of the sentence (so it looks like this):

"I told her she looked ridiculous and she didn't know what to say lol"

Or (2) EVERY sentence ends with it, like some bizarre form of adjunct punctuation:

"I know what you mean LOL! I went there, too, and couldn't find what I wanted LOL! So I left LOL!"

I don't mind it from time to time --- not everyone can clearly articulate that they're kidding or joking in their Facebooking or e-mailing so it sometimes helps -- but a little goes a long way.

Just my opinion, of course.

If you need emotes and random LOLs to emphasise the tone of your post, there's something wrong with the words you chose.

I guess I see nothing wrong with using them if you want or. Of using them if you don't. Lol!

randi.lee said:

I've noticed this with many people I know or talk to via e.mail, forum, text and/ or any other kind of electronic media: if a sentence or conversation isn't finished with an "lol" or "roflmao" or six smiley faces the person construes my message as me being rude, harsh or mean.

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0_o

Lemme get this straight--you're communicating with people who get offended when you don't spam your messages with emotes and acronyms?

Dude. If it were me, I wouldn't be on texting terms with them much longer.

Shadow_Ferret said:

I guess I see nothing wrong with using them if you want or. Of using them if you don't. Lol!

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I don't think it's a matter of wrong, it's a matter of need. Novels, short stories, articles, essays, etc., have managed to get the point across for centuries without such help.

At best, the emoticon is a poor crutch.

I will say they work much better as a reply. Someone sends you a joke, and an emoticon is a quick way of saying you think it's funny.

But when used in an original post, they don't come across very well.

Or so it seems to me. I think I've used one in my life, just to see what it was like, and I don't think I've ever received one in an e-mail.

Does anyone else have this morbid desire to see the time jamesritchie tried out an emoticon? LOL!

Occasionally. Some friends are big on the LOLs and smileys, others, not so much. My language and emoticon use shifts accordingly.

It doesn't bother me. Emoticons aren't evil*.

*Unless you know something I don't.

KalenO said:

Does anyone else have this morbid desire to see the time jamesritchie tried out an emoticon? LOL!

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Emoticons convey information to the reader, and do so quite economically. I could write more elaborate text that would get across the point that what I am saying should not be taken literally, but in something short like a quick note, emoticons work. I use them only sparingly, they can easily be overused.

Some people use them when they ARE serious, in a sort of mixed message meant to soften the impact of a harsh statement.

One thing that annoys me is what I call the "argumentum ad LOL", where a person just says LOL as if that actually refuted something.

My favorite is ROFBNL - Rolling on the floor, but not laughing.

I think emoticons serve a good function. They arose to meet a need.

randi.lee said:

I've noticed this with many people I know or talk to via e.mail, forum, text and/ or any other kind of electronic media: if a sentence or conversation isn't finished with an "lol" or "roflmao" or six smiley faces the person construes my message as me being rude, harsh or mean.

I know without body language and vocal inflection it can be difficult to grasp the context of a message, but this is getting a little silly IMO. Has anyone else had similar experiences with this emote craze? How do you feel about it?

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I despise emoticons and acronyms like "lol." I ask people not to use them in private correspondences with me, and I stay away from people who use them whether in public or in private.

richcapo said:

I despise emoticons and acronyms like "lol." I ask people not to use them in private correspondences with me, and I stay away from people who use them whether in public or in private.

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That seems a rather strong reaction, to prefer to lose or annoy friends rather than accept some common online abbreviations. IMHO that would be a bit like refusing to converse with anyone who uses contractions or slang.

Ctairo said:

Occasionally. Some friends are big on the LOLs and smileys, others, not so much. My language and emoticon use shifts accordingly.

It doesn't bother me. Emoticons aren't evil*.

*Unless you know something I don't.

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Oh, but I do! Someone finally caught on

I've found this one fairly useful:

randi.lee said:

I've noticed this with many people I know or talk to via e.mail, forum, text and/ or any other kind of electronic media: if a sentence or conversation isn't finished with an "lol" or "roflmao" or six smiley faces the person construes my message as me being rude, harsh or mean.

I know without body language and vocal inflection it can be difficult to grasp the context of a message, but this is getting a little silly IMO. Has anyone else had similar experiences with this emote craze? How do you feel about it?

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I feel the same as you do. lol.

I think they serve a purpose and are fine in moderation. Occasionally, they do help with clarity, especially in short messages.

That said, I think if you find people misconstrue your meaning often, that suggests there may be some greater miscommunication problems going on.

My opinion, emoticons used sparingly serve a purpose much like an exclamation point. Overused, they're about the same as inserting profanity between every two words. They're pointless.

Once in a while I'll use some of the shortcuts like IMO or even LOL, but they're rare and totally dependent on who I'm writing too and my available time. Puma

But...Absolute Write has some great ones! Who could resist?



I don't use LOL much, but I do like a smiley here and there. They're fun.

I think I might be one of the only people on the planet who uses lol literally. I only use it when I actually do laugh out loud.

<---- smiley face emoticon denotes smiling

backslashbaby said:

Oh, but I do! Someone finally caught on

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LOL! Because I did, and I'm too lazy to type "I laughed out loud."

*looks at sentence*

Something is wrong there, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

I guess I don't really get the emote h8 here. I understand not using them in business communications, but personal communications are different. They're supposed to be more relaxed, they should let more of the person's personality come out and if that is through their use of emotes, so be it.

Demanding someone not use them seems akin to asking them not to smile or laugh or even use inflection when you converse with them in Real life. "I don't need those visual cues. If you're a good orator, I should understand your meaning through the words you use."

Jamesaritchie said:

I don't think it's a matter of wrong, it's a matter of need. Novels, short stories, articles, essays, etc., have managed to get the point across for centuries without such help.

At best, the emoticon is a poor crutch.

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I suppose you'll not read the novel I'm working on that relies heavily o. Emotes and acronyms then?

Um, and emoticons are not used much (at all?) in mainstream prose.

Slang, abbreviation, memes, in jokes etc have been used pretty much forever in conversation--and most online stuff is conversation, not literature.

veinglory said:

Um, and emoticons are not used much (at all?) in mainstream prose.

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Didn't you hear? "Lol" is the new "she said, laughingly."