6 upvotes, 2 direct replies (showing 2)
View submission: Are emojis really that bad on here?
In my opinion:
Emojis are lazy. We're on reddit. As in "have you read it?" This is primarily a written word site and words have primacy. So use them.
An emoji rarely contributes anything interesting or useful. Once in a while they are amusing. They are the lowest-effort post available. If you can't be bothered to contribute anything to the conversation, why even show up?
Emojis are confusing. What does an upside down smiley face/Easter Island head/two eyes and a mouth mean? Does it mean the same thing to you as it does to me? Why include it in a conversation when you could use your words to explain yourself clearly? There's no subtlety or nuance to emojis. They muddy conversational waters. (They also become a kind of 'in group' speak, excluding others. Why do that on a site that's sharing information?)
If you need an emoji to explain the tone of your comment, you need to rewrite your comment.
In short, they are the bluntest tools you can find. Why choose to use them when you have actual language with all its richness and variety available to you?
Comment by PomPomsforLlamLlams at 07/03/2022 at 05:47 UTC*
8 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Thank you for explaining your opinion. I think I disagree mostly because I think this is a form of linguistic gatekeeping. Read on to learn more!
Your first point is that emojis do not contribute to a conversation. This doesn't match my experience - some of the most hilarious texts I've ever received were a single emoji; delightfully unexpected or illuminating a connection that hadn't occured to me. (Although in fairness to your second point, these were part of larger conversations and were sometimes inside jokes). More importantly, not everyone is able to contribute at the same level. For some "showing up" with an emoji is the contribution that can be managed at that point in time. All levels of contribution should be respected.
You are correct that emojis are ambiguous. However, all language is inherently imprecise and all communication contains some form of ambiguity. I think when emoji are used skillfully (especially in conjunction with text) they can create clarity by communicating tone or subbing in for nonverbal communication.
Finally, making a distinction between "actual language" and emoji is gatekeeping, similar to "you cannot use contractions; they are improper" or only considering certain dialects of English "proper." The reality is that language is a constantly changing, churning mess. The meanings and pronunciation of words change constantly. What was once considered proper is now archaic, and what is considered proper today will eventually suffer the same fate.
All of that aside: I find the argument that emoji, especially excessive emoji, wreak havoc on screen readers persuasive - although this may be more an argument that those softwares need to be improved! And although I would like to live in a world where linguistic style is never a barrier to anyone, that's not the world we love in; perhaps reddit is a good place to practice code switching to a more formal writing style, part of which is limiting emoji usage.
TLDR: emoji can be used both skillfully and unskillfully, just like any other aspect of language. People should not be dismissed or looked down upon because of their emoji usage.
Comment by sofwithanf at 07/03/2022 at 00:36 UTC
3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I miss emojis so much. I typically have a blunt way of speaking, and my favourite tones to use while replying to people can be conveyed so much more easily with a few well-placed emojis: how do you convey mock outrage and sarcasm-but-not-really and 'I'm not being blunt I'm just being totally neutral and giving the facts with no judgement at all' in word form without ruining the vibe? You can't.