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1. Work in small groups. Discuss the questions.
• Do you regularly use emoticons? If so, when?
• Do you think there are any negative consequences of
using emoticons?
• Look at the example of emoticons. What do you think
they mean?
2. Read the article in which three experts discuss the use of emoticons. Whose opinion do you agree with most?
EMOTICONS:
The world’s first emoticon is believed to have been used by computer scientist Professor Scott Fahlman in 1982 after finding that colleagues using online messaging often misunderstood posts and failed to recognise jokes.
The solution came in the form of the ‘smiley’ . Now, emoticons can express everything from surprise to indifference.
We’ve asked four experts in communication to give their opinion on this means of online communication.
