The Semiotics of Emoji: The Rise of Visual Language in the Age of the Internet (Bloomsbury Advances in Semiotics)

Shortlisted for the BAAL Book Prize 2017 Emoji have gone from being virtually unknown to being a central topic in internet communication. What is behind the rise and rise of these winky faces, clinking glasses and smiling poos? Given the sheer variety of verbal communication on the internet and English's still-controversial role as lingua mundi for the web, these icons have emerged as a compensatory universal language. The Semiotics of Emoji looks at what is officially the world's fastest-growing form of communication. Emoji, the colourful symbols and glyphs that represent everything from frowning disapproval to red-faced shame, are fast becoming embedded into digital communication. Controlled by a centralized body and regulated across the web, emoji seems to be a language: but is it? The rapid adoption of emoji in such a short span of time makes it a rich study in exploring the functions of language. Professor Marcel Danesi, an internationally-known expert in semiotics, branding and communication, answers the pertinent questions. Are emoji making us dumber? Can they ultimately replace language? Will people grow up emoji literate as well as digitally native? Can there be such a thing as a Universal Visual Language? Read this book for the answers. Emoji Have Gone From Being Virtually Unknown To Being A Central Topic In Internet Communication. What Is Behind The Rise And Rise Of These Winky Faces, Clinking Glasses And Smiling Poos? Given The Sheer Variety Of Verbal Communication On The Internet And English's Still-controversial Role As Lingua Mundi For The Web, These Icons Have Emerged As A Compensatory Universal Language. The Semiotics Of Emoji Looks At What Is Officially The World's Fastest-growing Form Of Communication. Emoji, The Colourful Symbols And Glyphs That Represent Everything From Frowning Disapproval To Red-faced Shame, Are Fast Becoming Embedded Into Digital Communication. Controlled By A Centralized Body And Regulated Across The Web, Emoji Seems To Be A Language: But Is It? The Rapid Adoption Of Emoji In Such A Short Span Of Time Makes It A Rich Study In Exploring The Functions Of Language. Professor Marcel Danesi, An Internationally-known Expert In Semiotics, Branding And Communication, Answers The Pertinent Questions. Are Emoji Making Us Dumber? Can They Ultimately Replace Language? Will People Grow Up Emoji Literate As Well As Digitally Native? Can There Be Such A Thing As A Universal Visual Language? Read This Book For The Answers. -- Emoji And Writing Systems -- Emoji Uses -- Emoji Competence -- Emoji Semantics -- Emoji Grammar -- Emoji Pragmatics -- Emoji Variation -- Emoji Spread -- Universal Languages -- A Communication Revolution? Marcel Danesi. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 185-193) And Index. Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1 Emoji and Writing Systems -- Origins of emoji -- Writing systems -- Writing as social practice -- Stylization -- Research method -- Chapter 2 Emoji Uses -- Phatic function -- Emotive function -- Standardization -- Ambiguity -- Culture coding -- Chapter 3 Emoji Competence -- General features -- The emoji code -- Core emoji -- The peripheral lexicon -- Compression -- Chapter 4 Emoji Semantics -- The thesaurus effect -- Framing -- Connotation -- Facial emoji -- Blending -- The power of images -- Chapter 5 Emoji Grammar -- Calquing -- Conceptualization -- Syntactics -- Rebus writing -- Overview -- Chapter 6 Emoji Pragmatics -- Pragmatic competence -- Salutation -- Punctuation -- Other pragmatic functions -- Some relevant questions and findings -- Chapter 7 Emoji Variation -- Cross-cultural variation -- Usage according to nation -- Cultural coding -- Visuality -- Adjacency pair variation -- Cartoon-style literacy -- Chapter 8 Emoji Spread -- Emoji-only writing -- Emoji translations -- Emoji in advertising -- Effort -- Chapter 9 Universal Languages -- Artificial languages -- Blissymbolics -- The emoji code -- Chapter 10 A Communication Revolution? -- The global village -- Emoji as trend -- The future of emoji -- References -- Index Explores what emojis can teach us about language and the future of communication. Emoji have gone from being virtually unknown to being a central topic in internet communication. What is behind the rise and rise of these winky faces, clinking glasses and smiling poos? Given the sheer variety of verbal communication on the internet and English's still-controversial role as lingua mundi for the web, these icons have emerged as a compensatory universal language. The Semiotics of Emoji looks at what is officially the world's fastest-growing form of communication. Emoji, the colourful symbols and glyphs that represent everything from frowning disapproval to red-faced shame, are fast becoming embedded into digital communication. Controlled by a centralized body and regulated across the web, emoji seems to be a language: but is it? The rapid adoption of emoji in such a short span of time makes it a rich study in exploring the functions of language. Professor Marcel Danesi, an internationally-known expert in semiotics, branding and communication, answers the pertinent questions. Are emoji making us dumber? Can they ultimately replace language? Will people grow up emoji literate as well as digitally native? Can there be such a thing as a Universal Visual Language? Read this book for the answers Emoji have gone from being virtually unknown to being a central topic in internet communication. What is behind the rise and rise of these winky faces, clinking glasses and smiling poos? Given the sheer variety of verbal communication on the internet and English's still-controversial role as lingua mundi for the web, these icons have emerged as a compensatory universal language. The Semiotics of Emoji looks at what is officially the world's fastest-growing form of communication. Emoji, the colourful symbols and glyphs that represent everything from frowning disapproval to red-faced shame, are fast becoming embedded into digital communication. Controlled by a centralized body and regulated across the web, emoji seems to be a language: but is it? The rapid adoption of emoji in such a short span of time makes it a rich study in exploring the functions of language. Professor Marcel Danesi, an internationally-known expert in semiotics, branding and communication, answers the pertinent questions. Are emoji making us dumber? Can they ultimately replace language? Will people grow up emoji literate as well as digitally native? Can there be such a thing as a Universal Visual Language? Read this book for the answers.-- From publisher's website Emoji have gone from being virtually unknown to being a central topic in internet communication. What is behind the rise and rise of these winky faces, clinking glasses and smiling poos? Given the sheer variety of verbal communication on the internet and English's still-controversial role as lingua mundi for the web, these icons have emerged as a compensatory universal language. __The Semiotics of Emoji__ looks at what is officially the world's fastest-growing form of communication. Emoji, the colourful symbols and glyphs that represent everything from frowning disapproval to red-faced shame, are fast becoming embedded into digital communication. Controlled by a centralized body and regulated across the web, emoji seems to be a language: but is it? The rapid adoption of emoji in such a short span of time makes it a rich study in exploring the functions of language. Professor Marcel Danesi, an internationally-known expert in semiotics, branding and communication, answers the pertinent questions. Are emoji making us dumber? Can they ultimately replace language? Will people grow up emoji literate as well as digitally native? Can there be such a thing as a Universal Visual Language? Read this book for the answers. The Semiotics of Emoji looks at what is officially the world's fastest-growing form of communication. Emoji, the colourful symbols and glyphs that represent everything from frowning disapproval to red-faced shame, are fast becoming embedded into digital communication. Controlled by a centralized body and regulated across the web, emoji seems to be a language: but is it? The rapid adoption of emoji in such a short span of time makes it a rich study in exploring the functions of language. Professor Marcel Danesi, an internationally-known expert in semiotics, branding and communication, answers the pertinent questions. Are emoji making us dumber? Can they ultimately replace language? Will people grow up emoji literate as well as digitally native? Can there be such a thing as a Universal Visual Language? Read this book for the answers -- publisher's description