Home #Hwoodtimes Breaking Down The Emoji Disconnect

Breaking Down The Emoji Disconnect

By Tyler Laracca

Denver, CO (The Hollywood Times) 05/062/23 – You just left a first date, and fifteen minutes later, you receive a smiley face with dimples via text message. That’s a great feeling, right? Many of us are familiar with the most frequently used emojis. However, the emoji zeitgeist has changed dramatically in recent years. So much so, that we now have the ability to tell complex stories through images alone. Shout out to the cave paintings of the Paleolithic Era. But what happens when you receive an emoji that’s either too vague or just too “out there?” Luckily, Preply launched a survey to acknowledge which emojis befuddled Americans most. Good news: You are definitely not alone!

Through this study, Preply ranked the 24 most confusing emojis. This roster consists of everything from Money with Wings to Clown Face. All broken down to percentages based on what that specific emoji is used for. Let’s talk about the Sleepy Face emoji that was ranked 8th on the list. It’s most typically used to convey sadness more-so than exhaustion or sleepiness. As you scan through the list and read over the usage statistics, there is an apparent broadness to these symbols. They were created to be used for more than one scenario after all. Therein lies the double-edged sword for these nifty characterizations. With more than one meaning allotted, your response to them really depends on how well you know the person sending them.

Times seemed simpler when traditional text messaging only consisted of a smiley face or a frown. Of course, that was a period in which we diligently trained ourselves to text without looking, a la the “T9 method.” Communication in 2023 can be anything at this point, as technology continues to advance.  A reality that the good folks at Preply acknowledged by launching this survey, with over 1,000 participants ranging between 18 to 76 years old. If you’re feeling a bit out of sorts with the hundreds of emojis living in your phone, or you’re looking to pick up a new language; Preply may be a perfect fit for you.

Check out the full source link to the report

Photo Credit: Preply