Do you know HOW to use smileys?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
June 19, 2007 10:05am CST
I have one simple but important question. Do you use smileys? Well actually I have another question - do you know HOW to use smileys? Some people term them as emoticons.
Smileys can change the meaning of an expression 180 degrees. Take an example:
Someone said:
I like digging my nose.
I replied:
You are sick!
This likely means that I think you are sick and I am offended by your gross attitude. Not definitely, but likely.
However, if I instead replied:
You are sick! :P
Do you see the difference? The only change is the addition of the ":P". For the uninitiated, look at the :P sideways. Does it resemble a tongue? Well it is supposed to mean me sticking out my tongue at you. So by adding this :P, the meaning is radically altered. Instead of expressing how gross I think you are, I am actually conveying that you are perhaps still gross, but in an adorable way. Most importantly, it means I am just teasing you and we are good friends and no offence is intended.
There are also many other smileys that people use:
;-) :) : :D ^^ Etc.
All these are happy faces and the effect is quite similar to the :P.
So have you been utilizing smileys to spice up your conversations? Have you been using them the right way? Have you been reading them the right way? Do share your thoughts. ;-)
22 people like this
80 responses
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Oh yes princess, I think I would love it very much...
Hmm... what shall I have for dinner?
Pan-fried tongues sound good! Princess, you have more than one? :PPP
2 people like this
@tmlnmr (1850)
• Canada
19 Jun 07
Hey wizard I love smileys in my conversations. Although I am not always sure the keystrokes for them so I don't normally put them on in here just so I don't mess up since they don't actually show up as a smiley. I do use them on a regular basis in IM's and email conversations though. I think they sometimes speak exactly what I am thinking without me having to put in the words. I didn't realize the :P was the one that stuck it's tongue out I was thinking that was just a happy face. LOL I will have to go back to the conversations of mine where you put that in and reread in the proper context. See if I would give the same response. Hehehe.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
They are the same - use the same ones you use there, here.
I think :P is the one I used most often. I just thought to clarify too with this discussion since people might think I am being nasty or sarcastic if they didn't understand the :P.
If the reader does not understand the :P, then they will read it completely wrong. :(
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Just keep them up there. You are smart enough. :P
2 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
19 Jun 07
There is a HUGE difference using smiley's, although I don't do it that often, just seems it is not accepted in the business world as much, but I do sometimes use it on here but mostly with the wink ;) than anything else.
3 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
19 Jun 07
As in using all caps is excited or being mad at .. amazing what a few little keystrokes will leave you thinking about that person
//(*_*)\\
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
lol, pretty girl?
E.g.
When are you sending me that quote? I can't wait!
This sounds like scolding right?
But if among friends or Germans, it may simply mean excited. :P
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
It is less acceptable in the business world. But when you become more of friends, then they are ok. Then, you can also make more liberal use of exclamation marks.
Normally, the ! is like shouting at people.
But when you use it among friends or when you talk to Germans (lol), it just means you are excited/enthusiastic. ^^
2 people like this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
19 Jun 07
Yes I know how to use smileys. Here are a few examples of smileys where you don't have to turn your head LOL! ('',)
I have also seen people use this one (^^,)
Here's another one (**,). Although they differ from the way you do it I still do understand your way.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
There are too many to list here and I am sure a simple search and pull of some quite complete list. I was just giving a wee example. ;0)
2 people like this
@misheleen73 (6037)
• United States
19 Jun 07
I do tend to use them a lot. At the end of a reply I will put a :) if I am pleased or maybe a ;P a wink and a tongue to signify I am teasing. In other forums or in emails I use the real smiley in all their yellow glory..lol. My sister and I when IM'ing will have a smiley battle where we make our smilies do everything from kiss to blow raspberries. I think it is a way to convey your fellings without having to type out (smiles) or (just kidding) etc. I use this one ;P with an especially naughty wizard I know quite frequently... ;P
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
I think I can save smileys when conversing with you. Just pretend it will always end with a smile, okay? :P
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
It's not that hard. It's all a matter of timing. :P
1 person likes this
@misheleen73 (6037)
• United States
19 Jun 07
as long as we're smiling...I am grinning ear to ear.. I got on your first page for once !!! Yee Haw !!
1 person likes this
@andy0469 (139)
•
19 Jun 07
How do bud, hope ya having a good day...
Absolutely, the pressence of a smiley changes the conversation end completely.
It's a bit like a facial expression isn't it? You get to see how the person really feels by the look of their face, frown, smile, snarl etc.
Besides that smileys are cool
:)
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Yup, they are cool. They help bridge the gap somewhat. ^^
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13387)
• United States
20 Jun 07
I do use some of the smileys but not very many of them. I will use the happy face :-) and the sad face :-( most often. Sometimes I will use the hug emoticon or the kiss emoticon if someone says something nice to me or when I am just in a loving and great mood. :-) It is neat that there is some many different types of them that can be used.
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
19 Jun 07
I always wondered why mylot didn't implement the use of emoticons here. It will be so much fun adding it to our responses here. I started using the simple one like :) and :0. Then I learned to use :P from you.
I've seen some posters using animated emoticons and you can read right away what their emotions are. Still, others may not be as quick to grasp the meaning of the emoticons we use.
Here's one that I copied from another site. Just imagine it as the two of us. \(^o\)(/o^)/ Hope you like it.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Does it involve a wet kiss?
*innocent expression*
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
I don't know. I am just a dull guy with no imagination.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
23 Jun 07
I'd like to think that I know how to use smileys, though I don't always use them. =O I kind of use them like I use Internet acronyms...only every once in a while. LOL I certainly don't know how to make all the smileys and I stick to the ones I do know. :P Oh, and I certainly hope I've been reading them the right way! I think I have, but I'm not so sure now! =O Thanks a lot wiz for making me doubt myself! :P LOL
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
23 Jun 07
Just sprinkle some basic smileys and your posts would be tastier lol. :P
1 person likes this
@wealth168 (409)
• Singapore
21 Jun 07
I use smileys sparingly and only those which are popular and commonly used. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the recipient of the message to decipher. It would then defeat the purpose of the communication as I will have to clarify further.
For those who wish to know the meanings of smileys, here is the link: http://www.nerdtimes.com/smileys.htm
Actually, I prefer to use those which are animated as I think they can express the meanings better.
Here is a good website of animated smileys :
http://www.smileydatabase.com/
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
21 Jun 07
Right on. Make sure you use those that others can easily understand. ;-)
1 person likes this
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
20 Jun 07
Being in the chat world since the days of ICQ, I am naturally addicted to Smileys. At one time I knew the key combination to around 50 odd smileys. These days I have restricted myself to :) ;) and :( alone. I don't use most other smileys, though occassionally with a close old friend, I might just slip in a few of the others.
Cheers!
Ram
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 Jun 07
yes I love using smileys. It is yes a way of expressing myself. I don't use smileys not associated with my feelings. this one :P appears to me that the statement before that is meant to be a joke but in some cases, itr also depends.
Actually I have a notebook which is full of smileys on its cover.
:-)
:-,
:-0
:,(
%(
!:-/
[:-)
=8-O
and my favorite of all.. XP and :)
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
19 Jun 07
Well I'm sure you know I'm already a big winker ;0) that is my favourite smiley, although lately I have been feeling :0***( but hopefully soon that will change so I'll be :0) again. So yes smileys are great and when I want to blow the ladies a kiss :0x
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
In fact wolfie, when you use smileys, you force yourself to smile a bit more. Maybe not out loud, but deep inside. Will help your dep*******. :P
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18394)
• Orangeville, Ontario
19 Jun 07
I did have a website that allowed me to copy and paste the smileys whereever I wanted. I imagine it would work on this website. I know it doesn't work on ivillage unless you pay for an annual membership to be able to do fancy things with your posts. I'll see if I can find the website. In the meantime, I do like you and use punctuation marks to indicate my "emotions".
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Nah, no need to fuss over this. I would think the "simple" keyboard ones would suffice. ;-)
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
19 Jun 07
Yes I do sometimes (when I remember). I posted a discussion a while back listing some of them. So I'll share them with you again.
Faces Keyboard Shortcut - Emoticons
:) Smiley Face
(H) Happy face with Shades / Sunglassess H = Hot
:-D Very happy face / Smile with Teeth
:o Shocked or Suprised Face Oh my god!
;) Winking Smiley Cheeky!
:s Confused Smiley Drunk / intoxicated?!
:') Crying Animated Smiley
:( Sad Smiley
(A) Angel face
:-# Shhhhhh! / Don't tell! # is a hash sign - sounds a bit like shhhhh
:-* I'll tell you a secret!
:^) I don't know!
:-P Poking tongue out smiley
:$ Emarassed / Red Faced Smiley
:@ Angry Face
(6) Devil Smiley 666 = number of the devil
8o| Baring Teeth Smiley
^o) Sarcastic Smiley
+o( Sick / Poorly Smiley
*-) Thinking Face
8-) Eye rolling face
(@) Cat face @ sounds like cat!
(&) Dog face
8-| Nerd (Face with Glasses)
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
20 Jun 07
Thanks for the list.
The "bad" part is that some complicated smileys may not be known to the reader.
So I just try to keep things simple and use the basic smileys.
@wrdsofwisdm (1069)
• United States
19 Jun 07
I think they are sometimes necessary because just as you stated, they assist in assuring someone that your comment was light hearted and there were no cruel intentions. As another member stated above, I too agree that we should have a menu of these to add to our responses. This way, those of us that do not understand their meaning can look them up on the smilie menu. ;o)
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Right right, sometimes what we say may be taken the wrong way without the smileys. We just hope they will see the smileys and read it the right way. ;-)
1 person likes this
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
19 Jun 07
You've probably noticed that I enjoy using smiley's :)
Even on mylot I put some basic form into my responses, I personally feel it helps to express ourselves here and I would love them to actually add some.
Sometimes I use them to much :P
~Joey
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
Oh yes you do. Perhaps that is part of your attractiveness. :P
1 person likes this
