Emojis
A. Language always changes, of course. This is one of the few constants about it. But it's arguably changing at a faster rate now than at any previous moment in its history. And emojis - the set of picture characters that people use to punctuate their online correspondence - are at the forefront of this frenzy for change.
As a form of global communication, emojis only began their growth in 2011. Four years later, it was estimated that they were being used by over 90 per cent of the online population. In excess of six billion were being sent every day. Their prevalence in the culture was such that Oxford Dictionaries recently chose one as their word of the year. 'Words of the Year' are those judged to be reflective of the 'ethos, mood, or preoccupations of that particular year'. They're very much of their time. And often, once that time has passed, they fade from people's consciousness almost as quickly as they arose.
There's a good chance, then, that the emoji chosen by Oxford Dictionaries - the 'face with tears of joy' - will also appear to be dated in a few years. But the reasons for this offer a fascinating insight into the way that society is evolving. The little yellow circle with dots for eyes acts as a surprisingly good lens through which to view the history of human communication, and to predict its future.
B. There are two main reasons why language changes. One is to do with the way that language mirrors the changes in how we relate to each other. As an expression of identity, language is adapted by different groups and different generations to reflect their own sense of self. It also needs to constantly assimilate fresh concepts as these evolve.
Words are being created for these reasons all the time. But what's interesting about emojis is that they've contributed to this ever-expanding storehouse in a different way. At this point in our history, the gaps in our vocabulary are being filled not simply by new words, but by an absolutely new system of expression.
C. The second major reason that language changes is down to technology -- specifically, the ways in which the technologies we use have an effect on the process of communication itself. Both hardware and new technologies result in us subtly changing the way we interact with each other and also altering the shape of the language we use.
Emojis have evolved as a solution to the needs of mobile communication. In particular, they compensate for the way that computer-mediated messaging on smartphones can sometimes tend towards the emotionally empty. Whereas face-to-face, or even voice-to-voice, conversations can express emotional closeness through facial expression or tone of voice, this is easy to miss when messages are rendered in a few short words on a small screen. Emojis are a means of restoring this emotional framing to an interaction - punctuating your message with a smile.
D. But unlike almost any other type of language system, emojis have something akin to a built-in obsolescence. Just as smartphones and their operating systems have a frequent refresh rate, emojis also get routine enhancements. The emojis you have on your phone now will undergo subtle redesigns over the course of time, and extra characters will be added. Because of this, their usefulness is artificially limited.
In the context of communication systems, this is something that's never previously been the case. Twenty years ago, people might have bought a new landline phone when they were tired of the design of their old phone or if they wanted to get one with whatever latest innovation was going around an inbuilt answering machine, say. But they didn't have to upgrade the language they were using as well.
Emojis, on the other hand, are a case study of how technology and the human capacity for communication are working together - of how the onward march of technology exists at the intersection of consumerism, innovation and design. Moreover, the fact that they're at the front line of a relentless wave of technologically driven change in communications practices encourages - if not necessitates a great amount of creativity in the way they're used.
E. Finally, there's the way they've become implicated in almost all aspects of modern society, from politics and marketing to art and entertainment. Emojis are the subject of musicals and Hollywood films. They're the inspiration for fashion design, art and architecture. They're a staple in advertising and commerce. Understanding why they've become so popular, and how they work, can not only explain something about the nature of language; it can also help us to understand our relationship with technology, society and ourselves.
Questions 33 - 37
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Wrote your answers in boxes 33 - 37 on your answer sheet.
