Emojis, GIFs, stickers, memes, and other non-textual elements have become ubiquitous in social media communication. But how do they affect the way we use language online? In this article, you will learn about some of the linguistic functions and effects of these visual symbols, and how they interact with text, context, and culture.
Emojis are not just cute or funny pictures. They can also serve as pragmatic markers, which are elements that convey the speaker's attitude, emotion, intention, or expectation. For example, a smiley face emoji can indicate happiness, sarcasm, irony, or politeness, depending on the situation. Emojis can also modify the tone, force, or meaning of a text message, such as softening a criticism, emphasizing a point, or expressing irony.
I would not agree that emojis convey "politeness". "Politeness" can be seen as expressing respect or avoiding to offend the addressee, but emojis do not fulfil these functions. Politeness is achieved by linguistic means. It is also important to note that politeness is particularly topical in formal situations, in which emojis are (in most cases) not acceptable.
GIFs are short, looping animations that often capture scenes from movies, TV shows, or other media. They can be used as multimodal discourse, which is a way of communicating that combines different modes of expression, such as text, image, sound, gesture, and so on. GIFs can enrich the meaning, humor, or emotion of a text message, by adding visual, auditory, or cultural references. They can also create coherence, contrast, or alignment between the sender and the receiver, by establishing a shared context or background knowledge.
Stickers are larger, more detailed, and more diverse than emojis. They often feature characters, animals, or objects that have specific personalities, styles, or themes. They can be used as identity markers, which are elements that signal the speaker's social identity, such as gender, age, ethnicity, or subculture. Stickers can also reflect the speaker's preferences, tastes, or affiliations, by choosing certain brands, celebrities, or genres. Stickers can also create a sense of belonging, solidarity, or intimacy, by using customized or personalized stickers that represent the sender or the receiver.
"Identity marker" - this function is too important for a sticker. I would say stickers are just another way to express emotions and attitudes, and not always the best one, as the cultural implications can be easily misinterpreted. Emojis are safer, because their meanings are (more or less) universally accepted.
Memes are images, videos, or texts that are copied, modified, and spread online, often with humorous or critical intentions. They can be used as social commentary, which is a way of communicating that expresses opinions, perspectives, or critiques on social issues, events, or trends. Memes can also challenge, subvert, or parody the dominant or mainstream discourses, by using irony, satire, or exaggeration. Memes can also mobilize, persuade, or influence the audience, by appealing to their emotions, values, or beliefs.
Emojis, GIFs, stickers, memes, and other non-textual elements are not just accessories or decorations. They are linguistic resources, which are elements that can be used to create and communicate meaning in language. Non-textual elements can complement, supplement, or replace text in social media communication, depending on the purpose, context, and audience. They can also create new forms, styles, and genres of language use, by combining different modes, media, and cultures.
Non-textual elements are also known as extra-linguistic elements. Thinking of them as linguistic resources challenges the current text analysis methods, especially computational and corpus linguistics. But the solutions are crucial to find, as the non-textual elements are becoming a common way of expressing emotions and attitudes.
Non-textual elements are not only linguistic resources, but also language change agents, which are elements that can influence and transform the structure, function, or use of language over time. Non-textual elements can affect the grammar, vocabulary, or spelling of text, by introducing new symbols, abbreviations, or conventions. They can also affect the pragmatics, discourse, or style of text, by creating new meanings, functions, or effects. They can also affect the culture, identity, or ideology of text, by reflecting, shaping, or challenging the social norms, values, or beliefs of the users.