Linguistics Research: Are emojis the future of communication?

Bangor University

12 Jun 201502:58

Summary

TLDRProfessor Viv Evans discusses the impact of emojis on communication, debunking the myth that they dumb down language. Recent research indicates 80% of people in the UK use emojis regularly. Contrary to concerns, 72% of 18 to 25-year-olds find emojis help express emotions more easily, and nearly half feel they enhance their communication skills. Evans explains that emojis serve a function similar to intonation and gestures in spoken language, adding a layer of nuance missing in digital communication. This makes them particularly beneficial for younger people, improving their ability to express themselves effectively.

Takeaways

😀 Emojis are widely used in digital communication, with 80% of people in the UK using them regularly.
🧠 Contrary to the belief that emojis make us dumber, research suggests they enhance communication.
👍 72% of 18 to 25-year-olds find it easier to express their emotions with the help of emojis.
💬 Emojis help to convey emotions and nuances that are often lost in digital communication.
📈 Emojis are particularly popular among younger people, who are the forefront of digital communication.
🗣️ In spoken language, gestures and intonation convey additional meaning beyond the words themselves.
🔄 Emojis serve a similar function in digital communication, compensating for the lack of gestures and intonation.
🌟 Emojis can make digital communication more effective, especially for the younger generation.
🎓 Professor Viv Evans' research indicates that emojis do not regress literacy but rather complement it.
🌐 Emojis are fulfilling a communicative function that is apparent in spoken language but was missing in digital communication until their widespread use.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is the use of emojis in digital communication and their impact on language and literacy.
Who is the speaker in the video script?
-The speaker in the video script is Viv Evans, a professor of linguistics.
What percentage of people in the UK reportedly use emojis regularly according to the speaker's research?
-According to the speaker's research, 80% of people in the UK are now regularly using emojis.
Do emojis make us dumber according to Viv Evans' perspective?
-No, according to Viv Evans, emojis do not make us dumber. In fact, they can enhance communication by providing additional emotional context.
What percentage of 18 to 25 year olds find it easier to express their emotions with emojis?
-72% of 18 to 25 year olds find it easier to express their emotions when using emojis.
How does the use of emojis in digital communication affect the 18 to 25 year old age group's self-perception as communicators?
-Nearly half of the 18 to 25 year olds in the UK feel that using emojis in digital communication enables them to express themselves more effectively and become better communicators.
What function do emojis fulfill in digital communication that is already present in spoken language?
-Emojis fulfill the function of gestures and intonation in spoken language, adding emotional context and nuance to digital messages.
How does the speaker explain the difference between saying 'I love you' with passion versus with a derisive tone?
-The speaker explains that the difference lies in the intonation and pitch contour, with a falling pitch conveying passion and a rising pitch conveying derision.
What does the research suggest about the role of emojis in enhancing digital communication?
-The research suggests that emojis add further information and fill in the missing tone in digital messages, making communication more effective, especially for younger people.
Why are younger people often at the forefront of adopting emojis in digital communication?
-Younger people are often at the forefront of adopting emojis because they find it a more effective way to express themselves in the digital channel where nuance is often stripped away.
What does the speaker think about the impact of emojis on digital communication?
-The speaker thinks the impact of emojis on digital communication is amazing, as they enhance the ability to express emotions and improve communication effectiveness.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Emojis in Digital Communication

Professor Viv Evans introduces the topic of emojis, colorful symbols used in digital communication. They are prevalent, with 80% of UK users regularly incorporating them into their messages. Contrary to the belief that emojis might dumb down communication, research indicates that 72% of individuals aged 18 to 25 find it easier to express emotions with emojis. Furthermore, nearly half of this age group feels that using emojis enhances their digital communication, making them better communicators. The explanation lies in the way emojis serve a function similar to gestures and intonation in spoken language, adding nuance that is often missing in digital text. Emojis effectively fill in the missing tone, aiding especially younger people in expressing themselves more effectively in the digital realm.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Emojis

Emojis are small digital icons or images used to express an idea, emotion, or action in electronic communication. In the video, emojis are described as colorful symbols embedded in digital keyboards, used to convey emotions and nuances that may be missing in text-based communication. The script discusses how emojis are becoming an integral part of how people, especially the younger generation, communicate, and how they are not a step backward in literacy but rather a tool that enhances digital communication.

💡Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structure, including the history, the structure, and the mechanisms of change of language. Viv Evans, the speaker in the video, is a professor of linguistics, and her expertise is used to analyze and explain the role of emojis in modern communication. The video leverages linguistic principles to argue that emojis are not detrimental to language skills but rather serve a communicative function similar to gestures and intonation in spoken language.

💡Digital Communication

Digital communication refers to the exchange of information through electronic means, such as emails, text messages, and social media. The video emphasizes that digital communication often lacks the non-verbal cues present in face-to-face conversations, which is where emojis step in to add emotional context and tone. The research findings shared in the video suggest that emojis are particularly beneficial for younger individuals, helping them to express themselves more effectively in digital environments.

💡Gestures

Gestures are movements of the body, typically the hands, to communicate something non-verbally. In the video, gestures are mentioned as a way humans naturally use body language to convey meaning in spoken communication. The speaker compares the role of gestures in face-to-face interactions to the role of emojis in digital communication, suggesting that both serve to enhance the clarity and emotional depth of messages.

💡Intonation

Intonation refers to the variation in pitch, tone, and rhythm of the voice that can convey meaning beyond the literal interpretation of words. The video script uses intonation as an example of how spoken language can convey different meanings depending on the pitch contour. It is argued that emojis serve a similar function in digital communication, adding the emotional tone that might otherwise be missing in text.

💡18 to 25 Year Olds

This age group is specifically highlighted in the video as being particularly adept at using emojis in digital communication. The research findings indicate that this demographic finds emojis helpful in expressing their emotions and enhancing their communication skills. The video suggests that younger people are often the pioneers in adopting new forms of communication, such as the use of emojis.

💡Emotional Expression

Emotional expression is the act of conveying one's emotions to others. The video discusses how emojis facilitate emotional expression in digital communication, which can be more challenging than in face-to-face interactions. The research presented indicates that a significant percentage of young adults find emojis easier for expressing their feelings compared to text alone.

💡Communicative Message

The communicative message refers to the intended meaning or information that a sender aims to convey to a receiver in communication. In the context of the video, emojis are shown to enhance the communicative message by adding emotional and tonal nuances that might be lost in purely textual digital communication.

💡Spoken Channel

The spoken channel refers to the mode of communication that involves the use of spoken language. The video contrasts the spoken channel with the digital channel, noting that the former naturally includes gestures and intonation to aid in communication, while the latter requires emojis to achieve a similar level of expressiveness.

💡Digital Channel

The digital channel is the mode of communication that involves the use of digital technologies, such as text messages and social media. The video script explains that the digital channel often lacks the non-verbal cues present in the spoken channel, and thus, emojis are used to fill in the missing emotional and tonal information.

💡Viv Evans

Viv Evans is introduced as a professor of linguistics in the video script. She is the authority figure presenting the research findings and providing insights into the role of emojis in communication. Her expertise in linguistics lends credibility to the arguments made in the video about the benefits of emojis in enhancing digital communication.

Highlights

80% of people in the UK regularly use emojis in digital communication.

Emojis are not making us dumber; they enhance digital communication.

72% of 18 to 25-year-olds find it easier to express emotions with emojis.

Emojis enable 18 to 25-year-olds to express themselves more effectively.

Emojis fulfill a function in digital communication similar to gestures and intonation in spoken language.

Emojis add nuance to digital messages, similar to the tone added by intonation in speech.

In spoken language, gestures and intonation make us more effective communicators.

Digital communication often lacks the nuance present in face-to-face interactions.

Emojis fill in the missing tone in digital messages, enhancing their communicative message.

Younger people are often the first to adopt and effectively use emojis in digital communication.

Emoji usage is a significant development in the evolution of digital communication.

Emojis are a modern tool that helps convey emotions and intentions in text-based communication.

The research shows that emojis are an essential part of effective digital communication, especially among the younger generation.

Emojis are not a step back in literacy; they are an adaptation to the digital age of communication.

The study indicates that emojis are a valuable addition to the digital communication toolkit.

Emojis are particularly beneficial for the 18 to 25-year-old demographic in expressing themselves in digital contexts.

The research suggests that emojis are a natural extension of our communication tools, bridging the gap between spoken and written language.