Emojis have become an essential part of communication today. They are small digital images that are recognizable around the globe. You can find emojis on print materials, emails, social media posts, SMS messages, and online chats.
Does this mean that emojis are becoming a universal language? The truth is that today, they are a means of communication across borders, cultures, and languages. They have changed how people and brands communicate.
But how do emojis compare with cuneiform and hieroglyphs as a method of communication? What is the etiquette of emojis, and when is a good time and place to use them?
Cuneiform, Hieroglyphs, and Emojis
Written communication has been in existence since time immemorial. People have always communicated in one way or another. The earliest forms of communication included cave paintings.
It then evolved to the Sumerian cuneiform as people evolved. Sumerian cuneiform later evolved into hieroglyphics that were widely used by Egyptians. As human beings evolved, their modes of communication changed.
Today, people use a standardized mode of communication. This mode of communication arranges letters in a format that makes words. A couple of words make a sentence. Several sentences make a paragraph.
However, this is changing. This change can be attributed to advances in technology. Today, we can carry smart devices everywhere we go. This has put our modes of communication in another evolution. For instance, people are using emojis and short message services to represent their emotions. Businesses are using them to promote new products.
So, does this mean that our modes of communication are changing and emojis are becoming the universal language? Or does it mean that we are simply going back to the traditional modes of communication where people used images, Sumerian cuneiform, and hieroglyphs to communicate?
Are Emojis Like Cuneiform and Hieroglyphs?
As discussed above, ancient societies used cuneiform and hieroglyphics for communication. This system combined alphabetic and logographic elements. It was successful as a means of communication and societies were able to pass messages as intended.
Moving forward to modern society, emojis are now considered the fastest-growing means of communication. They have even been compared to ancient hieroglyphs by some scholars who want to find the similarities between the two.
However, emojis have eclipsed cuneiform and hieroglyphs. This might be attributed to a much larger population and advancements in technology. Today, you do not need to spend time creating emojis. Instead, you can easily copy and paste emojis when sending messages or sharing information.
Both hieroglyphics and emojis use images. These images represent different ideas and emotions. Modern society is finding it easier to express themselves and pass messages using emojis compared to written language.
The Etiquette of Using Emojis
Avoid Using Emojis in Serious Situations
If you are discussing a somber or serious matter, you need to be careful with how you use emojis. It is even advisable to avoid using emojis altogether. In such a situation, you might pass on as a person with a childish attitude.
It might even portray you as a person who does not care or understand how deep the conversation is.
Use the Basics for People You Don’t Know
When talking to a person you do not know well, it does not mean that you cannot use emojis. However, it is advisable to use the basic emojis, if you have to. This means sticking to the most used emojis such as frowning or smiling faces.
When using these emojis, ensure they accent the points you want to pass on in your messages. If you use many emojis, you might pass like a person who does not have etiquette or does not know how to communicate with acquaintances.
Use Any Emoji With Close Friends
Everybody has people who are very close to them. These might be friends or family members. They know you better than anyone else.
When communicating with these people, do not be afraid of using emojis. You can use any that you want and let them know that you prefer emojis to written communication.
Understand What to Say and When
It doesn’t matter who you are communicating with. You need to understand what to say and when to say it. Imagine a situation where you send an email to someone but you have more emojis in your sentences than words. This is poor and needs to be avoided at all costs.
Everybody is using emojis. Businesses and brands are also using them to pass messages to their audiences. This trend is not stopping, begging the question of whether emojis are becoming the universal language or not.
This article was provided by José Luis Martín Cara
