A Stylistic Analysis of Graphic Emoticons:A Stylistic Analysis of Graphic Emoticons:Can they be Candidates forCan they be Candidates for

a Universal Visual Language of the Future?a Universal Visual Language of the Future?

Junichi AzumaJunichi AzumaUniversity Marketing and Distribution Sciences, Kobe, JapanUniversity Marketing and Distribution Sciences, Kobe, Japan

Martin EbnerMartin EbnerGraz University of Technology, Graz, AustriaGraz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

Purpose of the PresentationIn this presentation we would like...

To investigate the current usage of graphic emoticons,popular in Japanese Blogs, SNSs and mobile phonecommunication.

To investigate the possibility of communication usinggraphic emoticons in the international setting, i.e., betweenJapanese young people and Austrian young people.

To illustrate the power of visual signs, referring todynamics of comics, existing universal visual language (e.g.,Blissymbolics), word formation of Chinese characters, etc.

To discuss the possibility of future universal symboliclanguage.

Perhaps Westerners are not familiar with this, but theseSTRANGE marks, or Graphic Emoticons are Very

Popular in Japan…Blogs, SNS, Web-based Emails, etc.

And also in communication

Usage of Graphic Emoticons1. Traditional: paralinguistic=showing the emotion of the writer

3. New Trend: substitute for a certain word, ideographic usage

Emoticons are usedas linguistic units

2. Rather new: emphasizing a certain word a phrase

How Graphic Emoticons are Used:Examples from Japanese Active Blog Writers (Female) – DescriptiveStudy:3 Months' Postings Analyzed

Thanks (paralinguistic)

Our home is quiet.(emphatic)

Thanks (^_^) (paralinguistic: text)

We had a short rest at my(lexical)

Example 2: MA

Example 1: AZ

Can Graphic Emoticons be Used/Understood acrossCultures? Are They Universal? : International Project

Who participated?: Students of Graz Univ. ofTechnology and University of Marketing andDistribution Sciences (Kobe, Japan).

Where?: Community Blog of TUG Where?: Community Blog of TUG (Graz Univ. of(Graz Univ. ofTechnology) Technology) LearnLand.LearnLand.

How?: Participants were told to communicate usingHow?: Participants were told to communicate usingas many emoticons as possible together with aas many emoticons as possible together with asmall amount of English.small amount of English.

Purpose: To investigate if the both parties can Purpose: To investigate if the both parties canunderstand the emoticon-centered messages of theunderstand the emoticon-centered messages of theother group and if the both parties can continue theother group and if the both parties can continue thecommunication.communication.

Screenshots of TUG LearnLand

Results of the InternationalCommunication Project Japanese students are not so good at

English, but they positively tried tocommunicate with emoticons and easyEnglish.

In most cases, users tried to use emoticonsas a lexical item (like ) .

In most cases, international communicationwas successful, but sometimes, naturally,we had misunderstandings. For example:

Possible Development of Graphic Emoticons:This is our Real Research Subject!

Suppose that people Suppose that people will be able to will be able to use graphicuse graphicemoticons as an ideogramic word emoticons as an ideogramic word more more easilyeasily and andmore frequently more frequently within within the quickly developingthe quickly developing ICT ICTenvironmentenvironment, e.g., , e.g., within the environment of within the environment of blogs,blogs,email, email, mobile phonesmobile phones and PDAs of the future... and PDAs of the future...

In the near future, wIn the near future, we may have more e may have more sophisticatedsophisticateddevelopment of the authoring development of the authoring methods methods of graphicof graphicemoticonsemoticons or emoticon-like pictures and better user or emoticon-like pictures and better userinterface for communication with emoticon-likeinterface for communication with emoticon-likepictures.pictures.

Then, can these emoticon-like pictures develop into aThen, can these emoticon-like pictures develop into anew style of universal symbolic language?new style of universal symbolic language? This is our real research question!This is our real research question!

People May Say, "Oh, just a sequence ofpictures for communication? No kidding!" But See the Communication Power of Cartoon Strips!!!

The important thing is that visual art always makes use ofgaps, i.e., they do not show all the sequence of events.

Around the World in 80daysLast EmperorCartoon strips

Another Example of International CommunicationExperiment Using Graphic Emoticons (1)

• According to Inaba, Takasaki and Mori(2006), they examined how children usedpictograms or graphic emoticons tocommunicate among cultures (Japanese v.s.Koren children) where they let the childrenuse special emailing software whichconsisted of a "pallet," which is a list ofpictograms, and a "canvas," where thepictograms or graphic emoticons werecombined and "edited". --Rieko Inaba, ToshiyukiTakasaki, and Yumi Mori.How do kids use pictograms?,International Conference on Computer SupportedCooperative Work (CSCW-06), interctive poster, pp. 179-180, 2006.

Another Example of International CommunicationExperiment Using Graphic Emoticons (2)

School + running (to school) = (be) late for ... Using a combination of existing pictograms to create a new meaningお品書＝Product（お品）＋Writing（書） →Detailed description of course menu馬車(horse-drawn carriage),電車(train),歩兵(infantry member)

Creating a new larger pictogram using existingpictograms as its parts

峠(pass), 働(work), 男(man)...Making of these Chinese charaters, as well as theleft example is not always linear. They are oftenorthogonal - using the space rather freely.

New Forms of Rules and Technology will Make NewType of Universal Symbolic Auxiliary LanguagePossible! (1)

Existing symbolic language: Blissymbolics

think

From "The fundamental rules of Blissymbolics: creating newBlissymbolics characters and vocabulary"(http://www.blissymbolics.org/downloads/bliss-rules.pdf)

New Forms of Rules and Technology will Make NewType of Universal Symbolic Auxiliary LanguagePossible! (2)

100km

A male doctor who is taller than average and a bit slim,around 45 of age, headed for the lake in a car three days ago.

＋

45?

33

We are going to work on such auxiliary symbolic language now!

Summary TThe current usage of graphic emoticons, popular in Japanesehe current usage of graphic emoticons, popular in Japanese

Blogs, SNSs and mobile phone communicationBlogs, SNSs and mobile phone communication was analyzed was analyzedand it has been found out that and it has been found out that peoplepeople are using are using graphic graphicemoticonsemoticons not only as paralinguistic additives to the text but also not only as paralinguistic additives to the text but alsoas an ideogramic wordas an ideogramic word..

The results of the international experiment showed thatThe results of the international experiment showed thatinternational communication with graphic emoticons and a smallinternational communication with graphic emoticons and a smallamount of English was possible to a certain degree.amount of English was possible to a certain degree.

We may have come too further, but the fast development of ICTWe may have come too further, but the fast development of ICTand the significant popularity of graphic emoticons especially inand the significant popularity of graphic emoticons especially inAsian countries will a good hint to establish new form ofAsian countries will a good hint to establish new form ofuniversal symbolic language, if appropriate morphological,universal symbolic language, if appropriate morphological,syntactic and semantic rules are to be established.syntactic and semantic rules are to be established.

Applications of Universal Symbolic Signs Public signs, traffic signs, vending machines, instructions ofPublic signs, traffic signs, vending machines, instructions of

machine operation, machine operation, guiding signs for tourism, guiding signs for tourism, etcetc.. Not only for the general use but also forNot only for the general use but also for h handicappedandicapped

peoplepeople Simple international communicationSimple international communication tool tool without using without using

languagelanguage -- f -- face to faceace to face situation with PDAs situation with PDAs, through the, through theInternet, mobile phones, Internet, mobile phones, etcetc..

Language for international official document (if quiteLanguage for international official document (if quitesuccessful)successful)

Communication/Communication/EducationEducation tool for people with tool for people withhearing/speaking disordershearing/speaking disorders

Language for education -- how do you teach people whoLanguage for education -- how do you teach people whospeak only a very minor language in the world basic medicalspeak only a very minor language in the world basic medicalscience, physics, or information science?science, physics, or information science?

etc...etc...

WC

In the End

We are very thankful for the guidance, We are very thankful for the guidance,comments and warm support offered bycomments and warm support offered byProf. Hermann Maurer at Graz UniversityProf. Hermann Maurer at Graz Universityof Technology, Austria and Prof. Rolandof Technology, Austria and Prof. RolandMittermeir at Klagenfurt University,Mittermeir at Klagenfurt University,Austria.Austria.