I am sure you use emojis (hello, is there anyone who doesn’t?), like those little “hearts” “smiley faces” and so many other types. But did you know there are rules to using emojis, and that they can be admitted in court as evidence!? Shocked right?
Here are six totally shocking facts about emojis. Enjoy!
1. Emojis Are NOT Emoticons
They are not the same! Emojis aren’t even upgraded emoticons either. Emoticon literally means “emotion” and “icon” so you make an emotion out of icons like our smilies of years past. Emoji is taken from the Japanese “e” (picture) and “moji” (character). Emojis are pictographs, which is why we have emojis to depict things that aren’t just emotions.
2. They Have Been Around Since 1999
What the what? I know. I mean, we have obviously had emoticons and ways to express feelings via symbols, but the emojis we know and love today have actually been around since 1999. A man named Shigetaka Kurita created them as a way to make communication easier. They didn’t become popular until Apple incorporated the Unicode Standard in its operating systems that people figured out how to use them on their keyboards.
3. The Tears Of Joy Emoji Is The Most Popular
According to EmojiTracker, which tracks real-time use of emojis online, the crying while laughing emoji is the most popular. Hearts are a close second.
4. You Can Get In Trouble For Using Them
If you are threatening someone (which you shouldn’t be) and use certain emojis, you can get in serious trouble. Courts are expecting emojis like guns, bombs, and that little skull as evidence of threats. Watch what you emoji!
Your Ultimate Guide To Emoji Etiquette
5. Emojis Have Their Own Mini-Documentary
There’s a really cool short documentary called Emoji Among Us that shows how important emojis are in our society today. They even show how we pretty much need them to communicate now and might give way to a future emoji movie? I’m down.
6. You Can Translate Headline Into Emojis
Some magazines and journals have a function that allows you to translate their headlines into emojis. You can also translate songs, movies, and book titles. This is the world we live in!
And there you have it, the shocking six!
See Also: Want To Type Emojis On a Computer Keyboard? Here’s How.
