Emoji
History
The concept of emoji was first introduced in Japan in the late 1990s by a team of engineers at the mobile phone company NTT DoCoMo. The team, led by Shigetaka Kurita, developed the first set of 176 emoji as part of their i-mode mobile internet platform. These early emoji were simple, pixelated images that were used to convey emotion in text messages.
In the early 2000s, other Japanese mobile phone companies began to develop their own sets of emoji, leading to a proliferation of different styles and designs. This lack of standardization made it difficult for users to communicate across different platforms, as the same emoji could appear differently depending on the device used.
To address this issue, the Unicode Consortium, an international organization that standardizes text characters and symbols, incorporated emoji into their system in 2010. This allowed for consistent display of emoji across different platforms and devices, and paved the way for their global popularity.
Design and Creation
The design of emoji varies widely, with different platforms and operating systems often having their own distinct styles. However, all emoji must adhere to the guidelines set out by the Unicode Consortium, which provides a basic description and category for each emoji, but does not dictate their appearance.
Creating a new emoji is a complex process that involves both technical and cultural considerations. Proposals for new emoji are submitted to the Unicode Consortium, where they are reviewed by a committee. The committee considers a variety of factors, including the proposed emoji's potential for widespread use, its distinctiveness, and its ability to fill a gap in the existing emoji set.
Once an emoji is approved, it is up to individual platforms and operating systems to design their own version of the emoji. This can lead to variations in appearance, as designers interpret the emoji's description in different ways.
Usage and Interpretation
Emoji are used in a variety of contexts, from casual social media posts to professional communications. They can serve a range of functions, including expressing emotion, replacing words, and adding emphasis or tone to a message.
The interpretation of emoji can vary widely, both between different cultures and between different individuals. This can lead to misunderstandings, as the same emoji may convey different meanings to different people. For example, the thumbs up sign emoji is generally used to express approval in Western cultures, but can be seen as a rude gesture in some Middle Eastern cultures.
Research into emoji usage and interpretation is a growing field, with studies exploring topics such as the role of emoji in communication, their impact on language, and their potential as a tool for cross-cultural understanding.
Impact and Influence
Since their introduction, emoji have had a significant impact on digital communication. They have been adopted by millions of people worldwide, and have influenced the development of other forms of digital communication, such as stickers and GIFs.
Emoji have also been the subject of legal debates, with courts in several countries having to interpret the meaning of emoji in the context of legal cases. This has raised questions about the role of emoji in communication, and the extent to which they can be considered a form of language.
In addition to their practical use, emoji have also become a cultural phenomenon, with emoji-themed merchandise, events, and even a Hollywood film, The Emoji Movie, being produced.