Today is World Emoji Day! 😋😍🤣
But what exactly is an emoji and where did they come from?
Emojis are popular icons that demonstrate how we feel, our emotions, moods and expressions. For example, a smiley face represents that we are happy 😊. They are used to communicate in texts on our phones 📱, emails 📧 on our laptops or tablets 💻, and even on professional channels like Microsoft Teams! Most of the emojis are animated to exaggerate the sender’s emotions.
It originally derives from the Japanese word, ‘kanji’ meaning picture. The great thing about emojis is that no words are needed to describe how you feel- it is all pictorial!
In 1999 Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita created the first 176 emoji while working for mobile internet service. You can see this work at the New York’s Museum of Modern Art
Exhibition of Emojis https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/emoji-shigetaka-kurita-standards-manual/index.html
In 2007 Google was the first to incorporate them into Gmail (email service). But it was not until 2010 that the emojis were released on both an iPhone and Android, and now each emoji has an unlimited resolution.
Emojis create a culture of inclusivity that helps some neurodiverse users to communicate more easily when online. They can use pictorial emojis as a communication method that helps their sensory processing. Emojis produce visibility and give users voices, through the power of pictorial expression, representation, and storytelling. Apple has even proposed new emojis that represent people with hearing aids and prosthetic limbs.
Emojis can even be used to show phrases not just expressions or emotions.
So, can you guess the title of these books through emojis? You can also find these on our Library Search.
1. 🕰️🍑 (Clue: Time is ticking for this book and film adaptation)
2. 🧛♀️ (Clue: This 1897 gothic novel is something to sink your teeth into…)
3. 👩🐉💉(Clue: Look behind you for this mythical, fire-breathing reptile)
4. 🐦🎵 (Clue: It may have wings and like to chirp, but this novel brings more awareness to the experience of war).
Leave your answers below, alongside your favourite emoji! 😁
By Jemma Lidgard
