Post by @tschfflr@fediscience.org

2026-07-17 21:25 UTC

As this thread is slowing down (but feel free to keep the questions coming), this is also a great time to plug the public "Linguistics of Emojis" Zotero library, which we maintain. Over 300 scientific works on the linguistics of emojis - check it out! 🤓 #emojis #linguistics #WorldEmojiDay https://www.zotero.org/groups/2613859/linguistics_of_emojis/library

Replies (2)

@MikeFromLFE@cupoftea.social 2026-07-20 10:35

@tschfflr@fediscience.org As I understand emojis as a casual user, they are valid across most, if not all, languages. A smile is a smile is a souris is a Lächeln. I'm sure there's exceptions (both languages, emojis & cultural) There seems to be very few cross-language examples of this type of thing that I'm aware of. The only good example I can bring to mind is morse code which has elements that cross language barriers - but I wonder if these count as a different 'language' not as a representative symbol like an emoji. For example 73 sent in morse always means Best Wishes: QTH sent in morse code means Location (although originally it meant 'what is your location). There's hundreds of these that are understood by radio operators around the world.

Open ##3957307
@tiotasram@kolektiva.social 2026-07-20 01:03

@tschfflr@fediscience.org kinda late to the party here, but would you say the x's and o's people sometimes write at the end of a letter to symbolize hugs and kisses (which used to be much more common) count as a prototypical form of emoji?

Open ##5179765