Do you like smilies?

[Conchita]

[Yankee]

Hi everybody

I have to admit I like the little smilies and also enjoy looking at what people have dreamed up on those websites that have huge smiley collections. Not all of them are good, but sometimes some of them are quite humorous or cute or inventive, etc.

Just my two cents.

[Aereal]

Hi

I think emoticons are a nice way to convey the background meaning of your message fast, and also to make sure that those who are reading your message do not feel ambiguous about what you wrote. Of course, one may use proper language and represent his thoughts more thoroughly, so the smilies become unnecessary, however I believe communication via the internet must not be "one sided". That is, when we are speaking to a person on the street there is not only verbal part in our communication, rather (to put it scientifically) we use lots of non-verbal channels, such as gestures and smilies. Do you feel comfortable when the one whom you are speaking to is smiling?

for example, consider the following (rather unusual) situation:
i've have written an essay, that turned to be inherently flawed. Mr. Alan, as it usually happens, replied to my message, and the essay appeared quoted in his post all in LARGE LETTERS (you know what that means, right?).
I feel both grateful for his time and corrections and a bit disgusted. here is what i can reply:

1. Oh, why? so many errors... I hate you...
2. Oh, why? so many errors... I hate you

after the first answer I'll probably get banned, and though I have only good feelings in my heart, the message appears to be rather cruel.
from the second answer, however, it is clear, that i don't actually hate someone, rather I'm depressed to see so many flaws in my message. And, of course, I'm thankful to Mr. Alan for his corrections...

So, basically, what I'm talking about is, that smilies help us to make our internet communication appear like usual life communication. There is actually no need in LARGE numbers of smilies, and in LARGE smilies (that have appeared recently). Also, one must not be carried away completely by these forums, as plugging in a couple of smilies is not what actually matters in our life The smile of an (un)known girl in the street is worth 1000 emoticons

Take care
_________________
my game is fair play

[Alan]

Now this I agree with: 'The smile of an (un)known girl in the street is worth 1000 emoticons'.

A
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Good Bye Summer

[Yankee]

Hi Aereal

That was quite well written.
I agree. Emoticons are a sort of cyberspace equivalent of body language.

Amy