Emoticons and email etiquette

A picture of custom emoticons
(source: http://www.icons-land.com/productvistastyleemoticons.php)

As the technology growing fast, there’s an impact on the communication tools. One of the medium communications such as email becomes almost essential tool for business, educational, social and personal purpose. Some advantage of email is quick and easy.(Tuffley & Griffith University 2008)

However, email can give some problems. For example, email can create misperception for the receiver. It is because; receiver might just interpret the email as what they understand without checking the sender’s intention. Therefore, as Professor Byron said that it may damage the relationship. (Emoticons and email etiquette 2007)Furthermore, since there was the inability of some people to accurately interpret the intention of the email, American Scott Fahlman invented the ‘emoticon’. It is kind of icons that act as emotional markers in the electronic communication. However, emoticons also have some negative issues.

Walther and D’Addario (2001) argued that there are some negative impact appeared from the raise of emoticons. It may shift the message in the direction of negative element. Zimmerman and Perkin (cited in Shriver 1997, p.373) stated that visual messages need to be revised depending on the local culture.

Different culture might have different perception. They might interpret as what they understand it. As stated by Schirato & Yell (1996) people make meaning as members of a particular culture, a particular society, and a particular community. Therefore, as writers we need to concern about the cultural issues, we should think who are going to read our message. Therefore, it is important to understand the email etiquette and also knows who the receivers of the email are. So, it can minimize the problems that arise in the electronic communication.

Reference

Emoticons and email etiquette 18 October 2007, ABC radio national, the media report, viewed 6 June 2009, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2064342.htm

Schirato,T & Yell,S 1996, ‘ Chapter 3: Communication as Social practices,’ Communication and cultural literacy ,Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards, New South Wales

Shriver, KA 1997, Dynamic in document design: creating text for readers, Wiley Computer Pub, New York

Tuffley, D & Griffith University 2008, ‘Email Etiquette (Netiquette)’viewed 8 June 2009, http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~davidt/email_etiquette.htm

Walther and D’Addario 2001, ‘The Impacts of Emoticons on Message Interpretation in Computer-Mediated Communication’ Social science computer review, Sage Journal Online, viewed 7 June 2009, http://ssc.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/19/3/324