Digital Body Language: The Art of Effective Online Communication
By Erica Dewan
Translated by Pan Buhan
Published by China Translation Press in October 2022
Humans rely on body language to build trust and connection, but now that most of the communication is moved behind screens, traditional body language has become difficult to capture. In its place is a more modern and complex digital body language. In Digital Body Language, Erica Dewang takes us into the world of digital communication with fascinating stories, interpreting digital body language in all aspects, leading readers to reshape their connection with others and master the secrets of communication.
Tears, tongue sticking, blinking and frowning: entry-level emojis
In addition to a simple smile, other emojis also create a chatty atmosphere for thin digital communication. And what kind of body language do emojis correspond to in real life? Truth be told, it corresponds to our facial expressions. In reality, we use gestures, body postures, and the tone of voice (high-pitched cheerfulness, rough anger, excitement) to help express our emotions. Emojis are nothing more than miniature emoticons designed to mimic human emotions.
In 2015, the Oxford English Dictionary published its annual vocabulary, "Laughing and Crying Expressions," but people received mixed reviews. Some people think that calling a silly laughing and crying expression a "word" is a "tarnishment" to the English language; Still others are receptive to it, believing that it is conducive to the development of a lingua franca. In my opinion, emojis are essential for productivity and fostering corporate culture, so executives should also use emojis in their day-to-day interactions with employees.
In today's society, emojis have become an indispensable shortcut tool, even for communicators. Not only do they appear in text messages and group chats, but they are also widely used in presentations, video conferences, and email. Use emojis to express yourself faster, more vividly, and richer. However, when we replace the actual text with emojis, the confusion and misunderstanding often exceeds our imagination.
Humans send out 6 billion emoticons every day, with an average of 96 per person in 24 hours. Not only does the Oxford English Dictionary list emojis as the word of the year, but academics have also taken note of the widespread use of emojis. "We're in a new phase of language development," says Susan Herling, a professor of information science and linguistics at Indiana University, "and more and more graphic expressions, such as emojis, GIFs, stickers and memes, are being incorporated into the language of digital communication." In 2015, Chevrolet launched a press release with all messages consisting of emojis. While this is obviously a gimmick, it successfully demonstrates how emojis can be used as a universal language.
Even so, emojis won't become anyone's first language anytime soon. They are closer to slang and are best used as emphasises rather than direct replacements for words with real meanings. In addition, if we pursue clear and unambiguous communication effects, the use of emojis may not be as common as we think.
First of all, we need to create a set of emojis for the person we are communicating with. When does a smiling expression simply mean that you are smiling, and when is it another meaning? For example, the two sides have reached some kind of consensus by default. I say this based on such a true story. When landlord Yaniv Dahan received a barrage of "smiles" from two interested tenants, he was convinced he had found his ideal tenant. The two of them were positive and enthusiastic—sending a smile, a bottle of champagne, a waltzing couple, and so on. The text messages between the two sides exude a friendly and joyful atmosphere. So Dahan took down the advertisement for rent and waited for the couple to sign a lease with him. He waited, waited! In the end, Dahan's ideal tenant actually danced and left with a waltz, probably still with a smile on his face and a bottle of champagne under his arm. Dahan was completely confused.
Unlike most people, Dahan did not let go of it. Feeling teased, Dahan took the emoji-loving couple to small claims court, and in the end, the couple paid Dahan $2,200. The judge's reasoning was simple: The couple used emojis to "coax" Dahan into thinking they would rent the apartment, which was malicious. The judge added, "The signals these symbols convey to the other side are quite misleading." The defendant was not sure whether he wanted to rent the house at the time. ”
In other words, sending inappropriate emojis at the wrong time not only creates misunderstandings, but also loses money. So, use emojis sparingly!
By Erica Dewan
Editor: Zhou Yiqian