Emoji Speak and Symbolic Competence

Speaker: Dr Jieun Kiaer 

(University of Oxford, UK)

This talk introduces emoji speak, a new communication behaviour that has emerged in the digital age. Emojis have revolutionised our communication, making it dynamic and multi-modal. I will consider how and why people emoji as they do and propose the three S model as an answer to these questions. I will highlight how emojis can be interpreted differently according to one’s culture, meaning that emoji sensitivity matters, as cross-cultural emoji misunderstandings can arise without it. I will also look at how emojis and power are strongly related: emojis can take on real significance in legal cases, and yet little research has been undertaken about their actual significance. We all have our own emojing style. In social media talk, our communication isn’t bound by grammar, instead we adhere to our own individual and group preferences. I will reflect upon the factors that influence emoji stylistics and their significance. Finally, I will discuss the future of emoji and propose symbolic competence as the emerging communicative competence that humans with digital devices need to have and develop.

About the Speaker:

Jieun Kiaer is Professor of Korean Linguistics at the University of Oxford. She publishes widely on theoretical and applied linguistics. Her research interest lies in translanguaging, innovative pedagogy using AI and VR technology, and foreign language anxiety and enjoyment. Her upcoming publications include Emoji Speak and Conversing in the Metaverse.