Functions of the nonverbal in CMC: Emoticons and illocutionary force

Eli Dresner*, Susan C. Herring

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

430 Scopus citations

Abstract

The term "emoticons" -short for "emotion icons" -refers to graphic signs, such as the smiley face, that often accompany computer-mediated textual communication. They are most often characterized as iconic indicators of emotion, conveyed through a communication channel that is parallel to the linguistic one. In this article, it is argued that this conception of emoticons fails to account for some of their important uses. We present a brief outline of speech act theory and use it to provide a complementary account of emoticons, according to which they also function as indicators of illocutionary force. We conclude by considering how our analysis bears upon broader questions concerning language, bodily behavior, and text.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)249-268
Number of pages20
JournalCommunication Theory
Volume20
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2010

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