How true is that!
It has been symbolic in the past, and it will continue to be. In the times of the ancient civilizations, the people used symbols to convey their thoughts and messages. Their languages comprised of symbols, just like the ancient Egyptian writings we see on the pyramid walls. In fact, I would like to think that language in itself is also a type of symbol.
Symbols need not be circular, squares or pictures. Our alphabetical system is symbolic too. As such, so is the Chinese, Japanese and Korean writing system. Our written language is still filled with symbols, just not the primitive and classical type of symbols.
Our written language has evolved over the centuries to the elegant alphabets and characters we use now. However, with the passing of technology, and frequent use of text messages and MSN, written language seem to have “de-evolved”. We seem to have gone back to our primitive symbols for communication. Symbols such as…. 
, =^_^= and ~_^. Our language has also shortened into lingos and slangs such as lol (laugh out loud), rofl (roll on the floor laughing) and even, wru (where are you).
Let’s throw out written language and replace it with smileys! I kid. It is indeed frustrating trying to hold a conversation with someone on MSN whose replies are peppered with emoticons.
Me: Hey! How are you?
A: ^_^ you?
(err.. since when did ^_^ mean fine? Or could replace a written word?)
My blog entry was also inspired by…. The Smiley Intervention!
funyz Said:
on January 29, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Hi,
yes, i do find it frustrating at times especially when I am having a group discussion online. My suggestion to my group members may appear to be a ‘joke’ to them. Good issue to discuss.
i’m yu zhen. I am guilty to say that i tend to use a lot of smileys in my msn chat.
Chrislyn Said:
on January 31, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Hey! Well, first i must admit that i do use a lot of short-forms in my msn conversations. And yes, the use of smileys in msn conversations ARE getting more and more irritating. And to make things worst, these smileys are appearing everywhere: inbetween words, at the end of a sentence and sometimes even replacing certain alphabets in a word. The over use of smileys really gets on my nerves at times…
Abe Said:
on February 1, 2008 at 10:12 pm
G’day,
Um, I don’t use them often enough to warrant a cane across the fingers for a lack of traditional English linguistics. BUT, I do use it in text messages and the like, mainly smileys. The tongue-poking smiley and the ’smiley’ smiley are the big ones I use. Generally, I use
to show I’m just joking.
Anyway, check ya later.
Bye.
Abe.
jesmelz Said:
on March 7, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I’m used that very often too! things like ” :] “, ” o.o”, “x_x” etc. Although sometimes i may seems a bit irritating to receive message full of ’smiley faces’, but it does help to make the message ‘friendlier’. And who doesn’t like to receive a message that says “smile”? :]