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Culture Determines Which Emoticon You Use

Posted by Zonk on from the i'm-feeling-:/ dept.

Ant writes "A LiveScience story discusses the cultural differences in interpreting facial expressions. The article notes that where you come from plays a large role in what part of the human face you use to determine another person's mood. That also includes communicating online with the usages of smiley faces. 'For instance, in Japan, people tend to look to the eyes for emotional cues, whereas Americans tend to look to the mouth, says researcher Masaki Yuki, a behavioral scientist at Hokkaido University in Japan ... In Japan, emoticons tend to emphasize the eyes, such as the happy face (^_^) and the sad face (;_;). "After seeing the difference between American and Japanese emoticons, it dawned on me that the faces looked exactly like typical American and Japanese smiles," he said.'"

25 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. No emoticons? by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    So what culture am I a part of if I want to strangle someone every time they use any kind of emoticon at all?

    1. Re:No emoticons? by stsp · · Score: 5, Funny

      So what culture am I a part of if I want to strangle someone every time they use any kind of emoticon at all?
      Vogon.
    2. Re:No emoticons? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I guess you're just old >:->
      But what I don't understand is why do you want to strangle people who use emoticon ? O_o
      I mean... it's just a way to communicate more efficiently ! :)
      Oh, boy... I'm so dead :(

    3. Re:No emoticons? by nevernamed · · Score: 4, Funny

      Of course it would be easy to understand why those anime cartoons have such huge eyes after reading this!

    4. Re:No emoticons? by mrchaotica · · Score: 5, Funny

      Text is very easy to mis-read, especially if it contains sarcasm or jokes.

      <sarcasm>This sounds like a job for XML!</sarcasm>

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    5. Re:No emoticons? by illegalcortex · · Score: 2, Funny

      So what culture am I a part of if I want to strangle someone every time they use any kind of emoticon at all?
      Asperger's.
    6. Re:No emoticons? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      It looks like you're trying to type an XML Document. Did you mean to write:

      <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
      <sarcasm xmlns="http://www.martinpayne.co.uk/humour/">
      <![CDATA[This sounds like a job for XML!]]>
      </sarcasm>

  2. Only one response to that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    :P

  3. Re:That's interesting. by Mylakovich · · Score: 4, Funny

    Interesting indeed! Facinating, even! What a unique and special person you are.

  4. The most enigmatic one by wumpus188 · · Score: 5, Funny

    (.)(.)

    I am a regular ./ reader and this one always puzzled me.

    1. Re:The most enigmatic one by sakdoctor · · Score: 3, Funny

      /-{ }-\

      What does this one say about culture?

    2. Re:The most enigmatic one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm also a regular ./ reader and it's obvious this represent to eyes !!! What else could this represent ?!

    3. Re:The most enigmatic one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      WTF is 'Dotslash'?

    4. Re:The most enigmatic one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      The current directory.

    5. Re:The most enigmatic one by Red+Pointy+Tail · · Score: 3, Funny

      (.)(.)

      I am a regular ./ reader and this one always puzzled me

      Everyone stand clear! Don't answer that one!

      It's a boobie-trapped question!

  5. Re:The one I hate by linvir · · Score: 2, Funny

    They really ought to be using more than two characters, to avoid ambiguity. Like this:
    OLOLOLOLLOLOL ^^^^^^^^

  6. Oh no, it's.... by Dogtanian · · Score: 4, Funny

    The goatse emoticon:

    (=O=)

    or what about

    =(3OE)=

    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    1. Re:Oh no, it's.... by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 4, Funny

      The goatse emoticon:

      (=O=)

      I will never see a TIE fighter the same way again, you bastard.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  7. Re:Russian smileys )))) by Dogtanian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Finally an appropriate thread to ask this in. Could someone please explain why Russian smileys have no eyes, and typically multiple chins? Because many people in Eastern Europe really look like that... the radiation from Chernobyl had a devastating effect on the populations there.
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  8. Re:Let :-) Reign Supreme! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Pinocchio? Is that you?

  9. Re:non-human emoticons by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    what the hell does it say about /. moderators that this was rated INFORMATIVE?

    It says that a significant number of flounders currently have mod points.

  10. Re:Ve haff vays of making you smile. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is a german smiley actually: Ü

  11. Cultural differences on Eroticon six by SoVeryTired · · Score: 5, Funny
    As far as I know, this one is unique to Eroticon Six...

    (.)(.)(.)

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  12. Re:The mouth lies by Madcapjack · · Score: 2, Funny

    its especially easy to fake smiles on /.

    : )

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    Logic, macros, and more
  13. Re:Russian smileys )))) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'am from Eastern Europe (Slovakia) and i can say that ther's no truth whatsoever
    about the radiation mutations );-