Kategorie: Ausgaben

By Andrea Ferretti | The integration of digital messaging applications into the most diverse practices of everyday life drives a rethinking of the relationship between bodies, orality, and writing within human communication. Communicative cues such as tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, etc. find in emojis a way of translating themselves through a new kind of informal writing. Under this lens, some significant aspects of the merging of emojis and alphabetic writing can be investigated. This article reflects on the semiotic features of this translation and on the encyclopedic skills that the use and comprehension of emojis require. Special emphasis is placed on the linguistically mediated nature of emojis meaning. Despite their apparent grounding and iconicity, they can only be explained through the filter of linguistic, cultural, and socio-pragmatic coordinates. In short, the paper provides an understanding of emojis as a semiotic code, which contributes to characterizing digital communication. The semiotic code of emojis creates a space for collective reflection and creativity surrounding the expression of emotions, mutual social evaluation, social relationships, etc. Despite the fragmentation and the exploitative dynamics typical of digital environments, the use of this semiotic code will be depicted as an ongoing collective game, concerned with the replacement of individual bodies, even in the most mundane and informal communicative exchanges.

By Christina Margrit Siever | Emojis have become an indispensable part of digital communication. There are undoubtedly cultural differences and individual preferences in their use, but the utilization of emojis naturally also depends on the communication situation and the topic. The present article is about emojis that are applied in the context of digital mourning on Twitter for so-called ›angel babies‹ (German: »Sternenkinder«), i.e., children who die (shortly) before, during, or after birth, and sometimes also later. The article analyzes the extent to which emojis are used in mourning processes in addition to verbally expressed grief for a deceased child and what function they have in this context. In particular, it will be analyzed what multimodal communication with emojis looks like, i.e., whether emojis are part of the message or rather have an illustrative character. In addition, the question is explored whether there are specific emojis for digital mourning communication and to what extent symbols that can be interpreted in religious terms can also be found (for example angels, praying hands, or candles). The facial signs used will also be examined; for example, the extent to which crying and sad emoticons are used to express grief and empathy. Furthermore, it will be discussed whether the heart as a symbol of love is also as present in grief communication on Twitter – as observed elsewhere in digital communication. The data basis for the analysis is a corpus of around 8,351 German-language tweets containing the sequence of characters »sternenkind« (angel baby).

By Michaela Oberwinkler | This study examines the usage of digital stickers in Japanese LINE communication by analyzing 764 cases in authentic data. Digital stickers are often described as emojis, just larger in size. I argue, however, that stickers differ from emojis in that they are more expressive and fulfill more functions as a result of their ability to perform a distinct speech act on their own, such as intensifying a text message, softening a request, or serving as decoration to indicate one’s positive attitude. Additionally, the analysis of sticker usage among university students brought to light that the majority of stickers are sent independently, i.e., without an accompanying text message, thus revealing a way of communicating visually without words. Moreover, further examination of textual features and gender differences showed that female students used more animal stickers than male students, that men used fewer stickers with an integrated text when communicating with women than with other men, and that women used fewer criticizing stickers than men. Overall, the analysis of the stickers actually employed indicates that sticker usage combines many cultural features that are closely connected to the Japanese way of communicating.

By Marcel Lemmes | The present article explores the affective and communal dimensions of emoji as semiotic resources in digital communication. From a media studies perspective, the author analyzes the usage of emoji on the live streaming platform Twitch and the community chat platform Discord. In exploring the specific affordances these media platforms provide, a comprehensive framework for examining the usage of emoji within these and related contexts is established. The framework takes into consideration emoji’s pictorial qualities, their role as signs, and their intersemiotic embeddedness within digital platforms. Additionally, the article emphasizes the importance of cultural and contextual knowledge in understanding emoji usage. By integrating these elements, the article aims to shed light on the multifaceted nature of emoji and their significance in fostering affective and communal interactions within online communities. It also points toward a broader transdisciplinary perspective that could further enrich an understanding of the social/communal functions of emoji, such as research on internet memes and fandom.