A semiotic approach to the study of emojis
Abstract
Emojis are graphic signs that are frequently used in written digital interactions. Although they have become increasingly popular since they were incorporated into the Apple keyboard in 2011 and instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp, their origin can be traced back to the 1990’s. In recent years, emojis have emerged as one of the central topics in digital communication studies and have been approached from different fields and theories. In this work, we present a semiotic characterization of emojis. We ask ourselves about the place that these elements occupy in the classification of signs (index, icon, symbol), how their interpretation is constructed and what relationships these communicative units establish between each other.
Downloads
Article download
Crossmark
License
In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.
