The emoji in question is a common Italian hand gesture that, roughly translated, means \u201cwhat the hell?\u201d This isn\u2019t how our team was using it. At some point, we collectively decided to use this emoji to mean \u201cperfection.\u201d<\/p>\n
From what I can gather, people thought it represented kissing your fingertips, the way chefs sometimes do.<\/p>\n
Dozens of people used the emoji this way until Deb pointed out the (hilarious) discrepancy. And you know what? Some people still use this emoji to mean perfection. They will probably never stop.<\/p>\n
This is a harmless example, but it does point to the inherent ambiguity of emoji \u2014 and communication in general. Symbols only have meaning because of a shared cultural context, which means you can\u2019t assume everyone is interpreting emoji the same way. That can lead to some awkwardness \u2014 especially in a work context.<\/p>\n
Maybe don\u2019t wink at your coworkers<\/strong><\/h2>\nConsider the \ud83d\ude09. Some people wouldn\u2019t think twice about using this emoji in a work context; others cringe at the very thought. There\u2019s a gulf in meaning here, just like with the Italian hand gesture.<\/p>\n
To some, the wink emoji is a harmless way to clarify that a statement is intended as a joke, or at least intended to be friendly. And there\u2019s a lot of precedents here. The winking emoticon \u2014 ;)<\/code> \u2014 was used this way for decades on Usenet and IRC. It\u2019s natural that internet veterans want to use \ud83d\ude09 the same way today.<\/p>\n[Read: How much does it cost to buy, own, and run an EV? It\u2019s not as much as you think<\/span><\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\nThe problem: that\u2019s not how everyone understands this emoji. <\/span>According<\/a> <\/span>to<\/a> <\/span>numerous<\/a> <\/span>sources<\/a> <\/span>from<\/a> <\/span>around<\/a> <\/span>the<\/a> <\/span>internet<\/a>, the wink emoji implies you\u2019re being flirty and\/or suggestive. Some people will reflexively interpret any and all \ud83d\ude09 usage in this manner, which is going to radically change the context of any statement you make using it. The best case is that you\u2019ll come across as oblivious. Worst case\u2026 well, I don\u2019t think I have to explain why this is problematic in a work context.<\/p>\nYou might disagree with the second interpretation of \ud83d\ude09, and that\u2019s understandable. It\u2019s also kind of my point: we\u2019re all interpreting emoji differently, and that can lead to confusion. But it\u2019s not everyone else\u2019s job to figure out what you mean.<\/p>\n
Take it from a writer: you can\u2019t control how other people are going to interpret your message. You can only control what message you send in the first place. To quote the philosopher Jeff Probst: \u201cPerception is reality.\u201d<\/p>\n
My advice: avoid using \ud83d\ude09 at work entirely. Maybe also avoid \ud83d\ude0f, \ud83d\ude0b, \ud83d\ude17, \ud83d\ude18, \ud83d\ude1c, \ud83d\ude08, \ud83c\udf51, and especially \ud83c\udf46, while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n
Other potentially confusing emoji<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe wink is far from the only confusing emoji. Here are a few other examples, off the top of my head:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
\ud83d\udc4c is a gesture that means \u201cok\u201d in most English-speaking countries, but it means\u2026 not that in many other countries. So maybe keep that in mind. There are a bunch of emoji, like \ud83e\udd18, that have this same problem.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83d\udc4a is officially named \u201cpunch,\u201d but some people use it as a fist bump. I\u2019m sure many people are wondering why their coworkers want to punch them in the face (I am not \u2014 I know the reason).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83e\udd17 might look like excited jazz hands, but it\u2019s officially named \u201chugging face.\u201d So maybe don\u2019t send it to anyone you wouldn\u2019t hug. In the face.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83d\udc6f is sometimes used to express that two people are in sync. But the emoji itself is, inexplicably, two women dressed as Playboy bunnies, which in some contexts is going to distract from the whole \u201ctwins\u201d thing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
Some people use \ud83d\ude4f to mean a high five or a thank you; others use it to mean prayer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83e\udd6f might just look like a bagel, but I recently learned that it\u2019s offensive to New Yorkers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Hannah:](\"https:\/\/images.ctfassets.net\/lzny33ho1g45\/1NlXleKYzGZZavcuJfXWw1\/9ea7347f0df3d738181e04c7aa788d22\/Hannah__It_looks_like_a_bagel_you_d_buy_at_the_grocery_store._the_surface_is_too_uniformly_glossy._it_s_too_round._where_s_the_.?w=700\" "\\"Hannah:")
<\/div>\nI could go on. The point is that emoji, like any symbols, have different meanings in different contexts. Effective communication depends on understanding that\u2014especially when you\u2019re working remotely.<\/p>\n
There are three sides to every statement<\/strong><\/h2>\nCommunication, in theory, is simple: you say something, and the person you\u2019re talking to understands it. But that\u2019s not how it actually works. In reality, every time you communicate, you immediately create three distinct statements:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
What you meant to say.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
What you actually said.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
What your audience thinks you said.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Communication is the art of aligning these three things as closely as you can. This is true when you\u2019re writing a book, it\u2019s true when you\u2019re giving a speech, and it\u2019s true when you\u2019re DMing a coworker.<\/p>\n
If this sounds complicated, that\u2019s because it is. There\u2019s a reason robots are so bad at convincingly talking like a human person \u2014 conversation is staggeringly complex. There is so much nuance to every word choice \u2014 and to every emoji choice. Most of the time, humans manage this without any problem, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.<\/p>\n
But every once in a while, confusion creeps in, which is only natural. We\u2019re all making this up as we go along, after all, and communication is also a skill that you have to practice. Part of doing that online means understanding what emoji mean in various contexts.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re ever uncertain about something:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
Ask your coworkers what they think emoji mean. The more context you have the better.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
If something is confusing to you, point it out! You\u2019re probably not the only one who is wondering.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
There is no shame in Googling an emoji to learn more about its meaning in the broader culture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Remember: we\u2019re all making this up as we go along. There\u2019s no shame in not knowing. Just try to keep learning.<\/p>\n
\nThis article by Justin Pot was originally published on the Zapier blog<\/a> and is republished here with permission. You can read the original article here<\/a>.
<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Published February 10, 2021 \u2014 08:00 UTC <\/p>\n
;)<\/code> \u2014 was used this way for decades on Usenet and IRC. It\u2019s natural that internet veterans want to use \ud83d\ude09 the same way today.<\/p>\n[Read: How much does it cost to buy, own, and run an EV? It\u2019s not as much as you think<\/span><\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\nThe problem: that\u2019s not how everyone understands this emoji. <\/span>According<\/a> <\/span>to<\/a> <\/span>numerous<\/a> <\/span>sources<\/a> <\/span>from<\/a> <\/span>around<\/a> <\/span>the<\/a> <\/span>internet<\/a>, the wink emoji implies you\u2019re being flirty and\/or suggestive. Some people will reflexively interpret any and all \ud83d\ude09 usage in this manner, which is going to radically change the context of any statement you make using it. The best case is that you\u2019ll come across as oblivious. Worst case\u2026 well, I don\u2019t think I have to explain why this is problematic in a work context.<\/p>\nYou might disagree with the second interpretation of \ud83d\ude09, and that\u2019s understandable. It\u2019s also kind of my point: we\u2019re all interpreting emoji differently, and that can lead to confusion. But it\u2019s not everyone else\u2019s job to figure out what you mean.<\/p>\n
Take it from a writer: you can\u2019t control how other people are going to interpret your message. You can only control what message you send in the first place. To quote the philosopher Jeff Probst: \u201cPerception is reality.\u201d<\/p>\n
My advice: avoid using \ud83d\ude09 at work entirely. Maybe also avoid \ud83d\ude0f, \ud83d\ude0b, \ud83d\ude17, \ud83d\ude18, \ud83d\ude1c, \ud83d\ude08, \ud83c\udf51, and especially \ud83c\udf46, while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n
Other potentially confusing emoji<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe wink is far from the only confusing emoji. Here are a few other examples, off the top of my head:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
\ud83d\udc4c is a gesture that means \u201cok\u201d in most English-speaking countries, but it means\u2026 not that in many other countries. So maybe keep that in mind. There are a bunch of emoji, like \ud83e\udd18, that have this same problem.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83d\udc4a is officially named \u201cpunch,\u201d but some people use it as a fist bump. I\u2019m sure many people are wondering why their coworkers want to punch them in the face (I am not \u2014 I know the reason).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83e\udd17 might look like excited jazz hands, but it\u2019s officially named \u201chugging face.\u201d So maybe don\u2019t send it to anyone you wouldn\u2019t hug. In the face.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83d\udc6f is sometimes used to express that two people are in sync. But the emoji itself is, inexplicably, two women dressed as Playboy bunnies, which in some contexts is going to distract from the whole \u201ctwins\u201d thing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
Some people use \ud83d\ude4f to mean a high five or a thank you; others use it to mean prayer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\ud83e\udd6f might just look like a bagel, but I recently learned that it\u2019s offensive to New Yorkers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\nI could go on. The point is that emoji, like any symbols, have different meanings in different contexts. Effective communication depends on understanding that\u2014especially when you\u2019re working remotely.<\/p>\n
There are three sides to every statement<\/strong><\/h2>\nCommunication, in theory, is simple: you say something, and the person you\u2019re talking to understands it. But that\u2019s not how it actually works. In reality, every time you communicate, you immediately create three distinct statements:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
What you meant to say.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
What you actually said.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
What your audience thinks you said.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Communication is the art of aligning these three things as closely as you can. This is true when you\u2019re writing a book, it\u2019s true when you\u2019re giving a speech, and it\u2019s true when you\u2019re DMing a coworker.<\/p>\n
If this sounds complicated, that\u2019s because it is. There\u2019s a reason robots are so bad at convincingly talking like a human person \u2014 conversation is staggeringly complex. There is so much nuance to every word choice \u2014 and to every emoji choice. Most of the time, humans manage this without any problem, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.<\/p>\n
But every once in a while, confusion creeps in, which is only natural. We\u2019re all making this up as we go along, after all, and communication is also a skill that you have to practice. Part of doing that online means understanding what emoji mean in various contexts.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re ever uncertain about something:<\/p>\n
\n- \n
Ask your coworkers what they think emoji mean. The more context you have the better.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
If something is confusing to you, point it out! You\u2019re probably not the only one who is wondering.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
There is no shame in Googling an emoji to learn more about its meaning in the broader culture.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Remember: we\u2019re all making this up as we go along. There\u2019s no shame in not knowing. Just try to keep learning.<\/p>\n
\nThis article by Justin Pot was originally published on the Zapier blog<\/a> and is republished here with permission. You can read the original article here<\/a>.
<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Published February 10, 2021 \u2014 08:00 UTC <\/p>\n