Do smileys and writing style make a difference?

[Fluster 87]

 

I'd say best at 2 or 3, over that it becomes kinda "Woah I never realized how meallow Pinkie Pie actually is."     lol

[skbl17 199]

Yes it does.    Take this post as an example  , does it seem cool?   Or is it just plain obnoxious?   Actually, don't answer that, you'll hurt my feelings.         

 

But really, your posts shouldn't be filled with emoticons. Words exist for a reason. I'm not saying posts should have no emoticons whatsoever, but I shouldn't have to expend extra effort just to parse the words hidden in your 70 emoticons.

Edited August 12, 2015 by skbl17

[Discordian 6,013]

I feel like text alone isn't enough to portray many emotions shown in a face-to-face conversation. Emoticons, while seemingly trite and silly, make up for the lack of facial expressions and body language.

 

So yes. They make a massive difference and it's entirely up to each individual and (sometimes) the conversation at hand to decide their relevance and how much they should be used.

[frecklesareblooming 225]

Using a smiley or two is no big deal for me, and I think it appears a bit more friendly, but if someone were to write like this...

 

Hello!!!!1 Nice To Meet You!!!!!1 :) :) :)

 

...I'd probably respond differently. In short, using correct punctuation and not an overabundance of smileys is the right way to go.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

Emoticons make conversation much more casual

[Celtore 2,769]

There is a time and place for emoticons, typically at the end of paragraphs and sentences. You don't need that many, just enough to convey the emotion you're trying to emphasize.

 

For example, in a lot of my posts, I use the =P emote to indicate when I'm being sarcastic or being a bit silly. I wont judge for over usage of emoticons unless it's just an insane amount that makes it hard to read the actual text.

 

So more on topic, I'm more of a fan of option 1.3. "Hello, it's nice to meet you! ^_^"

[Splashee 28,537]

It really does. My EX friend used the =) smiley and I cannot stand it! But I cannot stand the : ) either, and definitely not the :-)

 

So I use the anime ^^

 

Some lazy people just use the )

That's so lazy, and so cool at the same time! I hate that! )

[applesjck 5,601]

Emoticons make conversations more casual and lighthearted, and they also make emotions conveyed through text much easier to read! Although, there can definitely be too much emoticon in a message. 

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

57 minutes ago, Splashee said:

It really does. My EX friend used the =) smiley and I cannot stand it! But I cannot stand the : ) either, and definitely not the :-)

 

So I use the anime ^^

 

Some lazy people just use the )

That's so lazy, and so cool at the same time! I hate that! )

Who in the world uses ) ?!

[Splashee 28,537]

24 minutes ago, ExplosionMare said:

Who in the world uses ) ?!

You make me sad not knowing that (

 

It was popular in live chats around 2007. People that didn't like to do Anime style smileys decided to skip the eyes completely. I think it looked stupid (and I still do)

Edited February 28, 2020 by Splashee

[Pentium100 2,056]

Too many emoticons make it hard to read the text and provide no information.

"That was great :)"
"That :):):) was :):):):) great :):):):):)"

Same meaning, but harder to read. I would give a pass to ":DDDDDDDDDD" though, because it is either used alone or at the end of the text.
And if you send me a message composed almost entirely of emoticons, I'll reply with "???" and you will have to write normally anyway .

[Early Sunsets 2,106]

It makes a big difference. If someone comes off as too friendly in their first message (for example, using emoticons just for the sake of using them) I'll almost immediately decide they're a person I don't want to talk to. If they're talking super formal, I'll feel like I'm talking to a client or something. There's a nice middle ground that most people reach.

Also, using decent grammar doesn't necessarily make something formal. It shows that the person cares about what they're saying, which can even be a casual conversation. Or they just like to write, and thus make an attempt to not write sloppily.