Emoticons and email etiquette

People send millions of text and messages every day. In fact, Funnell (2007) says that most of people do not have the idea of how to write and the others do not know how to interpret the meaning. Therefore, some misunderstanding might arise in these communication tools. For example, when you send an innocent email saying 'you looked astounding!', some people might interpret it as a compliment but some people might believe that it is an expression of exaggeration. According to Schriver (1997), people need to focus on how to choose the right combination of words and pictures that other people need, want and prefer.

Nowadays, many people use email as communication medium for their business, which it is important to acknowledge about the email etiquette.

(Source: Google, 2010)

McKay (2010) explains about the important rules of writing a business letter when composing an email message which are mind your manners, watch your tone, be concise, be professional, use correct spelling and proper grammar, ask before you send an attachment and wait to fill in the "TO" Email Address. These rules act as a reminder for those who use email as media communication. Precisely, companies and organizations are looking for trained staff to do this emailing job whereas sloppy email correspondence could cost millions of dollars for companies. As Walsh (1996) says that words speak millions meaning where the relationship between reader and text are interpreted by socio-cultural context, purpose of the reader and text and also the interest.

While the email etiquette was argued, 25 years ago, Professor Fahlman suggested to use a little smiley face at the end of a joke (Funnell, 2007). Now that it has generated, the smiley face from 25 years ago has turned into yellow things with animation on it.

(Source: Google, 2010 - Smiley faces with animation)

Even though these yellow animation could help us in interpreting our feelings in email, we should not use it especially in business, even if you have a casual business relationship with someone (Goodwin, 2010). It would not be a problem if you want to use the emoticon among your friends but not among business relationship as Goodwin suggested. Formalism is needed in business world whereas if you want to use email as communication tool, you should rely on your language, strength of words and also the ability as a writer to get into your point without using emoticons.

In conclusion, we should acknowledge ourselves with the email etiquette in business world and must be familiar of the right time to use emoticons depending on whom you are referring the email to.

Reference list

Funnell, A 2007, What exactly is an emoticon? And what makes for good and bad email?, TheMediaReport, viewed on 16 June 2010, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2064342.htm

Goodwin, T 2010, Emoticons and Email Etiquette, viewed on 16 June 2010, http://www.answerbag.com/video/Emoticons+%26+E-Mail+Etiquette/47c781eb-4224-892e-38af-e4067a16ae2d/email-etiquette

McKay, DR 2010, Tips for professional Email, viewed on 16 June 2010, http://careerplanning.about.com/od/communication/a/email_tips.htm

Schiver, KA 1997, 'Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers', The interplay of words and pictures, vol. 6, pp. 361-441.

Walsh, M 2006, The 'textual shift': Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 29, pp. 24-37.