User:Vermilllion/sandbox

Contrasting uses of emoji
'Western-styled' emoticons emphasize the expression of the mouth, while Japanese kaomoji emphasize emotions in the eyes. This difference represents the different prioritization of features when it comes to interpreting emotions between Americans and Japanese, where the former prioritizes the features of the mouth, while the latter emphasizes the expression of the eyes. This is an example of cultural learning.

Emoticons were popular in early American computer groups to signify sarcasm or irony. Kaomoji first gained popularity among young girls and manga readers in Japan, due to kaomoji's adoption of manga symbols and kawaii design.

Between Japanese and Korean emoticon users, reading and understanding of emotions expressed in emoticons varied. _l￣l○, a person whose head, hands, and knees are on the floor, is interpreted as expressing disappointment, despair, or depression amongst Japanese readers, yet amongst Korean readers is interpreted as expressing frustration, or desperation. (@_@), a Japanese kaomoji expression with using At signs to represent shocked wide-eyes—akin to the simplified design of a manga character—is not as widely understood by Korean readers. Similarly, Korean geurim mal (emoticons made with hangul) can contain a phonetic context that isn't conveyed through pictography alone.