And has been a thing since 2014, apparently, but it’s important this year because iOS and Android are introducing a selection of new emoji (EMOJIS? EMOJII? EMOJI⚡?) including an otter. AN OTTER, YOU GUYS.
To commemorate this very important occasion, here are 10 fun facts about emoji.
- The word “emoji” comes from Japanese e (絵, “picture”) + moji (文字, “character”), and its similarity to English “emoticon” is totally coincidental.
- Besides, emoji and emoticons aren’t even the same thing. By definition, emoticons use typographic characters, and emoji use ideographic images.
- The Unicode Standard base includes over 3000 unique emoji.
- In 2015, the Oxford Dictionary named 😂 or “FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY” emoji its Word of the Year, even though that’s five words.
- Nobody uses the 🍆 emoji to actually mean “eggplant”. It means “aubergine” or “brinjal”, because who even calls it an “eggplant”?
- If anybody posts the 🍕emoji in our NAG Whatsapp office group, Michael is instantly compelled to order a pizza.
- The Windows 10 Touch Keyboard feature has a 🐱🐉emoji. It’s a cat on a dinosaur, and it’s amazing.
- The Windows 10 Touch Keyboard supports emojis, and I only discovered this today, and this is also amazing.
- 💩
- Much like everything else, emoji can be ambiguous. For example, 🙂 can (and should) sometimes be interpreted as “fuck you”.