Paralanguage

Written by Madmaph
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:27 - Last Updated Tuesday, 09 March 2010 01:13

Paralanguage is part of the non verbal communication that adds texture to information.
Intonation, rhythm, silences, and word emphasis are examples of how we communicate the
emotion of our message. Understanding localized Paralinguistic is paramount in avoiding
misunderstanding. Often, what is considered humor or style in one region might be construed
as insulting in another. An example, of this is the use of silences in speech by the Japanese. In
Japanese culture, halting speech shows thoughtfulness and honesty. By contrast, Americans
find fluidity and resonance signs of conviction and forthrightness( Yamada1997 ).

Text being devoid of audible or physical clues (body language) creates an inherent challenge.
Authors use devices such as punctuation and stylistic approaches to convey a mood or
meaning in their work. An interesting development in digital messaging are
Emoticons or Smileys
used to create an interpunction to convey meaning to simple text.

Many forms of paralanguage have been used through out history. The key purpose of
paralanguage is to aid the active participant in bringing depth and understanding to their
communication. The intent of a message often carries more importance than the content.

Body Language:

This facet of nonverbal communication includes such vocal elements as:

- Tone
- Pitch
- Rhythm
- Timbre
- Loudness

1/4
Paralanguage

Written by Madmaph
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:27 - Last Updated Tuesday, 09 March 2010 01:13

- Inflection

For maximum effectiveness, we vary these six elements of our voice. Listeners use these cues
to discern deeper meaning in our speech. So how does one text paralanguage?

Scott Elliot Fahlman is credited with originating the first emoticons, their purpose was to aid
posters on the Usnet at Carnegie Mellon to distinguish serious posts from humorous ones. He
proposed the use of :-) and :-( the symbols are now in wide spread use and an entire lexicon of
emoticons has since been developed. The post originated on September 19, 1982.

This message was:

I propose that the following character sequence for joke markers:

:-)

Read it sideways. Actually, it is probably more economical to mark

things that are NOT jokes, given current trends. For this, use

:-(

:-P Sticking out tongue !-( Black eye

:-p Sticking tongue out !-) Proud of black eye

:-p~ Heavy smoker #-) Wiped out, partied all nig

:-Q #:-o
Tongue hanging out in disgust Shocked

:-Q~ Smoking %(|:-) Â Propeller-head

:-r Sticking tongue out %*} Inebriated

:-s What?! %+{ Got beat up

:-t Unsmiley %-( Confused

2/4
Paralanguage

Written by Madmaph
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:27 - Last Updated Tuesday, 09 March 2010 01:13

:-V Shouting %-) Dazed or silly

:-X %-6
My lips are sealed; or a kiss Brain-dead

:-x Kiss, or My lips are sealed%-\ Hung over

:-Y Aside comment %-{ Ironic

:-[ Unsmiling blockhead; also%-|

criticism Worked all night

:-\'| Sniffles %-} Humorous or ironic

:-] %\
Smiling blockhead; also sarcasm Hangover

:-{) Smile with moustache >>:-<< Furious

:-{)} Smile with moustache and>-beard Female

:-{} Blowing a kiss >-> Winking devil

:-| >-<
Indifferent, bored or disgusted Furious

:-| :-| Deja vu >-) Devilish wink

:-|| Very angry >:) Little devil

:-} Mischievous smile >:-> Very mischievous devil

:-~) A cold >:-< Angry

:-~| A cold >:-< Mad

:.( Crying >:-( Annoyed

:/) Not funny >:-) Mischievous devil

:/i No smoking >=^ P Yuck

:> What? <:> Devilish expression

:@ What? <:-> Devilish expression

:C Astonished <:-( Dunce
:e Disappointed <:-) Innocently asking dumb question
:P Sticking out tongue <:-| Dunce
:X Hear no evil <:| Dunce

3/4
Paralanguage

Written by Madmaph
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:27 - Last Updated Tuesday, 09 March 2010 01:13

:x Kiss ( 8(|) Homer

:\' Crying ( <> .. <>alienated
)
:\'( Crying (( )):** Hugs and kisses
:\'-( Crying ((())) Lots of hugging
:\'-) Tears of happiness () Hugging
:^D Happy, approving (-: Smiley from the southern hemisphere
:`-( Shedding a tear (:& Angry
:{ Having a hard time (:- Unsmiley
:~) A cold (:-& Angry
:~-( Crying (:-( Unsmiley
:~/ Confused (:-) Smiley variation
;) Wink (:-* Kiss
;P Wink with a raspberry (:-\ Very sad
;( Crying (::()::) Bandaid, meaning comfort
;-( Angry, or got a black eye (:| Egghead
;-) Winkey * Kiss
;-D Winking and laughing *<:-) Santa Claus
=O Surprised *<|:-) Santa Claus, or a clown
=X My lips are sealed *-) Shot to death
=):-)= Abraham Lincoln +<:-) Religious leader
=:-) Punk, or hosehead +<:-| Monk or nun
=====:} Snake +<||-) Knight
=^* Kisses +:-) Priest
=^D Big grin +O:-) The Pope
?( Black eye -) Tongue in cheek
?-( Black eye -= Snuffed candle to end a flame message
@>--->---A long-stemmed rose -=#:-) Wizard

4/4