Smileys for E-Mail

Smileys for Your E-Mail

Smileys are tiny pictures made from ordinary ASCII characters that are meant to be looked at with the head tilted to the left. Smileys came about when e-mail correspondents felt the need to convey emotional content such as sarcasm, laughter and other feelings as part of their messages. Without smileys, simple statements could easily be misinterpreted:

     You're an idiot!  :-)

The most common emoticon is the classic smiley, from which the genre derives its name.

Text version.

:-) smiley '-) wink
:-O shouting ;-) say no more; nudge, nudge
:-( unhappy :-# censored

Smileys have developed into a minor art form, to the point where they now appear on lapel buttons, and have an entire book devoted to them.

Text version.

Laughter Sentiment
:-) humor >--->--- a rose
:-) (-: masking theatrical comments ||*( handshake offered
:-T keeping a straight face (tight-lipped) ||*) handshake accepted
:-D said with a smile :-X kiss kiss
:-> alternate happy face o= a burning candle to start a flame
:-) :-) :-) loud guffaw ~= flaming message
:*) clowning around -= a doused candle to end a flame
:-? licking lips |-<> kissy face
%-} silly sarcasm [] hug

Sarcasm Conspiracy

:/) not funny (-_-) secret smile
:-" pursing lips `-) wink
:-r bleahhh (sticking tongue out) ;-) say no more; nudge, nudge
:-f smirks :-* oops! (covering mouth with hand)
:-p " :-# censored
:-1 " :-8 talking out of both sides of your mouth
:-, " >:-> leer
:-| disgusted :-X not saying a word
:-J tongue-in-cheek comments Despondency
:-! foot in mouth (:-... heart-breaking message
:-$ put your money where your mouth is :-o" oh, noooooo! (á la Mr. Bill)
:-D talks too much #:-o same as previous
:-I chewing on bone ...---... S.O.S.
:-P shouting :-< forlorn
:-( unhappy |-( late night messages
(:^( broken nose (:-$ ill
%-) broken glasses (:-( sad
:-b tongue stuck out %- hung over
:-p left-handed tongue stuck out :~/ all mixed up
Astonishment #-) another all-night party
() you're kidding :-`| with a cold
<:-o eeek! %+{ loser in a fight
:-( unbelieving (jaw droppsed)
:-(*) about to vomit

:-)	smiley	'-)	wink
:-O	shouting	;-)	say no more; nudge, nudge
:-(	unhappy	:-#	censored

Laughter		Sentiment
:-)	humor	>--->---	a rose
:-) (-:	masking theatrical comments	\|\|*(	handshake offered
:-T	keeping a straight face (tight-lipped)	\|\|*)	handshake accepted
:-D	said with a smile	:-X	kiss kiss
:->	alternate happy face	o=	a burning candle to start a flame
:-) :-) :-)	loud guffaw	~=	flaming message
:*)	clowning around	-=	a doused candle to end a flame
:-?	licking lips	\|-<>	kissy face
%-}	silly sarcasm	[]	hug
Sarcasm		Conspiracy
:/)	not funny	(-_-)	secret smile
:-"	pursing lips	`-)	wink
:-r	bleahhh (sticking tongue out)	;-)	say no more; nudge, nudge
:-f	smirks	:-*	oops! (covering mouth with hand)
:-p	"	:-#	censored
:-1	"	:-8	talking out of both sides of your mouth
:-,	"	>:->	leer
:-\|	disgusted	:-X	not saying a word
:-J	tongue-in-cheek comments	Despondency
:-!	foot in mouth	(:-...	heart-breaking message
:-$	put your money where your mouth is	:-o"	oh, noooooo! (á la Mr. Bill)
:-D	talks too much	#:-o	same as previous
:-I	chewing on bone	...---...	S.O.S.
:-P	shouting	:-<	forlorn
:-(	unhappy	\|-(	late night messages
(:^(	broken nose	(:-$	ill
%-)	broken glasses	(:-(	sad
:-b	tongue stuck out	%-	hung over
:-p	left-handed tongue stuck out	:~/	all mixed up
Astonishment		#-)	another all-night party
()	you're kidding	:-`\|	with a cold
<:-o	eeek!	%+{	loser in a fight
:-(	unbelieving (jaw droppsed)
:-(*)	about to vomit