TAMING THE STING: THE USE OF EVALUATIVE EMOJIS BY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN KUWAIT

Nada A. Algharabali¹ & Hanan A. Taqi^2
1Assoc. Prof., College of Basic Education, KUWAIT, Nads_50@hotmail.com
²Assoc. Prof., College of Basic Education, KUWAIT, hanan.taqi@gmail.com

Abstract

Messaging through smart phones has become a vital method of communication. In the light of the use of emojis in messages, the following paper investigates the reasons and methods of the use of different emojis by college students in school related settings. The study was implemented in the college of Basic Education in Kuwait. The participants, 163 male and female students, answered a questionnaire on the importance of emojis, the context of use, and the way it is used. In addition, some of the students were interviewed to elicit more information on the use of emojis. After the analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data, the researchers found that emojis for students are highly important in the discussion of college-related topics, as they are used as a safe vehicle to reflect criticism and negative comments in an authority-free setting. Whether they are used individually or in clusters, they carry a bundle of meaning. 

Keywords: Sociolinguistics, messages, emojis, gender, college, higher education