The Language of e-mails and texts

Ever wondered what those funny signs are some people use in their emails? Apparently it is a way of introducing some emotions into the message - O.K. so long as the recipient understands them!

It is some time since I created this page and, as I have no experience of texting etc., I am not sure if these are still relevant but they still provide a bit of fun.

Here's a quick guide to some of the basic chat acronyms and emotions:-

:)	Original smiley
:-)	Classic smiley
:-(	Frown
;-)	Wink
:-D	Laughing out loud
:-O	Amazement
}:-s	Confusion (Donna)
:-S	Confusion (Donna)
:-Q	Tongue hanging out in nausea
:-P	Sticking tongue out
:-*	Sent with a kiss
:-{)	User has moustache
:-{)}	User has moustache and beard
&:-)	User has curly hair
*:)**	Red Nosed smile (in other words drunk)
8-)	Wears glasses
Xo)	Feels bashful
};-)>	A saucy or knowing wink

I must admit it all seems very strange to me - I am sure it must be easier to write "I have curly hair, moustache and beard and also wear glasses" instead of -

I have &:-) :-{)} and also 8-).

MORE SHORTHAND AND ACRONYMS USED IN TEXTS AND EMAILS

I am sure there are many more, if you know of any let us know!

AND THERE WAS, SO MUCH SO I HAVE JUST COPIED ALL THOSE SENT IN, SORRY IF THERE ARE DUPLICATIONS!!!!

List 1 - Thanks to Paul

:)	smile
:-)	smile (with a nose)
:o)	another smile
:D	smile/laughing/big grin
:-\|	grim face
<g>	grin
<vbg>	very big grin
<eg>	evil grin
<wg>	wicked grin
:*	kiss
;)	wink
:X	my lips are sealed
:P	sticking out tongue
{}	a hug
{{{{{{{ }}}}}}}	lots of hugs
:(	frown
:'(	crying
O:)	angel
':)	raising one eyebrow
,:)	raising other eyebrow
8^[	stuck up and fed up
}:>	devil
>:-{	hurt and angry
:-`	hint of a smile
:-@	not feeling too great
:-!	used unrepeatable language
<------	referring to yourself
<~~~	another way of referring to yourself
$)	I love money
:-&	tongue-tied
<\|:-)	witch
:-)x(-:	kiss
( '}{' ))	boy and girl kissing

And from the world of fashion...

8~)	smiley with sunglasses
:o#)	man with a moustache
:-)}	man with beard
?;-(	bad hair day
{:-)	toupee
?:?(	punk smiley
*<):-)	clown

Then there are those all-important references to beverages:

(_)? [_]?	coffee or tea
c[[]]	a pint of beer

A category we'll call, simply, 'wildlife':

>^,,^<	a cat
<:3 )~	mouse
/\(oo)/\	spider
<><	a small fish
<(((><	a big fish
@( o )@	koala
^~~}}}}>:	scorpion
~^~^~^~8>~	snake
><.><	crab
####@#####	centipede in a sombrero
@--->--->---	a rose
@---}---}-----	another rose

The rich and famous:
:~]	Tony Blair
?:?(	punk smiley
(8V)	Pacman
@(-_-)@	Princess Leia
(_8(\|)	Homer Simpson
@@@@8 (\|)	Marge Simpson

Miscellaneous:

	invisible man
\ \ \ \ \ <0{ o}=o}=o}=o}=o}=> / / / / /	boat race
<3	a heart
(:::[]:::)	Band Aid

List 2 - Thanks to anonymous contributor

Fun Smileys

_O-)	Aquanaut
:=8)	Baboon
@:-]	Baby
=:-)	Bad hair day
(:-)	Bald
:o)	Boxer's nose
*:o)	Bozo the Clown
:-{#}	Braces
:-E	Bucktoothed Vampire
:-F	Bucktoothed Vampire with one tooth missing
cl:-=	Charlie Chaplin
C=:-)	Chef
%-)	Cross-eyed
O-)	Cyclops
#-)	Dead
<:-)	Dunce's hat
}:->	The Devil
:-[	Dracula
:-3	Has eaten a lemon
<<<<(:-)	Hat salesman
(-:	Left-handed smiley
8:-)	Little girl
:-{}	Lipstick
:-.)	Madonna or Marilyn Monroe
(8-o	Mr. Bill
:<) or :-{	Moustache
.-)	One-eyed
:@)	Pig
:-?	Pipe smoker
P-)	Pirate
K:P	Propeller beenie
=:-I	Punk Rocker
[:]	Robot
*<-:-{{{	Santa
*<;{o>	Santa
(:)-)	Scuba-diving
.^)	Side view
:-Q	Smoking
?-(	Sorry, I don't know what went wrong
%-)	Stared too long at monitor
B:-)	Sunglasses on head
8-)	Swimmer
=\|:-)=	Uncle Sam or Abe Lincoln
X-)	Unconscious
[:-)	Wearing a Walkman
{:-)	Wig

Emoticons

0:) or 0:-)	Angel
:II or :-II	Angry
:@ or :-@	Angry or screaming
>:-(	Angry, annoyed
\|-I	Asleep
;)=) or ;-)=)	Big grin
:1 or :-1	Bland face
:o or :-o	Bored
:c or :-c	Bummed out
:'( or :'-)	Crying/sad
:> or :->	Devilish grin
:6 or :-6	Eating something sour
}) or }-)	Evil
:] or :-]	Friendly
:( or :-(	Frowning
:/ or :-/	Frustrated
8) or 8-)	Glasses
:D or :-D	Grinning
{ }	Hug
:) or :-)	Kiss
:x or :-x	Kissing
:))) or :-)))	Laughing or double chin
:.) or :.-)	Laughing tears
:$ or :-$	Mouth wired shut
:X or :-X	Mute
:l or :-I	Not talking
:Y or :-Y	Quiet aside
:[ or :-[	Real downer
:< or :-<	Sad
:> or:->	Sarcastic
B) or B-)	Shades
=:) or =:-)	Shocked
:Z or :-Z	Sleeping
:) or :-)	Smiling
:O or :-O	Surprised
:() or :-()	Talking
:P or :-P	Tongue out
:& or :-&	Tongue-tied
I) or I-)	Trekkie
:^(	Unhappy, looking away
;) or ;-)	Winking
:} or :-}	Wry smile

Fun Butties (i.e. Bottoms not sandwiches)	Contributed by John Christensen (no offence intended)
(_._)	Normal butt
(__.__)	Wide butt
(_*_)	Sore butt
(_$_)	Rich *******
(_._)(___.___)(__.__)	Finnish sauna

A really comprehensive list of chat acronyms can be found here.

WOW - IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD ISN'T IT??????

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