Abstract/Summary

This thesis establishes the visual style of emoji as a specific nonverbal feature of computer-mediated communication that contributes to the nuance of a message. This is distinct from existing literature which considers emoji ‘as a whole’, where what an emoji is of (its subject matter) is not differentiated from the manner in which it is portrayed (its visual style). Functions that emoji visual style are shown to fulfil include: expressing sentiment, tone, and emotion; providing or clarifying information; and acting as surrogates for face-to-face nonverbal codes, such as kinesics and vocalics. A novel approach to the analysis of visual style is introduced, utilising the technological and linguistic context of emoji as a basis for the framework. A ‘stable elements’ view of visual style, along with the consideration of an emoji’s ‘graph’, is used to establish a distinction between subject matter and visual style. A taxonomic schema for the description of visual style elements is introduced, while connotational analysis is used to determine the semantic quality of stylistic elements. Demonstrating how emoji visual style fulfils nonverbal functions is achieved by comparing how different visual styles, consisting of the same emoji subject matter, affect interpretations of a message. This research shows that emoji visual style contributes significant semantic meaning to a message and highlights the benefit of considering visual style further, both in theory and practice. The contributions of this research exist beyond the field of graphic communication, in fields such as communication studies, linguistics, and psychology, when an analysis of the role of visual style is integrated into studies of emoji utilising the framework introduced in this thesis. Furthermore, by establishing the nonverbal functions of emoji visual style, this thesis highlights the role visual style plays in personal relationships, workplace environments, and business-to-consumer communications.