By Danielle Liwanag

Delete, delete, delete! It’s the nth time you’ve tried constructing a reply to the person you’re texting and you just can’t think of the proper response. The first one seemed a little too giddy, the second too unenthusiastic. Maybe try adding an emoji? Nah, it just doesn’t match the energy. Ugh, why is it so difficult to reply?!

In a time where we are all reliant on using technology such as messaging apps to communicate with each other, it is inevitable to come across instances wherein we overthink the meaning of the messages we receive online. Using these messaging apps takes away essential factors of communication, such as non-verbal cues and voice tones. It then becomes difficult for us to decipher its intended meaning because it is difficult to ask for clarification, especially when you don’t want to ruin the flow of the conversation. 

Communication has definitely progressed over generations. You may or may not know it, but Gen Z has developed some underlying meanings in the text messages they send, whether this is with their closest friends, crushes, or even people they just don’t vibe with. Maybe you unconsciously practice these too, or maybe even be in the receiving end. Oops!

What these emojis really mean

Emojis, in their simplest form, are basically just modern hieroglyphics. People use emojis in different contexts but perhaps the most interesting ones to uncover are these:

😭 (sobbing emoji) 

What it means: Previously used for sad or unfortunate situations, Gen Z has altered to use this emoji as a laughing emoji. When someone sends this emoji to you, don’t assume they are sad! This emoji, usually accompanied by the phrase “I’M CRYING” (Yes, in all caps.) can actually mean something is really funny! Do try to still take in the context of the message though, miscommunication can easily happen if the other person actually uses this as a crying emoji.

💀 (skull emoji) 

What it means: This emoji basically translates to “dead”, a slang word that also means that something is funny! It’s also used for situations where you’re unsure whether you should be laughing or not so you send “💀” as a safe reply. (You didn’t hear it from me, though.)

🤡 (clown emoji) 

What it means: The clown emoji is used when you refer to yourself or others as “clowning”, which today means hopelessly believing that something impossible may happen. Or, people also use it when they do something stupid or reckless. 

Dry replies or no replies at all

“hahaha”,  “lol” and the Haha and Sad react

What it means: You may have experienced being left on seen, receiving dry replies, or even being replied to with just the “Haha” or “Sad” react on Messenger. Frankly put, if you receive these dry replies to your messages, it most likely means they are no longer interested in the conversation. It may be a bit draining to reply to these kinds of messages because you constantly have to think of new topics, but as a communicator, you have to be aware of cues like these that indicate that maybe it’s time to drop the conversation. 

Capitalization and punctuation in text messages

Texting in lowercase

What it means: Most of Gen Z nowadays widely prefer using no capitalization when texting someone, especially if it is informal. The idea behind this is that the text looks more relaxed and less intimidating in contrast to formal styles like using capitalized words for every sentence. Some will also claim that it looks better aesthetically. Of course, this is entirely up to preference, but it’s way easier to communicate with people you “talk” similarly with! 

Adding a period

What it means: While we were taught in our English classes to end our sentences with a period, text messages provide a whole new meaning to adding periods in day-to-day text conversations. Studies have actually shown that text messages that ended in a period (in an informal context) were often seen as angry, rude, or annoyed. Oof! So better look out for that “K.” and the “No, I’m not mad.” messages next time! 

Typing like thissss!

“Heyy”, “Okayyy”, and “Suuure”

What it means:  Similar to the idea of typing in lowercase and adding a period, adding more letters when you type seems way friendlier compared to just saying “Hey” or “Okay”. Additionally, linguists have also found that lengthening the words we use when typing gives the other person a sense of what tone we use. It’s a great way to incorporate our “voice” in text messages! So, test it out some time because there’s no harm in trrryiiiing!

All in all, using these texting styles really depend on your preference, but it is a great help to understand why certain people type this way. These methods attempt to make it a better experience for everyone when chatting with others online. It may give you a glimpse of their personality, and you may even find yourself mirroring the way they chat! Online communication has been such an integral part of our daily living that we have learned to adapt to making communication as effective as it can be; and with the aforementioned styles, we’re just getting started!

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Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/contemporary-psychoanalysis-in-action/201502/why-is-there-so-much-miscommunication-email-and
https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/7/18068674/whyd-you-push-that-button-texting-lowercase-exclamation-point-style
https://www.fastcompany.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/adding-letters-to-words-_n_2735085