Ars Emoticona

I'm the first to call 'ridiculous' when a TV show puts subtitles on anyone with the slightest hint of an accent or speech impediment, but sometimes, sometimes, I do wish we had a subtitle option in real life. I wish this for two reasons:

First, there's the practicality of it. How many times have you been at a bar yelling small talk over the music to your friends? Or attempting to run a bit of game on some hot young thing? Or, you know, if you're me, finding yourself agreeing to marry some Sudanese man you've just met?

The second reason is because as a Gen Yer, I am anxiously awaiting intravenous internet connections to hit the market. (Seriously dudes, hook that shit up!) I have spent a good deal of my life communicating with friends and family through a computer screen. My oldest friend and I are champion MSN marathon conversationalists. It's an art. You could, and many have, argue that this is a sign of deteriorating language, but, I often find myself speaking and thinking about how I would be representing what I am saying via the computer. Would I be BUSTIN' OUT THE CAP LOCKS? Would 17 questions marks be too many????????????????? Would my in-person blank-faced stare be met with the same understanding as :| is?

I used to think I was alone in my desire to tell people in a verbal conversation how I would represent what I am saying to them in typed text. But, my research has shown me that actually, this is a pretty typical desire for Gen Y's. In fact, in a couple of my interviews people have gone so far as to describe the emoticon they would use to represent how they are feeling, to clarify their verbal description. What's more, I have found this helpful in understanding where they are coming from! Actually, as I am transcribing my interviews, I am constantly fighting the urge to insert little emoticons to represent what my participants were expressing to me through their tone and facial expressions.

Often when I'm talking to people, especially people my age or younger, I can visualize what our subtitled conversation would look like. Often I also think that our conversation would be a lot more fun with the added OMG or }:( or any of these http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons

One day, when we do have intravenous internet connections, we'll be able to sit down face-to-face with someone, plug into each other, and express ourselves on multiple platforms.

I don't believe that technology is killing communication. On the contrary, I think it's allowing for new forms of creativity and self expression to emerge. And I for one am excited about where this may lead.