![\"Coca](\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/emoji-board.png\")
<\/a>Coca Cola emoji billboard<\/p><\/div>\n
On the sillier side of things, in June, ahead of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruse, GM issued a press release composed entirely of emoji.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, when read alongside the translation (using actual words), the initial press statement made a bizarre kind of sense.<\/p>\n
Then there’s the matter of Sony securing the rights to make an emoji movie<\/a>.<\/p>\n Silliness aside, Research conducted by The Atlantic found that 76% of all adults make use of emoji, and the practice has\u00a0quickly slipped into the workplace – where millennials are now one of the biggest generations in the workforce.<\/p>\n According to socio-linguist, Lauren Collister, both emoji and emoticons (text-based emotes such as \u00af\\_(\u30c4)_\/\u00af<\/strong>) are revolutionizing language.<\/p>\n Specifically, in emails, emoji act as discourse particles \u2014 a word that has no semantic meaning but adds intention to a statement.<\/p>\n Other studies agreed, finding that the use of emoji wasn’t necessarily used to convey emotion, but rather as signal of tone: to mark jokes, or soften or strengthen statements that could be easily misread.<\/p>\n And as communications between people, companies and clients increasingly moves to a more informal online space (away from cold, toneless emails), the use of emoji is expected to increase even more.<\/p>\n Outside of these practical applications, however, it is not uncommon to find massive (if not excessive) use of emoji in casual conversations over social media and messaging apps.<\/p>\n Rather humorously, certain emoji have taken on a whole new meaning of their own, beyond their original intent.<\/p>\n Here are 10 popular emoji (ranked from most used) which you may see crop up in conversation\u00a0– which\u00a0may not mean what you think they do (so be careful using them in emails).<\/p>\n Most common excuses for using mobile devices while driving<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n City of Cape Town to auction off impounded mobile phones<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nBeyond business<\/h3>\n
Person with folded hands<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThis emoji depicts hands folded together as to pray or to apologize.This emoji is often split between its intended use (to pray) and being used to show a high-five. This ambiguity means you’ll need to double check to see if someone sent it in sorrow or regret, or in celebration.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n New moon face<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThe new moon face is simply a depiction of a dark moon, personified.This is a bit of a weird one. The new moon fills a ‘creepy’ or ‘awkward’ role in conversation, often filling an ‘awkward silence’ gap. It is also known by some as the ‘molester moon’, adding to its creepiness factor.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Smirking face<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThe emoji depicts a half-smile smirk, meant to depict smugness or scorn.While not far off, most users opt to use this emoji to depict a level of ‘naughtiness’, akin to a ‘knowing smile’. Use is also often associated with flirtation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Information Desk person<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThe emoji depicts an information desk helper, and is supposed to indicate information or help answering a question.However, the character has become synonymous with sass, and coupled with the painting nails emoji, indicates a ‘devil may care’ or ‘haters gonna hate’ attitude.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Person Bowing<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThe emoji depicts a character bowing deeply as a sign of gratitude.However, because the bowing action is not clear, the character is often used to indicate a hug, for whenever a hug needs to be conveyed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Raising hands in celebration<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThe emoji depicts hands raised up in celebration, used to convey joy.However it is often used to convey quite the opposite – hands in the air to mark “I’m done with this”, or sometimes to in the manner of “preach!” showing passionate agreement.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Relieved face<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nAn emoji that is showing relief, with closed peaceful eyes, and a small smile.While the emoji looks happy, it mostly looks happy with itself, and is thus used to convey a smug attitude.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Mizaru<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nOne of the three wise monkeys, named Mizaru, used to convey “see no evil”.The monkey looks pretty embarassed, and as such is used to show how embarrassed you are in any given situation. While , Iwazuru (speak no evil) and Kikazuru (hear no evil) are also commonly used to convey the same thing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Eggplant\/Corn\/Banana<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nThese emoji are meant to be exactly what they are: various foods.Since Instagram moved to block certain sexual words from searches, users have increasingly started using these emoji to depict general x-rated content. The phallic nature of the foods presented have always made them prime targets for use in this way.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Dancer<\/h3>\n
\n\n
\n <\/a><\/td>\nAn emoji showing a person dancing to music.This emoji is often used to express excitement, celebration or getting ready to party. It’s best used in three or more, because no one likes to party alone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n More on mobile<\/h3>\n