Abstract

With the world stepping into the Digital Age, the Internet and smart phones have changed the traditional face-to-face communication to electronic computer-mediated communication (CMC). As emoticons gain more extensive usage in Instant Messaging (IM) applications, the need for emoticon users are increased and various forms of emoticons are created. The thesis distinguished the similarity and differences of the new variants of emoticons (emojis, sticker emoticons and the internet memes) and outlined the previous research work on emoticons from three aspects (emoticons as emotion marker, affects and interpretation of emoticons, communicative and interactional functions of emotions). Then the thesis discusses the theories of interpersonal pragmatics and interpersonal relationship from the angles of face, politeness and emotion. In the data analysis part, the thesis further interprets the pragmatic functions of emoticons and comes to the general conclusion. Studying the interpersonal pragmatic functions of emoticons in language use helps contribute to the better understanding of the new language phenomenon with pragmatic insights and provide implications for relevant studies in further.

Key Words: Emoticons; Pragmatics; Interpersonal Pragmatics

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1.-Introduction-1

1.1-Background-1

1.2-Significance-1

1.3-Layout-1

2.-Literature Review-3

2.1-Emoticon-3

2.1.1-Instant Messaging-3

2.1.2-The Origin of Emoticons-4

2.1.3-Different Styles of Emoticons-4

2.2-The Development of Emoticons-5

2.2.1  An Introduction to Emojis-5

2.2.2  Sticker Emoticons-7

2.2.3  Introduction to Internet Memes-8

3.-Functions of Emoticons-11

3.1  Emotion Marker-11

3.2-Affects and Interpretation-12

3.3  Communicative and Interactional Functions-13

4.-Interpersonal Pragmatics-14

4.1-The Pragmatics-14

4.2-Interpersonal Pragmatics-14

4.3-Interpersonal Relationship-15

4.3.1-Face-15

4.3.2-Politeness-17

4.3.3-Emotion-18

5-Data Analysis-21

5.1  Face and Politeness-21

5.1.1  Function as Rapport Booster-21

5.1.2  Add Nuance and Intimacy in Social Greetings-21

5.1.3  Perform as Positive Politeness Strategies-22

5.1.4  Perform as Negative Politeness Strategies-24

5.2  Emotion-26

5.3  Summary-27

6-Conclusion-29

Bibliography-30