smilies

Smilies have developed in support of online language. Because email is so fast to send the Netizen doesn't want to be bogged down trying to show how they feel so this graphical shorthand has developed in a similar way to the common email shorthand explained under netiquette. In a few keystrokes you can express with a smilie what might take a good paragraph. Sarcasm is the best example ;-)

Not all netiquette is strict, some is fun and helps make life that bit easier. You don't need to know or use all these smilies, the basics and emotions will see you through most web encounters, but they're fun to read. Just think someone sat down and wrote all this.

Basics

• :-) Your basic smiley. This smiley is used to inflect a sarcastic or joking statement since we can't hear voice inflection over e-mail.
• ;-) Winky smiley. User just made a flirtatious and/or sarcastic remark. More of a "don't hit me for what I just said" smiley.
• :-( Frowning smiley. User did not like that last statement or is upset or depressed about something.
• :-I Indifferent smiley. Better than a :-( but not quite as good as a :-).
• :-> User just made a really biting sarcastic remark. Worse than a ;-).
• >:-> User just made a really devilish remark.
• >;-> Winky and devil combined. A very lewd remark was just made.

Emotional Smilies

• :-) ha ha
• |-) hee hee
• |-D ho ho
• :-> hey hey
• :-( boo hoo
• :-I hmmm
• :-O oops
• :-P nyahhhh!

Widely used Smilies

• (-: User is left handed.
• %-) User has been staring at a green screen for 15 hours straight.
• :*) User is drunk.
• [:] User is a robot.
• 8-) User is wearing sunglasses.
• B:-) Sunglasses on head.
• ::-) User wears normal glasses.
• B-) User wears horn-rimmed glasses.
• 8:-) User is a little girl.
• :-)-8 User is a big girl.
• :-{) User has a mustache.
• :-{} User wears lipstick.
• {:-) User wears a toupee.
• }:-( Toupee in an updraft.
• :-[ User is a vampire.
• :-E Bucktoothed vampire.
• :-F Bucktoothed vampire with one tooth missing.
• :-7 User just made a wry statement.
• :-* User just ate something sour.
• :-)~ User drools.
• :-~) User has a cold.
• :'-( User is crying.
• :'-) User is so happy, s/he is crying.
• :-@ User is screaming.
• :-# User wears braces.
• :^) User has a broken nose.
• :v) User has a broken nose, but it's the other way.
• :_) User's nose is sliding off of his face.
• :<) User is from an Ivy League School.
• :-& User is tongue tied.
• =:-) User is a hosehead.
• -:-) User is a punk rocker.
• -:-( Real punk rockers don't smile.
• :=) User has two noses.
• +-:-) User is the Pope or holds some other religious office.
• `:-) User shaved one of his eyebrows off this morning.
• ,:-) Same thing...other side.
• |-I User is asleep.
• |-O User is yawning/snoring.
• :-Q User is a smoker.
• :-? User smokes a pipe.
• O-) Megaton Man On Patrol! (or else, user is a scuba diver)
• O :-) User is an angel (at heart, at least).
• :-` User spitting out its chewing tobacco.
• :-S User just made an incoherent statement.
• :-D User is laughing (at you!)
• :-X User's lips are sealed.
• :-C User is really bummed.
• <|-) User is Chinese.
• <|-( User is Chinese and doesn't like these kind of jokes.
• :-/ User is sceptical.
• C=:-) User is a chef.
• @= User is pro-nuclear war.
• *<:-) User is wearing a Santa Claus Hat.
• :-o Uh oh!
• (8-o It's Mr. Bill!
• *:o) And Bozo the Clown!
• 3:] Pet smiley.
• 3:[ Mean Pet smiley.
• d8= Your pet beaver is wearing goggles and a hard hat.
• E-:-) User is a Ham radio operator.
• :-9 User is licking his/her lips.
• %-6 User is braindead.
• [:-) User is wearing a Walkman.
• (:I User is an egghead.
• <:-I User is a dunce.
• K:P User is a little kid with a propeller beenie.
• @:-) User is wearing a turban.
• :-0 No Yelling! (Quiet Lab)
• :-: Mutant smiley; the invisible smiley.
• .-) User only has one eye.
• ,-) Ditto...but he's winking.
• X-( User just died.
• 8 :-) User is a wizard.

Midget Smilies

• -=*:) Midget smiley.
• :] Gleep...a friendly midget smiley who will gladly be your friend.
• =) Variation on a theme...
• :} What should we call these? (what?)
• :) Happy.
• :> What?
• :@ What?
• :D Laughter.
• :I Hmmm...
• :( Sad.
• :[ Real Downer.
• :< What?
• :{ What?
• :O Yelling.
• :C What?
• :Q What?
• :,( Crying.
• [] Hugs and ...
• :* Kisses.
• |I Asleep.
• ^o Snoring.
• :-) User is a TeX wizard.

Mega Smilies

• C=}>;*{)) A drunk, devilish chef with a toupee in an updraft, a moustache, and a double chin.
• }:^#}) Updrafted bushy-moustached pointy nosed smiley with a double-chin.

Usenet Smilies

• ~~:-( Net.flame
• O |-) Net.religion
• 8 :-I Net.unix-wizards
• X-( Net.suicide
• E-:-I Net.ham-radio

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