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July 17th • Digital Language

World Emoji Day

Are emojis a lazy way to communicate, or are they the most successful global language in human history? From the simple smiley to complex symbols of social movements, emojis have transformed how we express emotions across borders. Today, we debate the power and pitfalls of the digital icon.

😂 🤔 🚀 🌍

Speaking Discussion

  • What are your top three most used emojis on your phone? What do they say about your personality?
  • Do you think emojis help us express emotions better, or do they make us worse at using descriptive language?
  • Have you ever had a serious misunderstanding with someone because they misinterpreted an emoji you sent?
  • Is it professional to use emojis in work emails to your boss? Where do you draw the line?
  • "A picture is worth a thousand words." Can an emoji ever be as powerful as a well-written sentence?
  • If you could invent one brand-new emoji that doesn't exist yet, what would it look like and what would it mean?

Activity 1: The Emoji Translator

The Task: You are a Digital Marketing Expert. You need to translate a boring corporate slogan into an all-emoji message for a younger audience.

Slogan: "Our company values hard work, global connectivity, and sustainable growth." Translate this into a string of 5-7 emojis and explain your choices.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Tech

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "The most annoying emoji in the world is..."
  • "Communicating without emojis feels..."
  • "In 50 years, written language will probably be..."