Brits dependence on emojis revealed: academic credits symbols as the 'evolution' of human communication

• 80 per cent of people use emojis in communication
• 15 per cent of young people use emojis in every written communication they make
• Lists reveal Britain’s favourite, hated and most-forgotten emojis
• We waste 42 days of our lives hunting for the perfect emoji
• Emojis have changed the way we communicate and are the next step in the future of language, says linguistics expert Dr. Philip Seargeant
   

They say a picture paints a thousand words, and now, new research from Privilege Insurance and linguistics expert, Dr. Philip Seargeant suggests that emojis are changing the way we communicate with each other forever.

The study, which combined academic research and consumer opinion, found most people have become dependent on emojis, with eight in ten using them when we communicate with friends and family (be it by text, email, social media, letters or birthday cards).

Women are the most prolific emoji users and are 25 per cent more likely to incorporate them into their digital communication than men. Unsurprisingly though, younger people (aged 18-34) are emojis’ biggest fans, with 93 per cent of those in this group using them on a regular basis, and 15 per cent inserting them in every written communication.

However, the symbols are still hugely popular amongst older messengers, with two-thirds (65 per cent) of over-55s admitting to using them when communicating with friends and family.

The British public’s favourite emoji was revealed to be the beaming smile (), followed by the crying with laughter face () and then the love heart eyes emoji (). Indeed, face-based emojis dominated the favourites list while, interestingly, non-facial emojis crept into the Britain’s most-hated list; most notably, the poo emoji () topping the poll.

As the ‘vocabulary’ of emojis continues to grow, it is only natural that many will fall by the wayside. The research also pinpointed the emojis that have been forgotten from this digital syntax. Britain’s most overlooked emojis include anger (), Dizzy (), Goblin (), and Man with Chinese Cap ().

Interestingly, one face-based emoji was included in the most forgotten list; Anxious Face with Sweat (); the most forgotten facial-emoji in Britain. No wonder he is feeling a little uneasy.    

Finding the perfect emoji to get our message across was shown to be a time-consuming business, with people spending an average of 14 hours per year choosing the right symbol, which equates to a staggering 42 days of our lives.

However, despite the time it takes to find the right one, the reasons for using them are clear. A quarter (25 per cent) say emojis allow more effective communication, with a similar amount (26 per cent) saying that with emojis, they no longer have to worry about a text or email being misinterpreted. The majority however (61 per cent), use them to add humour to their messages.

The research also found a direct correlation between emoji use and the decline of phone calls, with 35 per cent of those using emojis now avoiding talking on the phone completely.

This is a trend that could be set to continue, as according to Dr. Seargeant, The Open University’s Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, emojis are now making a regular appearance in work correspondence, have been used in poetry and the courtroom, and are set to make their way into novels, fashion and architecture.
 

Dr. Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The Open University explains: “This study confirms the incredible popularity of emojis and highlights the reasons why they’ve become such a phenomenon of modern-day communication. The most popular reason for using emojis is for messaging friends and family, but they’re turning up more and more frequently in professional contexts such as work emails. We’re even seeing usage in legal cases, reflecting the way that online communication is evolving and the dominant role it now plays in so many people’s lives.

“Rather than being a threat to the use of verbal language, emojis can be seen as an important step in the evolution of human communication – as we adapt the way we express ourselves to the technological environment in which we now live.”
 

Charlotte Fielding, head of car insurance at Privilege said: “As a British brand that stands for plain talking and clearly worded policies, we’re fascinated by the new ways people are finding to get their message across.

“Emojis have taken the world by storm and our research shows that there is no sign of this slowing down any time soon. They really have become part of people’s day-to-day vocabulary, which just shows how quickly our language can change in a digital age.”
 

Britain’s Favourite Emojis

Source: Privilege Insurance

Britain’s Most Hated Emojis

Source: Privilege Insurance

Britain’s Forgotten Emojis

Source: Privilege Insurance  

ENDS
 

For more information, please contact: Georgia Andrewes at Richmond & Towers Communications: georgia@rtc.london / 020 3179 0720
 

Notes to editors:

Research carried out amongst a nationally representative sample of 2,002 UK adults by Opinium Research between 12 & 14 June 2018.
 

Privilege

Privilege Insurance specialises in car insurance for safe drivers. It also offers home insurance and breakdown cover by phone or on-line.

Privilege general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Privilege and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  
 

Customers can find out more about Privilege’s products or get a quote by calling

0345 246 0515 or visiting www.privilege.co.uk