Emojis: What Are We Really Saying?

Article | Brady Braddock, BSA Today Editor

Have you ever sent a text message that you instantly regretted? How about using the right words, but with an emoji that you didn’t mean to add? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

An emoji has the power to completely alter the tone of a text or conversation. Most of the time, this is perfectly harmless – but some emojis have very interesting double meanings.

First off, let’s address the elephant in the room. When I discussed the idea of including an article on this topic, it was met with amusement by some: “You can’t discuss hidden emoji meanings without talking about the aubergine or the peach!” – well here you are. Moving swiftly on, we present a selection of emojis and ask: What are we really saying?

Pretzel

A savoury treat, popular throughout Europe and beyond, this emoji has another meaning too, “don’t get it twisted” – a phrase that means to get something wrong or to draw a wrong conclusion.

Upside-Down Face

This classic emoji was created to show silliness, but it also implies sarcasm or irony – the cornerstone of a healthy sense of humour.

Octopus

This cute little creature has an even cuter double meaning – the octopus is used to represent cuddles, and who doesn’t love a good cuddle?

Puff of Smoke

The ‘puff of smoke’ emoji is traditionally used to demonstrate a fast pace or dashing away, but now – especially among younger people – it’s used to represent vaping.

Goat

This animal emoji has an inspiring double meaning – the acronym GOAT stands for ‘greatest of all time’ and it’s used to represent excellence.

Snake

We hope you haven’t yet had to learn the double meaning of this emoji. As well as depicting a slithering reptile, it represents betrayal by a backstabber – or a ‘snake’.

Nail Polish

A favourite with beauticians, the ‘nail polish’ emoji can also be used to show disdain or nonchalance. It’s the equivalent of replying with a dismissive “Whatever”.

There are hundreds of emojis at our fingertips, and they are all open to (mis)interpretation. So, before you add that emoji to your next text or tweet, make sure you do your homework – at the very least, it could prevent a few awkward interactions.