In informal online writing, such as blogs or e-mail, it has become a convention to include an emoticon, particularly a smiley-faced emoticon, to indicate that a comment is not intended to be interpreted literally or taken seriously. Technically speaking, I don’t think emoticons can be considered punctuation, because they generally provide a meaning of their own, rather than simply organizing or emphasizing text. My question is this, when including a smiley-faced emoticon–such as :)–at the end of a side comment in parentheses (dare I provide an example here? :)), do you: allow the closing parenthesis in the emoticon do double duty as a punctuation mark; allow the closing parenthesis of the emoticon run up against the closing parenthesis of the parenthetical statement, creating a doubled chin effect; put an otherwise inexplicable space between the emoticon and the closing parenthesis; or avoid the situation at all costs by rearranging the statement or supplying a different emoticon with a similar meaning (i.e., reword to avoid awkwardness)?
Here are some examples of each of the four solutions I provided:
1. (dare I provide an example here? :-)
2. (dare I provide an example here? :-))
3. (dare I provide an example here? :-) )
4. (dare I provide an example here? :-D)
Keep in mind that many programs will substitute the emoticon with an actual image of a smiley face (not that we should ever allow language to evolve to handle quirks of word processors).
That’s a great question.
If I know for certain that the program will substitute a smiley face, I usually use the smiley code plus the close paren, ":))". I don’t do this for Microsoft Word, though, because I hate the smiley faces that program defaults to, and it’s too finicky to change.
In all other cases I avoid using it at all if a close paren follows.
Another option is to turn the smiley around, "(:" but that’s confusing.
Examples of what I type:
1. [dare I provide an example here? :)]
2. [dare I provide an example here? (:]
3. (dare I provide an example here? :})
:} is a somewhat smirk-smile-combination.
I say go with 3. But, then again, what the hell do I know?
I prefer rewording, personally. svellabrjotur’s bracketing is a good idea, but it seems like it might get a little cumbersome…
Not to offend anyone, but I hate graphical smileys, so that’s definitely not an option!
Oh yeah, there’s always the "anime style" emotes you could use. -_^
I triple-space between the smiley and the last mark – to my mind this makes the smily a picture. :)
I space before and after the text within the parenthesis. This came from using the "::action::" form of describing an action when programs would often change the last two symbols of "(::action::)" into a smiley.
( dare I provide an example here? :) )
What sometimes i do is type something after the smiley
(dare I provide an example here? :) dare I provide an example here?) but sometimes i can never think of what to say, so i just space it out a bit or put the smiley after
(dare I provide an example here?) :)
Four first, then three, then two, and hopefully never one! Of course, you can also use the "left-handed" smilies like speedwell said!
Hi! What you do today by evening?
What music prefer?
Hi
Good site. It would be desirable to return again and again!
Hi
As to me to create the same page?
Hi! Who knows still sites similar to this?
Good site. Me very much has liked.
Hi! Do not prompt as me to send e-mail? = (
Hmm, the spammers could use some help with English…
Excuse for intrusion, but at me not the big question. How you think how many people on the ground smoke and how many have ceased?
This isn't really a problem at all, people are just used to writing smileys the wrong way around. (The correct way has less problems with parentheses (: )
I do what svellabrjotur does above, taking my cue from Chicago pg 442:
[dare I provide an example here? :)]
http://xkcd.com/541
good questions. One should go with the option 3 there :)
Thanks
Perhaps a guide in this quandary lies in your noting that emoticons are part of *informal* writing, and so perhaps, it just does not matter too much. :-)
I tend to use your option one, while always feeling forced to stop and think about it!
I greatly dislike programmes that automatically convert to graphical smileys; Google Chat’s versions are probably the least offensive I know of.