It's a proven fact that the phenomenon otherwise known as Nigeria needs its own set of emojis. Because we Nigerians are natural born poets and actors. From the dross of the English language, Nigerians spin phrases of gold. In the hands of Nigerians, minor everyday incidents - a car cutting in front of you, say - explode into glorious, full theatre productions.
The Need for Nigerian Emojis
Until recently, few emojis have specifically targeted African users. "As Nigerians, we didn’t quite connect with the humor in the emojis out there. I thought, let me put some actual character out there.
Examples of Nigerian Expressions and Their Meanings
Here are some examples of Nigerian expressions and their meanings:
- Biko: Literally, I beg you (Biko is Igbo for please). In practice, the opposite of both those things. When to use it: Ideally use this gentle word to preface aggressive dismissals.
- Owambe! What it means: I'm somewhere where there's free jollof rice and Hennessey, bros. When to use it: As often as possible. Also applies to graduations, funerals, housewarmings etc. Whether you're invited or not is irrelevant. This is Nigeria. Abeg, show up if you can. PS: Don't forget to bring a large handbag for squirreling food back home. Ignore the food police trying to stop you from piling up a small mountain of rice and meat at the buffet. In many places, people feel uncomfortable turning up to events uninvited. This kind of overthinking is unnecessary in Naija, and in fact will only hold your hustle back.
- Amen: What it means: It does ~not~ mean a prayer has come to an end. When to use it: To give false hope that a 40-minute long prayer is coming to an end. Say “amen” then continue talking for at least another 10 minutes. Repeat at least three times. (Note it’s never just “amen” singular. Say amen at least three times, getting louder with each repeat.) Amen is also used to curry favour. For example, say an office meeting opens with a prayer.
If ever speakers of the country's 500-plus languages come to an impasse, they can always communicate through a shared love of gestures. Not just ordinary body language either, but grand flourishes that demand an audience.
Shifting gears, the truth is life in Nigeria can be stressful. But no matter what Naija throws at you, keep your chill because nobody knows how to unwind like Nigerians.
Read also: The Rise of Nigerian Basketball
The History & Evolution of Emoji 😊📱 | How Emojis Changed Global Communication
The Global Impact of Emojis
Shigetaka Kurita, a Japanese designer, invented emoji or emojis in 1999 while working with a team on the i-mode mobile Internet platform of NTT DoCoMo. He was inspired by the symbols used in weather forecasts, manga, street signs and Chinese characters. The emojis were initially used by mobile phone operators in Japan.
Emojis are not typographics but true pictures. But how do translation services providers translate emojis? While emojis were only used on mobile phones in Japan initially, it came to world attention when the iPhone was released to the Japanese market. Due to its popularity, different mobile phone makers had to add emojis to their operating systems. From 2010 emojis were included in the Unicode system.
It may be a cliché but emojis have literally taken the world by storm and people use them not only to express their emotions but as a social language that is very much a part of Western pop culture. Emojis are everywhere and used on various platforms.
Many people know some basic emojis while some can use these images to compose entire conversations without typing any text. Starting with less than 200 images, the emoji is now considered as the fastest growing language in the world, with over 1,800 images. Emojis are used by about 90% (estimated) of the world’s online population. Although some people are known to send complete messages using only these cute emojis, generally they are taken as a complement to the written word instead of a substitute. They are able to lend some joy, irony, wit and often, brevity to a message.
The most-used emoji is the face showing tears of joy, which has positive and negative interpretations, depending on the person looking at it. Therefore, you have to be aware that there will be misinterpretations based on the phone brand, for example. A smiling face showing teeth in full or a widely grinning face from a Google Nexus or Android phone would show up as a happily grinning image on an LG phone and as a laughing face on a Samsung phone. The fact is we can say that emojis like written texts also get lost in translation.
Read also: Requirements for Nigeria Police Clearance
About 36% of millennials are heavy users of emojis because for them, visual expressions are better at communicating their feelings and thoughts than written words. Conversely, the acceptance level of people in English speaking countries differs from other parts of the world where the English language is not that commonly spoken.
The red heart is a favorite of many people in New Zealand and Canada, while Ireland’s emoji-using population prefers the smiling pile of poo. likes the laughing-crying face. Brands always want to keep up with the current trend so they are harnessing the power of online presence to widen their audience reach and increase their target market potential. Emojis have found their use in business as well.
In Japan for example, the messaging company LINE rakes in millions creating emoji stickers. The company even localizes their emojis. In LINE’s Italian version, one of its characters called Moon, adopts an Italian gesture to show that he does not care by flicking a finger under his chin. However, some companies who tried to incorporate emojis in their ad campaigns failed. This was because not all people understood what they were trying to convey. Even if they are aware of and even use emojis.
Have you seen the Juicy Fruit ad that challenges the reader to translate the fun emojis? Yep, it is more confusing than funny. Tampico also failed in its attempt to ride the bandwagon. They had posters showing three gallons of fruit juices, with a tag line. As millennials put it, they use emojis to add more meaning to their messages. Emojis are able to convey more of what a person feels or mean than mere words can say.
For example, some cultures would take the eggplant emoji for what it is - a vegetable. But for people from Trinidad and Ireland, the eggplant has an explicit meaning. Users between 18 and 24 accept the sexual reference. Some cultures take the peach as a fruit whereas in some countries, the peach emoji translates to ”butt.” Many countries consider the fire emoji as an icon for the real fire. Something that is hot and can burn and hurt.
Read also: Nigeria's Thriving Music
The winking kiss emoji is a platonic expression. However, the meaning is not the same when used or sent by people aged 25 to 34. It changes again when those who are 45 to 54 years old use it. Moreover, some emojis have multiple meanings. The folded hands have several meanings, with clapping, blessed and praying as the top three. The hug emoji confuses some users.
In 2017, the Unicode Consortium approved and released 69 new emojis. You might think that it is easy to create new ones. They must comply with the requirements to have them usable across various platforms and electronic devices. This should be done before the consortium can give its approval.
The proliferation and popularity of emojis opened a new job - emoji translator. Someone should be able to translate emojis employed in product marketing to ensure that the emojis used can truly convey the intended message and the target consumers would not find them offensive or abusive. Emojis are difficult to translate. You should work with a professional translator from a reputable language services company to ensure that you get accurate translation.
Adinkra Symbols
Adinkra are visual symbols that represent concepts, proverbs, and aphorisms. They originated from the Akans of Ghana in the 1700s or before. Back then, they featured as prints on cloth which royals wore to important ceremonies. But they have transcended these Akan origins. They now grace logos, clothing, furniture, architecture, and more.
Saturated with meaning, Adinkra have come to represent the richness of Akan culture in particular and African culture in general. They serve as a concise way to convey deep truths in visual form. In fact, many of the symbols have their own associated Akan proverbs.
Due to their appealing attributes, Adinkra symbols are often used in logos and emblems to promote ideas and causes.
Here are some examples of Adinkra symbols:
| Symbol | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gye Nyame | Except God. A symbol expressing the omnipotence and supremacy of God. | |
| Sankofa | Go back and get it! A symbol for the wisdom of learning from the past to build for the future. | |
| Dwennimmen | Ram's horns. A symbol of strength (in mind, body, and soul), humility, wisdom, and learning. |
While you wait for God to bless your hustle, it's good to keep communicating with Him. Alright, so now you now have the basics needed to navigate the smaller currents of Naija life.
Enjoy 66 Mean Emoticon Stickers For Your Texting Pleasure! We Are Emoji World And We Love Emojis! We Hope You Love Emojis Too!
Popular articles:
tags: #Nigeria
