Digital Symbol: Stickers, Memes and Emojis as Communication Tools among Gen Z

By: Faizat Hamzat

Gone are those generations of full self expression with words and punctuations. With the presence of smartphones and the generation of people called the ‘Gen-Z’, stickers, memes and emojis became the new emotional language. Entertainment and creativity? Yes. Welcome to the era of no full sentences. An era of humour and flair through digital language.

It is not a new thing on the media, social forums and chatting groups. You see a whole paragraph wrapped up into a single sticker or emoji. Relatable events and situations dramatised with memes. Stickers,emojis and memes are stress-free and you know, they include humour as well. The three started with the millennials but the Gen Z turned it into a universal language.

Emojis have the ability to modify tone, mood and emotion to the regular formal language we have been used to. When communicating virtually especially through texts, our formal language will lack emotions and tone as necessary. For instance, when one texts ‘I love you’ to someone. Using emojis, emotions and tone can be given to that sentence. It is then the emoji that will determine whether one is confessing one’s love or one is just being sarcastic.

Like emojis, stickers also share a similar role. Though it can not be included into a text, it can also play the role of reactions and mood of a Gen Z user. But stickers are more funny, humorous and playful than emojis. From the funny expression of a renowned celebrity, a comedian and characters, the humour is present. Notably, stickers are more in use in defining reactions

Memes, almost like stickers, are also gotten from humorous reactions or expressions among the Gen Zs. Memes did not actually start with the Gen Z but from the generation earlier, yet the Gen zs have turned it into a digital language to share common humour to reflect on certain experiences or relate events that they all have in common. They can be used to satirise or mock a particular event in a light manner. For instance, a meme can mock the Yoruba’s love for spicy food. Expressing oneself with our formal languages can be more time consuming unlike stickers, emojis, and even memes which are just a click away.

Besides, they also give life to discussions. A very boring conversation can be lightened up with the exchange of stickers especially. A conversation without an appropriate response can be replied with stickers and emojis and sometimes memes too. This can keep conversations more lit and less awkward too. They can bridge the gap in communication between different kinds of people, different cultures, regions or countries.

Countries like Ghana, South African and Nigeria can interact with one another by sharing humorous memes among each other. For an uncommunicative individual, stickers, emojis and memes will go a long way in assisting the individual with self-expression. A person not so good with vocabulary will find it easier to communicate using these means

Memes, stickers and emojis will also go a long way in educational reforms, though informally. Since the Gen Zs are very captivated with the three, educators can use it as a means to make learning more interactive and more light. For example, including stickers and memes in slides to explain grammar rules or for creating educational contents.

Overall, stickers, memes and emojis have the aura and fun that come with them and can make any conversation, no matter how serious it is, to seem light and less disheartening. They have the ability to soften harsh information. It is less time consuming and more straightforward than the complex use of words. They also can serve as a language on their own, bridging cultures, personalities, ages and the likes. From observation, it is clear these means of communicating are here to stay.