emoticon vs emoji
emoticon
Definitions
noun
- a representation of a facial expression (as a smile or frown) created by typing a sequence of characters in sending email
Examples
Texting uses a reduced form of the English language with symbols - or emoticons - expressing emotions such as happiness or sadness.
If you think about it, the range of human emotions is wide and varied, and also, there can be cultural nuances, or racial nuances to these human emotions and so its not surprising that you might not find an emoticon to convey what you want.
Nothing is achieved when writing ironically or satirically by telling the reader through an "emoticon", that the preceding posting was meant to be to be a wry comment and that the reader should be amused.