Trisomy On-Line - Support for Families by Families

Because it is hard to convey emotions in e-mails and on the net and therefore its easy to misinterpret the writers intention (eg are they joking or serious about a comment) - emoticons (emotional icons often called smiley's) - typed expressions of emotion have come into wide use.

They are made from keystrokes and usually produce a facial expression sideways. Below are some of the more commonly used emoticons and an explanation.

    :-) Your basic smiley. This smiley is used to inflect a sarcastic or joking statement since we can't hear voice inflection over the net. (tilt your head to the left if you cannot see the smiley)     ;-) Winky smiley. User just made a flirtatious and/or sarcastic remark. More of a "don't hit me for what I just said" smiley.

    :-( Frowning smiley. User did not like that last statement or is upset or depressed about something.     :-I Indifferent smiley. Better than a Frowning smilie but not quite as good as a happy smiley

    :-> User just made a really biting sarcastic remark. Worse than a :-)     >:-> User just made a really devilish remark.

    >;-> Winky and devil combined. A very lewd remark
was just made.

Here are some less common ones:

(-:
User is left handed
%-)
User has been staring at a screen for 15 hours straight

:*)
User is drunk
[:]
User is a robot

8-)
User is wearing sunglasses
B:-)
Sunglasses on head

::-)
User wears normal glasses
B-)
User wears horn-rimmed glasses

:-{)
User has a moustache
:-{}
User wears lipstick

{:-)
User wears a toupee
}:-(
Toupee in an updraft

:-[
User is a Vampire
:-E
Bucktoothed vampire

:-F
Bucktoothed vampire with one tooth missing
:-7
User just made a wry statement

:-*
User just ate something sour
:-)~
User drools

:-~)
User has a cold
:'-(
User is crying

:'-)
User is so happy, s/he is crying
:-@
User is screaming

:-#
User wears braces
:^)
User has a broken nose

:v)
User has a broken nose, but it's the other way
:_)
User's nose is sliding off of his face

:<)
User is from an Ivy League School
:-&
User is tongue tied.

=:-)
User is a hosehead
-:-)
User is a punk rocker

-:-(
(real punk rockers don't smile)
:=)
User has two noses

+-:-)
User is the Pope or holds some other religious office
`:-)
User shaved one of his eyebrows off this morning

,:-)
Same thing...other side
|-I
User is asleep

|-O
User is yawning/snoring
:-Q
User is a smoker

:-?
User smokes a pipe
O :-)
User is an angel (at heart, at least)

O-)
Megaton Man On Patrol! (or else, user is a scuba diver)
:-P
Nyahhhh! or Sticking out your tongue

:-S
User just made an incoherent statement
:-D
User is laughing (at you!)

:-/
User is skeptical
C=:-)
User is a chef

@=
User is pro-nuclear war
*<:-)
User is wearing a Santa Claus Hat

:-o
Uh oh!
(8-o
It's Mr. Bill!

*:o)
And Bozo the Clown!
3:]
Pet smiley

3:[
Mean Pet smiley
d8=
Your pet beaver is wearing goggles and a hard hat.

E-:-)
User is a Ham radio operator
%-6
User is brain-dead

[:-)
User is wearing a Walkman
(:I
User is an egghead

<:-I
User is a dunce
K:P
User is a little kid with a propeller beanie

@:-)
User is wearing a turban
:-0
No Yelling! (Quiet Lab)

:-:
Mutant Smiley The invisible smiley

.-)
User only has one eye
,-)
The user only has one eye...but he's winking

X-(
User just died
8 :-)
User is a wizard

C=}>;*{))
Mega-Smiley... A drunk, devilish chef with a toupee in an updraft, a mustache, and a double chin

Search Trisomy Online or the Web

| Meet Our Families | Conference Photos | Miscellaneous |

With thanks to

The webmaster for this site is voluntary please be patient. To contact please email