The Wire

Each year, language enthusiasts wait to see what Oxford Dictionaries decide will be its word of the year. Last year, electronic cigarette smoking saw “vape” take the honours but this years’ choice, just out, is even more modern and a bit more controversial. That’s because it’s not even a word. It’s an emoji or icon, electronically messaged over the web or through your mobile, designed to represent emotions. So which emoji was this years big winner and should we be worried about its inclusion in our language lexicons? Kim Williams reports.