1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineIsrael-Hamas warIndia elections

Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year is...not a word

Anne-Sophie BrändlinNovember 17, 2015

Social media is up in arms about the fact that Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year is not a word but instead an emoji by the name of "Face with Tears of Joy." Some love it, others aren't exactly crying tears of joy.

https://p.dw.com/p/1H7Rk
Screenshot Twitter Oxford Dictionaries
Image: Twitter/Oxford Dictionaries
Skip next section Explore more

Explore more

Emojis on a smart phone photo: DW/Jan Bruck,

Digital natives use emoticons because they are 'too lazy' to write properly

Digital natives use emoticons because they are 'too lazy' to write properly

Millions of Internet users communicate with emojis - smiley faces, hearts and little monsters - to avoid misunderstandings and save time typing. But are they causing the death of traditional language? (23.01.2014)
January 23, 2014
Emoji (Ausstellung)

Will emojis finally look like the people who send them?

Will emojis finally look like the people who send them?

The tiny digital images we use to express emotions in smartphone text messages are now gaining some racial diversity, expanding their spectrum of skin tones. (05.11.2014)
November 5, 2014