Graphical emoticons

The word "emoticon" is a combination of the words "emotion" and "icon." Graphical emoticons are shortcuts that add zest to the often flat text of chat or instant messaging. Graphical emoticons are used anywhere in sentences – before, after, or within, and can also stand on their own. Some chat services offer the option to automatically translate text emoticons into graphical emoticons. Here are some of the more common graphical emoticons: [link to palette]