What does XD mean in WhatsApp, why is it used and since when has it been used?

By: MRT Desk

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¿Qué significa XD en WhatsApp, por qué se utiliza y desde cuándo se usa?

In 1995, Shigetaka Kurita created for the mobile internet platform of NTT DoCoMo a heart-shaped symbol among the mobile optionss Pocket Bell. And given its enormous reception, this led Kurita to search for ideas among symbols and elements of Japanese culture such as Kanji or manga to develop a set of 176 characters.

In this way the first emojis, ideograms or characters used in electronic messages and websites, particularly in messaging applications and other social networks. And is that nothing better than an emoji to instantly express how we feel without having to use words.

Grinning Squinting Face’

Among all the emojis there is one that is used very often: The ‘Grinning Squinting Face’, a yellow face with a wide smile and eyes closed in an ‘X’ shape, what does it mean a loud laugh or being excited about something.

It is the translation into emoji of those faces with intense laughter that we sometimes see in Japanese manga, and also of an expression that has been used even before: The expression ‘XD’, which is part of that new language born under the protection of the first digital chats -such as Microsoft’s MSN Messenger- and later evolved into mobile applications.

But what does XD mean?

XD can mean many things. As an emoticon, it means LOL, that is, laugh out loud; It was used before emojis took on the most colorful look we know today. It can also mean “I love you“, especially when used within the emo subculture in conjunction with other expressions. Another definition, used by companies such as Disney and Cinemark, is that of ‘extreme digital’, and refers to the entertainment services offered.

There are a few other definitions, including “crossed” and “kissed”, or it can act as an acronym for numerous expressions, depending on the context. If we go to Spanish Wikipedia, we read that XD expresses “laugh out loud. And when you turn it 90º to the right, it resembles the representation of a face with the mouth wide open and the eyes squeezed tightly as a symptom of a loud laugh. Currently, this emoticon is written in different ways alternating upper and lower case, these being “XD “,” xD “,” Xd “,” xd “or even” xq “.

60 years of life

The emoticon, used as a word, constitutes an error at least in Spain because it is not officially admitted to the Royal Spanish Academy. And its origin is surprising because it goes beyond the birth of the Internet, including: Its first appearance was in 1952 as a symbol of the Postera navy., given to multiple uses, the symbol and / or emoticon, was made known in many Latin American countries. It can also be confused with other words with different meanings such as the XD memory format.

It even has a religious significance, since “many people often confuse this symbol with ‘by God’. It can be interpreted this way taking into account the abbreviation language that is used so much on the internet (x = by; D = God). “

In other situations, many users write “xd” inserted in each sentence, or simply to end sentences by replacing a period followed. Its use ends up being a complement, in most cases, being used almost out of habit, usually to express different feelings in a situation such as:

  • Discomfort
  • Sarcasm
  • Dissolution
  • Disagreement

Then there are also the most exaggerated forms of laughter, where more letters D are added to the emoticonor in plan XDDD ‘for example, instead of using laughing emojis or typing a’ hahahahaha ‘just as long.

Part of a living language

Although there are those who still hate that they answer ‘XD’ in a message, chat, written conversation or even say it orally, andThese two letters together represent that new language that the end of the 20th century and the new 21st century have brought with them. A living language, emerged from modern forms of communication, including text messages and instant messaging, making the relationship between what we say and what we write even more symbiotic, and the relaxed tone of text messages has enriched the current language, offering us new words and expressions.

News to the chagrin of certain older generations who don’t get used to or outright hate hearing young people say words like “brb” and “lol” aloud. But it is that language, like everything, evolves and adapts to the time in which it lives.

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