Philip Seargeant is the author of several books on topics ranging from language and social media, linguistic creativity, to English around the world. His most recent work focuses on language, communication and politics, and the influence and impact on this of new technologies.

• 1. The what, the why and the where of emoji; 2. Emoji and the history of human communication; 3. Making faces; 4. Metaphors and moral panics; 5. The shaping force of digital technology; 6. People, politics and interpersonal relationships; 7. Diverse identities; 8. Creativity and culture; 9. The emojification of everyday life.

'Emoji are a significant development in contemporary communication, deserving serious attention for their impact on both language use and society. The book comes at them from a variety of complementary angles, elucidating their specific nature and function while simultaneously showing how they reflect and influence important developments in the modern globalised world. This insightful integration of the general and the specific places this book among the very best academic work in the field.' Guy Cook, Emeritus Professor of Language in Education, King's College London