the word "emoticon" is a portmanteau of "emotion" and "icon" .
the signs used for emotional expression date back to the time before computers.
in 1881,Puck, a satirical magazine in america, published faces made from language symbols. the,in 1953, the new york herald tribune publihed an ad for the film "lili" that contained smiley faces. however, the forerunner to today's emoticons was bron in 1963, when harvey ball, an america artist, was hired by an insurance company to create a poster to boost their employee's morale. he spen tjust 10 minutes creating a yellow, round-shaped face wite eyes and a smiling mouth which became known as a "smilie". we're sure that harvey did't realise the real value of his 10 minutes of work, a symbols that has become an historical icon know to millions, as he was oaid just 40 dollars for the desing.