It's hard to imagine typing out a text message without throwing in a winking face, a thumbs up, or a watermelon.
How else would we communicate what we're thinking or feeling?
Emojis exploded in popularity back in 2012 and have since become the fastest-growing language in human history.
So are we facing a world where words are no longer relevant?
Massey University media studies lecturer Dr Pansy Duncan spoke to Duncan Garner.
Watch the video for the full interview.