As long as you're not concerned with "political correctness", just cock your head to the right, rubbing your right earlobe on your right shoulder (or rotate the paper -- but that's much harder to do with a video screen! :-), and you'll be able to read the expression on the face of happy syelims like these:
(-: [-: <-:as well as sad (or ugly) ones like these:
)-: \-: }-; o-:<Almost anything that can be expressed with a smiley can also be expressed with a syelim. Almost.
In some cases, the sentiment is reversed or altered.
For example, the cynical semicolon ;-) becomes somewhat sad or inebriated as (-;
Then there are a few smileys which don't translate (or rotate) well,
such as:
A companion conveys the same pair of sentiments,
but with different precedence:
+++++++++++++++++++
© 1997 by
ABCD unlimited, Middle Island, NY 11953-0456 /
All rights reserved!
... ...
B-) ++++++
which become almost meaningless:
(-B ++++++
On the other hand,
there are a few syelims without an equivalent smiley:
???
But for the most part, the mirror-image syelims and smileys
are a very sympathetic lot.
Palindromic Smilims
It is easy to construct
"palindromic" smilims.
Happily, this one
returns the same expression.
either way you look at it.
It's always a pal,
and whichever way you lean
you are rewarded with a cheerful smile.
(-:-)
unfortunately,
another palindromic possibility is this doubly sad one.
)-:-(
There are many more possibilities,
but not all smileys can become palindromic.
And there is no reason why reversible smileys must say
the same thing both ways.
In the following,
the open mouths, pointy noses (and forhead bumps), etc.
are on the opposite side of the face,
but we can still regard it as a mirror-image palindromic
(rather than a centrosymmetric palindrome):
(^:^) o-:-o !-:-! |':'| '-:-' .-:-.
Also consider:
/-:-/ \-:-\ /-:-\ \-:-/
While the above may look like a tutorial on downhill skiing,
just tilt your head appropriately,
and the confused little person seems to be looking both ways
with roughly the same expression.
So these smilims are still more-or-less palindromic.
Non-Palindromic Syelims
Non-palindromic smilims are the height of ambivalent expression.
A nonpalindromic smilim conveys two different sentiments,
subject to your own perspective.
The following example epitomizes the concept:
(-:-(
When appended,
this little fellow
suggests that the foregoing
message
"is either happy or sad,
depending on how you look at it!"
)-:-)
other examples are more varied:
[-;->
Ultra-terse Non-Palindromic Syelims
The examples above all have a length of (at least) five characters,
sharing the same character for the eyes.
it is also possible to make a figure out of three characters
that works in both directions.
Here are some examples with commentary.:
P-) Chop-licking squinter or smiler with eyepatch.
|-8 ???
#:) Hairy wise-guy or bearded baldy.
)') Wink or leer.
):) (:| Four moods of Donald Duck.
And finally,
one of the rarest combinations at all: a non-odd non-palindromic smilim.
):*) Bozo smiler or angry high-dome (with egg on forehead).
N. B.
Please note that the concept
of non-palindromic reversible smilims (NRS)
is an original one,
for which the author is now inthe process of seeking patent protection.
Therefore, this summary closes with the following comment.
A Final Word
The field of nonpalindromic smilims is quite new,
and it is reported to have attracted significant interest
on the part of the CCCC
(Clandestine Compact Communications Commissariate
of the National Security Agency).
Therefore, it is quite likely that further research
in this vital field will be conducted in secret
and remain unseen in scientific journals for quite some time.
<^;~[#
o-;-)
(*: )
("8^d)
(; Unfortunately,
the full meaning of the preceeding three symbols is highly classified,
and cannot be disclosed at this time. :-)
Introduction to Smileys
Smiley Variations
Syelims, Smilims, and Security