Is That an Emoticon in 1862? in NYT

[Grant Barrett]

Our own Fred Shapiro is quoted in this article about whether a
semicolon next to a close parenthesis in 1862 is an emoticon or a
mistake.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/hfo-emoticon/

> In the transcription of President Lincoln’s speech, which added
> comments about applause and shouts from the audience was this line:
>
> "...there is no precedent for your being here yourselves, (applause
> and laughter ;) and I offer, in justification of myself and you,
> that I have found nothing in the Constitution against."
>
> Bryan Benilous, who works with historical newspapers at Proquest,
> said the team felt the ";)" after the word "laughter" was an
> emoticon, more than a century before emoticons became a widespread
> concept.

Grant Barrett
gbarrett at worldnewyork.org

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