Hmm, K & thumbs-up: Subtle texting cues that reveal more than words

From wedding invites and love confessions to arguments and loss, much of our communication now happens on messages. We’ve become experts at reading between the lines, decoding unspoken cues to sense tone and intent – signals that are now almost universal.

‘Sure…’ with ellipses shows reluctance

Ellipses, a lone thumbs up, and a faint smile emoji are enough for Nisha Popli (24), a PR professional, to read between the lines. She explains, “For me, ellipses signals reluctance, while a thumbs-up without text often shows disinterest rather than agreement. I’m not a fan of the smiling emoji either; it may appear polite, but it often hides sarcasm or annoyance, especially in personal chats.”

Leaving texts on read... not cool

Muskaan Khandelwal (26), a fashion and lifestyle content creator, gauges whether or not someone is interested in having a conversation with her by how much time they take to respond to her texts. “Besides paying close attention to how long a person takes to respond to my messages, I also mark whether or not they ask questions during conversations to keep it going. It reflects their interest in talking to me.”

‘Hmm... is even worse’

According to Siddhi Savoiverekar (26), a doctor, many people today don’t care much about how and what they type. She says, “I don’t like it when people use words like ‘hmm’, and ‘hmm…’ is even worse. When someone uses capital letters to type, it feels like they are yelling at me. Additionally, when people in my circle use a basic smiling emoji, it feels like a formality...lacking genuine interest. A heart or a newer, thoughtful emoji, however, feels more sincere.”

Impact on real-life interactions

Since most of us assign varied meanings to simple texts, signs and emojis, Namrata Jain, psychotherapist and relationship expert, says, “This can become concerning, especially if it starts breeding anxiety, miscommunication or emotional burnout. Constant micro-analysis can cause a person to refrain from connections completely in the long run and replace real conversations with assumptions.”

Social media linguistics

Meme culture and viral content have reshaped how we speak, text, and even think. Neha Mohanty, founder and director of a boutique PR agency, says, “Phrases like ‘it’s giving,’ ‘girl math,’ or ‘delulu’ were coined on social media. People, especially Gen Z, pick up this language... and (make) it a part of their everyday vocabulary. They’re also exceptionally good at reading subtle digital cues and adjusting their communication accordingly.”