I am a Brit, erm I did tell you that didn't I? :P And as a Brit, while not everyone *gets* our humour we are pretty much always silly, joking and playing with words.. It seems to be how we are.. Well I am for sure, my kids are.. I joke non-stop.. I tease, I, well play with words.. A tutor at work once said of me, that I would still be joking and smiling if the world ended.. SHe meant it nicely :P In my course, one of my biggest problems is that I am always joking, I find it hard to take things seriously and it's a SERIOUS course.. Much, and I mean most, of my humour is self-deprecating.. well if ya can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at! SO I put myself down a lot.. it makes people laugh, it puts people at ease.. and that's pretty much always worked pretty well for me.. (well except for the course as I mentioned where when asked on the beginners course why I was there, I joked, *because it's free* -made them laugh but I was putting myself down somewhat as I am there because I have a genuine desire to do this course... so that's an example... )
So.. as I say.. I am almost always, I think, irreverent is the word.. silly, messing around.. I don't take life too seriously.. MOST of my questions are meant in a jokey or light-hearted way.. (Ok some of the Trump ones too but not all ) and as part of that, because, with my psychological bent, I am aware that in print, where we cannot see the other's face, and we cannot hear the other's tone, and because I know not all Brit humour translates... I DO very often put :P meaning sticky out tongue.. meaning I am being silly, I am joking.. I tend to do :P rather than 
, because I type very fast and it's quicker to do that than to stop and go to the emoticon bar. I accept is clearer than :P but it's the same symbol in type speak and means the same thing..
SO my question is.. when someone puts :P or does it mean the same there as here? That someone is joking, messing around, teasing, being cheeky?
Benedict Arnold 