h a l f b a k e r y
It might be better to just get another gerbil.
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I hate those websites that use the US flag as a symbol for the English language. Using the Union Jack as a symbol for English is better, but not perfect (Welsh anyone?)
What I propose is a symbol to represent each language, totally removed from the country of origin. So French would have it's own
symbol (not the French flag), and so would English, Spanish...you get the idea.
ISO 639-1 and -2
http://www.loc.gov/...2/php/code_list.php
Two- and three-letter language codes. [jutta, Nov 21 2007]
Google preferences language change
http://www.google.c...h/preferences?hl=th
Thai script will be gibberish unless you have complex asian fonts loaded. Actually it's not much different even if you *do* have the right fonts. [Ling, Nov 22 2007]
[link]
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Wait a minute - if a site uses the US flag as a symbol of the English language, isn't that a reasonable and appropriate warning that they'll be using US-ian English? [-] |
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On the other hand, I wonder what national flag would/should be used for Arabic? [+] |
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A minor issue: I have to disagree with the assertion that the Jack is better than the Stars and Stripes for the purpose. Depending on the criteria used you could argue the point either way (thinks of 'origin of language' versus 'number of as-first-language speakers'). In any event you'd still likely disenchant a lot of other English speakers. |
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So, yeah, a non-flag symbol would be good. |
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Living somewhere with two official languages - Canada - many sites use simple text based hyperlinks "in English"/"en Francais" and they seem to work just fine. |
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I'd like to see some suggestions as part of this idea, not just a wish. If there were good, logical symbols, we'd probably be using them already. |
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Come up with something like using the language's word for "yes" as the indicator, and this'd be more of an idea (and text is a lot quicker to load than a whole bunch of little flags). / /Si/ /Oui/ /Oc/ /Ya/ /Yes/ /Yep/ /Yeah/ /Boy, Howdy/ |
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How about instead of a flag, there is a
thing that says "ENGLISH". If, on seeing
this thing, you are not sure what it
means, then you should not click it. If
there is another thing that says "JEEB-
PONK-FWEE" and you are not sure what
that means, you should not click it. |
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And that's already widely used amongst non-insane site designers.
(-) Useless, unnecessary pictograms. |
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No, what's useless and unnecessary is wasting valuable real-estate on words when pictograms are much more efficient. |
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No, what's useless and unnecessary is wasting valuable bandwidth on pictograms when words are much more efficient. |
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// when pictograms are much more efficient. // I once had a job as a programmer/analyst with an insurance company until my supervisor decided that I should create icons (16x16, 16 color) for each ICD-9 code - with versions for initial & subsequent visits, primary & secondary diagnoses. I think that the propensity for creating pictographs for all things deserves an ICD-9 code of its own - probably 307.25. |
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Are you on dialup [baconbrain]? LOL |
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I tried to change Google from Thai interface to English. The list of alternate languages was written in Thai script. An opportunity to improve, methinks. |
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Of course, the root page has an option for English (written in English), and then the language list is then in English. This is OK for me, but it's another step for someone who prefers some other language. |
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Isn't it obvious to write the language name in precisely the language it names? |
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Apparently, not to everyone. |
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I subscribe to what Jutta said, but there are complications; Some languages require complex fonts, which aren't always present (perhaps, then, the choice is futile!). |
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