Comments on: Flags as a Representative for a Language http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/ Content on writing, tech, business, marketing, web design. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:46:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jaime Olivares http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-805682 Jaime Olivares Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:35:52 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-805682 <p>I agree with Jon, arguing that a flag can offend a reader is stupid (responding to the Korpela's stupid article). Clicking over a flag is not a sign of submission to an specific country or king. The flag reflects the country where the language BORN. Nothing else. If someone doesn't know the mother country of a language or its flag, it is a great opportunity to LEARN, because the flag usually is complemented with a text next to it or a tooltip.</p> I agree with Jon, arguing that a flag can offend a reader is stupid (responding to the Korpela’s stupid article). Clicking over a flag is not a sign of submission to an specific country or king.
The flag reflects the country where the language BORN. Nothing else.
If someone doesn’t know the mother country of a language or its flag, it is a great opportunity to LEARN, because the flag usually is complemented with a text next to it or a tooltip.

]]> By: Pedro http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-756490 Pedro Thu, 08 May 2008 14:46:13 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-756490 <p>Jon, attention deficient teenagers in Latin America probably don't know the flag from Spain.</p> Jon, attention deficient teenagers in Latin America probably don’t know the flag from Spain.

]]> By: Sicilian http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-476630 Sicilian Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:16:14 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-476630 <p>Merly is right about discouraging the use of flag as symbol for languages. Looking at Jons comment itself proves how complicated things can get.. Korean is spoken in both north and south korea, but why choose just a south korean flag ? (note: there is no land of origin here) and in many countries more then 1 dominant languages are present. Moreover there are languages which cannot be represented as a country, for example, tamil is a major language spoken in the South Asian sub-continent, but has not country representing it, since its origin is in India, which as a different National Language ... In conclusion I feel all this representation of flag as a symbol of language is a crap !!</p> Merly is right about discouraging the use of flag as symbol for languages. Looking at Jons comment itself proves how complicated things can get.. Korean is spoken in both north and south korea, but why choose just a south korean flag ? (note: there is no land of origin here) and in many countries more then 1 dominant languages are present. Moreover there are languages which cannot be represented as a country, for example, tamil is a major language spoken in the South Asian sub-continent, but has not country representing it, since its origin is in India, which as a different National Language … In conclusion I feel all this representation of flag as a symbol of language is a crap !!

]]> By: Jon http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-427171 Jon Mon, 03 Sep 2007 09:22:47 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-427171 <p>I disagee totally, flags are the only eye catching way commonly agreed upon to denote a language, just show me a commercial site that wants to risk the 5 second attention span of a visitor before they conclude their language is not supported and leave.</p> <p>The political social arguments are inane.</p> <p>If you are American then like it or not your language evolved on a little Island near Europe. The language is not American it is English - that is its name and the UK is its origin. Same with Spanish.</p> <p>Political correctness gone wrong - worst case is attempt to combine USA and English flags - what about the Australians? It is better to be "unfair" to the US and therefore fair to Australia and NZ rather than an attempt at correctness that actually leaves AU and NZ feeling even more unfairly treated - at least if its the Union Jack then everyone knows their historical linguistic roots (or should do) and should not feel offended. If you dont like the origin of your language, if colonial history (and that is ALL it is - just history) upsets you then invent your own language and put your flag on it. Otherwise except that it is an imperfect world, text does not work as well as graphics for attention deficient teenagers and also does anyone really believe we can invent an alternate graphical system that will be easy to teach throughout the world.</p> <p>Most things these days are USA centric, personally I dont think it hurts to have something where America is not "number one".</p> <p>PS I am a software developer and appreciate all the technical arguments but they are naive - it is a nightmare scenario to try and educate the entire world to some new system so dont bother it wont work.</p> I disagee totally, flags are the only eye catching way commonly agreed upon to denote a language, just show me a commercial site that wants to risk the 5 second attention span of a visitor before they conclude their language is not supported and leave.

The political social arguments are inane.

If you are American then like it or not your language evolved on a little Island near Europe. The language is not American it is English - that is its name and the UK is its origin. Same with Spanish.

Political correctness gone wrong - worst case is attempt to combine USA and English flags - what about the Australians? It is better to be “unfair” to the US and therefore fair to Australia and NZ rather than an attempt at correctness that actually leaves AU and NZ feeling even more unfairly treated - at least if its the Union Jack then everyone knows their historical linguistic roots (or should do) and should not feel offended. If you dont like the origin of your language, if colonial history (and that is ALL it is - just history) upsets you then invent your own language and put your flag on it. Otherwise except that it is an imperfect world, text does not work as well as graphics for attention deficient teenagers and also does anyone really believe we can invent an alternate graphical system that will be easy to teach throughout the world.

Most things these days are USA centric, personally I dont think it hurts to have something where America is not “number one”.

PS I am a software developer and appreciate all the technical arguments but they are naive - it is a nightmare
scenario to try and educate the entire world to some new system so dont bother it wont work.

]]> By: Meryl http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-400217 Meryl Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:20:38 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-400217 <p>Thanks for your insightful comments, Sam. I love your point regarding Apple and the site serving you French pages. I wonder if this is an issue in Canada since some parts are primarily French while others are English.</p> Thanks for your insightful comments, Sam. I love your point regarding Apple and the site serving you French pages. I wonder if this is an issue in Canada since some parts are primarily French while others are English.

]]> By: Sam Nova http://www.meryl.net/2007/08/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-400092 Sam Nova Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:23:35 +0000 http://meryl.net/2007/08/15/flags-as-a-representative-for-a-language/#comment-400092 <p>I agree with you SO much on this subject. I'm working with game development and every time we get to the design of the language selection screen I have to mention that we should NOT use flags. Often we end up using flags anyway...</p> <p>Here in Switzerland people normally speak German, French and Italian, but they have to select what COUNTRY and not what language they use.</p> <p>About writing the language in the native language (So Dansk for Danish...) also agree with this one. As recent as yesterday I had an issue, I was registering a product on Apple.com and for some reason the site suddenly switched to French (I'm in Switzerland so maybe they just assume all here can read French.. but I'm actually Danish..). I had the change to change language, except it took a while before I knew it as there was a pull down menu with some selections that I couldn't read as they where all in French, thanks.. Then I realized it and got it sorted. Great to see that other people share the same view on this.</p> I agree with you SO much on this subject. I’m working with game development and every time we get to the design of the language selection screen I have to mention that we should NOT use flags. Often we end up using flags anyway…

Here in Switzerland people normally speak German, French and Italian, but they have to select what COUNTRY and not what language they use.

About writing the language in the native language (So Dansk for Danish…) also agree with this one. As recent as yesterday I had an issue, I was registering a product on Apple.com and for some reason the site suddenly switched to French (I’m in Switzerland so maybe they just assume all here can read French.. but I’m actually Danish..). I had the change to change language, except it took a while before I knew it as there was a pull down menu with some selections that I couldn’t read as they where all in French, thanks.. Then I realized it and got it sorted.
Great to see that other people share the same view on this.

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