While visiting Salzburg, Austria in May 2011, I saw this sign in a shop window:
Do you speak American?
While I live in the United Kingdom, I’m originally from Australia. And one thing many Australians share with the British (along with many of our other Commonwealth compatriots) is a feeling of nausea whenever we see the United States flag being used as an icon for the English language.
Being a user experience designer, I’ve long been aware of the perils of using flags to represent languages on websites. However it seems the more I travel and the more I browse the internet, this flag-as-language convention seems as prevalent as ever.
This blog has two general aims: to show the fundamental flaws in using flags to represent languages and how to create good experiences when dealing with multilingual and multiregional content.
While the tone of the blog is aimed mainly at those working online and in software, I hope the lessons can extend through to the other industries such as travel and hospitality – who are probably the also as guilty of flag misappropriation as anyone.
That’s funny you should mention that you always run into the US flag to represent English. I happen to have the opposite experience, most of the time I see the British flag to represent English.
I’m going to guess that it’s because of where we see the flags. As an American, I can agree with you that the US flag is mostly used in the US. However, I have lived for 15 years in South America and the Caribbean, and by far most of what I see in that region is the Union Jack.
I’m curious, have you proposed a universal symbol to use instead of the US or British flags, to represent English?
I haven’t spent much time in the Caribbean or South America, so it’s really interesting hearing a perspective from that part of the world.
Simply, I think the word ‘English’ is simple and straightforward enough. I really don’t think we need flags.
From your perspective, how do you feel about the Spanish flag being used for Spanish? Is that the norm in the Caribbean and South America?
Everyone seems to accept use of the Spanish flag (ie. Spain) to represent the Spanish language. Seldom do you see any other flag used.
I think most people use flags because of the visual aspect. It is more colorful and pleasing to see these flags as language options instead of text.
If I you use a Union Jack or an American flag to represent my language you better be the only game in town, because it is likely I will go with the competition.
This discussion keeps on coming back, for the simple reason that the flags won’t go away.
It’s striking that nearly all of the comments I have read along the lines of what’s the problem with using a flag? you’re just being politically correct! are by monolingual people from largely monolingual countries.
They don’t understand that Irish people may feel faintly queasy about clicking on a Union Jack or Stars and Stripes icon to get English. To say nothing of the unfortunate Belgian who is expected to choose between a Dutch flag or a French flag.
Trouble is, the vast majority of web developers are monolinguals from largely monolingual countries. They don’t undersand, they can’t be persuaded, and they hugely outnumber the rest of us. And that is why the flags won’t go away.