Re: icons for languages

[Gudmund Areskoug <fta algonet se>]

Hej Tor,

Tor Lillqvist wrote:
> On ti, 2005-09-13 at 14:58 +0200, Gudmund Areskoug wrote:
>
> > How about a tiny map, indicating the region where that language is 
> > traditionally spoken, 
>
> Nah, doesn't work. Where does one draw the line what's "traditional" and
> what's "non-traditional"? This opens up a whole new dimension of cans of
> worms than using a flag does, by referring to not only current flags,
> but also history.

OK, make "is traditionally spoken" "is still traditionally spoken" or 
"is currently regularly spoken", or even "is currently expected to be 
spoken", then. I added "traditionally" because of e. g. groups of people 
speaking a language that are scattered across the globe.

> For instance, as a "finlandssvensk" (the Swedish-specaking minority in
> Finland) I certainly would find it as silly (if not offensive) to have
> to click a map of Sweden as it would be to have to click the Swedish
> flag. (Not because there would be anything wrong with Sweden, but
> because that would feel like accepting the misconception that
> Swedish-speaking Finns are closely related to Sweden.)

IMHO, such a map would of course include not only territory inside 
Sweden, but also e. g. Åland and parts of Finland large enough to be 
visible in the graphic/icon. Etc. Finnish would BTW probably include a 
part of Sweden too, then.

For Sami (bad example, since there are many varieties), the region would 
span across Norway, Sweden, Finland, don't know about Russia, but I 
guess there's a Sami region there too.

> > with the language name in its own script(s)?
>
> This is simple and effective. So what if those who don't understand the
> language or read the script don't understand what language it is? The
> main thing is that people immediately recognize their *own* language.

Yup. Communication that works. But I guess both that and a map *might* 
not fill Luis purpose of being, well, graphic and quick enough.

Perhaps there is no good universal graphical/icon solution?

BR,
Gudmund