4 ms·

Symbols are very limited and many require even more cultural background similarities than text. You soon run out of simple symbols and end up with ambiguous or

Symbols are very limited and many require even more cultural background similarities than text. You soon run out of simple symbols and end up with ambiguous or meaningless abstractions (what does "three nested red triangles" mean?), lots of icons that look almost alike, or symbols that allude to things based on cultural assumptions, outdated metaphors, or linguistic relations that strangers are equally unlikely to understand. Pictionary and charades are completely based around the idea that communication without words is more challenging.

chillacy 11y ago
Yea, but try charades with a chinese speaker over IRC (or some language without any shared linguistic history)... suddenly charades with hand gestures is easier. The parent comment's point was that it requires a similar linguistic background, you've merely pointed out that abstract symbols aren't universal. Too many comments are making this a black and white issue. In reality there are going to be some cases where text excels and others where pictures excel. But I suppose that isn't as interesting.
Symbiote 11y ago
The yellow-diamond example follows American/Australian road signs, where that means "warning" (if it's that consistent?). In Europe, and much of the rest of the world, an ISO-derived sign would be a black shark in a black-bordered yellow triangle. These are most commonly seen, worldwide, as a lightning bolt on an electricity pole. The system usees colour and shape to distinguish between warnings (black-bordered yellow triangles), positive orders (blue circles), negative orders (red-bordered white circles) and safety/evacuation (green rectangles). The Vienna system for traffic signs, used by over half the world, is similar, except warnings are red-bordered triangles. That, at least, means "no cycling", "cycle path" and "warning: cyclists", or "wear ear protection" and "do not wear ear protection" reuse the same symbol on a different coloured/shaped sign.
- tomjakubowski 11y ago
  > and safety/evacuation (green rectangles). https://twitter.com/charliearchy/status/647889800876433408 https://twitter.com/charliearchy/status/647889800876433408 Ah, that totally clarifies the meaning of this sign: "evacuate in case of Godzilla attack."

chillacy 11y ago

Yea, but try charades with a chinese speaker over IRC (or some language without any shared linguistic history)... suddenly charades with hand gestures is easier. The parent comment's point was that it requires a similar linguistic background, you've merely pointed out that abstract symbols aren't universal. Too many comments are making this a black and white issue. In reality there are going to be some cases where text excels and others where pictures excel. But I suppose that isn't as interesting.

Symbiote 11y ago

The yellow-diamond example follows American/Australian road signs, where that means "warning" (if it's that consistent?). In Europe, and much of the rest of the world, an ISO-derived sign would be a black shark in a black-bordered yellow triangle. These are most commonly seen, worldwide, as a lightning bolt on an electricity pole. The system usees colour and shape to distinguish between warnings (black-bordered yellow triangles), positive orders (blue circles), negative orders (red-bordered white circles) and safety/evacuation (green rectangles). The Vienna system for traffic signs, used by over half the world, is similar, except warnings are red-bordered triangles. That, at least, means "no cycling", "cycle path" and "warning: cyclists", or "wear ear protection" and "do not wear ear protection" reuse the same symbol on a different coloured/shaped sign.

tomjakubowski 11y ago
> and safety/evacuation (green rectangles). https://twitter.com/charliearchy/status/647889800876433408 https://twitter.com/charliearchy/status/647889800876433408 Ah, that totally clarifies the meaning of this sign: "evacuate in case of Godzilla attack."