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Well, why not use currency symbols to represent language? Same amount of correctness. If you like flags because they are colorful and memorable icons, you can

by untech 2y ago

Well, why not use currency symbols to represent language? Same amount of correctness. If you like flags because they are colorful and memorable icons, you can use them to represent time zones. Much more convenient than some obscure "UTC+7" or "PT", isn’t it?

James_K 2y ago
> Same amount of correctness. Because a currency symbol is less correct (think $) and isn't as recognisable. Flags have colours that make them easier to pick out, and can be displayed at much smaller resolutions.
- untech 2y ago
  Why using $ symbol to represent English is less correct than using the US flag? (Re: colors: see my suggestion to use these colorful icons to represent time zones)
  - kuschku 2y ago
    If you differentiate between different types of english, it makes sense to show a US flag or UK flag for the different regional variations. If you have only one version per language, just show the flags side by side. UK/US/AU/NZ for english, DE/AT/CH for German, etc. On the other hand € stands for 20+ languages and $ means USD, NZD, CAD, many kinds of Peso and many other types of dollar.
    - Nullabillity 2y ago
      Not to mention that many currencies don't have symbols at all.
      - untech 2y ago
        Well, how many languages have flags? There are thousands of languages, but hundreds of countries. Surely, some languages would be left without a flag? And this doesn’t affect just some "obscure" languages. For instance, what flag would you use for Arabic, an official UN language? What language does a flag of India, most populous language stand for?
        Nullabillity 2y ago
        Flags don't have to be for countries, nor does there have to be a 1:1 relationship between language and flag.
    - untech 2y ago
      How many flags would you use for English? If you want to use flags of the most populous countries where English is the primary language, the second country after the US is Nigeria (182 m people). How many flags would you use for Spanish? French?
  - thfuran 2y ago
    Because about two dozen countries use $ as their currency symbol and another half dozen or so $ with another letter or two and not all of them have English as an official language (or an only technically not official language like the us).

by untech 2y ago

James_K 2y ago

> Same amount of correctness. Because a currency symbol is less correct (think $) and isn't as recognisable. Flags have colours that make them easier to pick out, and can be displayed at much smaller resolutions.

untech 2y ago
Why using $ symbol to represent English is less correct than using the US flag? (Re: colors: see my suggestion to use these colorful icons to represent time zones)
- kuschku 2y ago
  If you differentiate between different types of english, it makes sense to show a US flag or UK flag for the different regional variations. If you have only one version per language, just show the flags side by side. UK/US/AU/NZ for english, DE/AT/CH for German, etc. On the other hand € stands for 20+ languages and $ means USD, NZD, CAD, many kinds of Peso and many other types of dollar.
  - Nullabillity 2y ago
    Not to mention that many currencies don't have symbols at all.
    - untech 2y ago
      Well, how many languages have flags? There are thousands of languages, but hundreds of countries. Surely, some languages would be left without a flag? And this doesn’t affect just some "obscure" languages. For instance, what flag would you use for Arabic, an official UN language? What language does a flag of India, most populous language stand for?
      - Nullabillity 2y ago
        Flags don't have to be for countries, nor does there have to be a 1:1 relationship between language and flag.
  - untech 2y ago
    How many flags would you use for English? If you want to use flags of the most populous countries where English is the primary language, the second country after the US is Nigeria (182 m people). How many flags would you use for Spanish? French?
- thfuran 2y ago
  Because about two dozen countries use $ as their currency symbol and another half dozen or so $ with another letter or two and not all of them have English as an official language (or an only technically not official language like the us).