Indicating Language Choice with Flags or Text
As part of one of the major projects we're working on currently the issue of how to represent language choices to the viewer has arisen. In this particular case we're dealing with 15 major languages which are spoken all over the world.
My initial instinct was to see if it would be at all possible to use flags as an indicator of language, but immediately ran into the issue that while it may be almost legitimate to use the French Tricolor as an indicator of French, the Union Flag is not inclusive enough to represent English (as our American cousins will doubtless confirm). Even more problematic are the choice of flags to represent Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese. So we're already in trouble and I've barely started on the 15 options needed...
Instead we have opted for a text-indicator of language. It's still subject to refinement, but essentially the element will read "Language: English" at the start of the breadcrumb navigation at the top of every page's content area. Hovering over the word "Language" will indicate that you are able to make a different choice from English and pick another language by clicking the link.
This approach is happily a more accessible presentation option too. Instead of relying on "alt" or "title" tags to describe the image we can instead use the title tag to describe the action of the link which is a more useful and visible means of indicating what is being presented on the page. W3C makes it completely clear that flags are not an option for all the reasons above.
I'll post a link once the site is working to show you the results.
Published:
Comments
Add your own comment to this story.Other Related Stories from Alacrify
Setting Website Language for International Websites
When you're setting up a multi-language website there are many pieces of the jigsaw that need to be put in place ... Read More - published
International Language Sites
The sixteen different language-specific versions of the new OSE Directory website are now live. In addition to being abl... Read More - published
Updated Design and Functionality for Multi-Language Website
OSE Directory is an online resource for people looking for health and safety service and product suppliers, and for s... Read More - published
Multi-Language Websites and Domain Names
We've just added a bunch of new alternative domains to the OSEDirectory website to encourage the search engines t... Read More - published
Multiple Language Website Launched
Today we launched the new OSE Directory website; a global health and safety and environmental suppliers directory run by... Read More - published
Alacrify Ltd. 01300 320076. jon@alacrify.co.uk
