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Feature #87062

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Remove "language flags" from backend

Added by Markus Poerschke over 5 years ago. Updated over 2 years ago.

Status:
Needs Feedback
Priority:
Should have
Assignee:
-
Category:
Backend User Interface
Start date:
2018-12-03
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Estimated time:
PHP Version:
Tags:
Complexity:
Sprint Focus:

Description

Currently a language is represented as a flag in the TYPO3 backend. This is an anti pattern. Flags represent countries or nations, but they do not represent languages.

Please take a look at this link: http://www.flagsarenotlanguages.com/blog/why-flags-do-not-represent-language/

  • Flags are symbols that represent countries or nations.
  • Languages represent a shared method of communication between people.
  • Flags are unique to a country or nation: but languages are often spoken across national borders. By using a flag for a language, you may confuse or even offend users.

For example in Switzerland multiple languages are spoken: Frensh, Italian, German and Romansh. If you create a multi language project for a customer from Switzerland it is problematic to choose the right flags (this might getting more complicated in areas where people are more offended, if the wrong flag is used)

Therefore I recommend to replace the flags with the locale code or simply the name.


Files

withflags2.png (149 KB) withflags2.png Riccardo De Contardi, 2020-03-08 01:10
withoutflags2.png (148 KB) withoutflags2.png Riccardo De Contardi, 2020-03-08 01:10
Actions #1

Updated by Markus Poerschke over 5 years ago

  • Subject changed from Remove flags from Sys Languages to Remove "language flags" from Backend
Actions #2

Updated by Markus Poerschke over 5 years ago

  • Subject changed from Remove "language flags" from Backend to Remove "language flags" from backend
Actions #3

Updated by Georg Ringer about 4 years ago

  • Status changed from New to Accepted

Updated by Riccardo De Contardi about 4 years ago

I am not entirely sure about this one; I know that using flags for languages is an antipattern and is basically wrong, but take a look at the list module with flags and without them:

with flags

without flags

It is not about looking "better" or "worse" IMO; the flags helps to identify the language of a record immediatly.

Actions #5

Updated by Benni Mack over 2 years ago

  • Status changed from Accepted to Needs Feedback

Hey Markus,

I think we should communicating about "localization" in the future with "locales" where a page / content etc. is bound to a locale (e.g. "American English", which is mostly fine to use a flag for), and not solely on "languages". What do you think?

Actions #6

Updated by Markus Poerschke over 2 years ago

Benni Mack wrote in #note-5:

Hey Markus,

I think we should communicating about "localization" in the future with "locales" where a page / content etc. is bound to a locale (e.g. "American English", which is mostly fine to use a flag for), and not solely on "languages". What do you think?

Hey Benni,

which flag will be used for the following locales?

  • de_CH
  • it_CH
  • fr_CH
  • rm_CH

It has to be a different flag for each locale. Since all mentioned languages are the official languages of the Swiss Confederation, the Flag of Switzerland should be used, but then, you cannot distinguish between. The different languages.

Maybe, it makes sense to make the icon optional, so the administrators can decide on their own, whether or not to have an icon?

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