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From: gary@softway.oz (Friend of Elvenkind)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Cross-linguistic issues in the design of Icons
Keywords: interfaces, icons, cross-linguistic issues, Spanish
Message-ID: <1985@softway.oz>
Date: 18 Aug 89 00:26:03 GMT
References: <9268@cs.Buffalo.EDU>
Organization: Softway Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia
Lines: 39


dmark@cs.Buffalo.EDU (David Mark) writes:


>                     CROSS-LINGUISTIC ASPECTS OF ICONS

> [deleted]... Then, as
>a "good" example of icons, I started to talk about the "thermometer" icons that
>appear on 'salsa' jars and other Mexican food packages in US supermarkets.
>"Now there's an icon that needs no explanation, a really good one!", I was about
>to say, when I realized that it might not "work" at all for a Spanish speaker
>with no knowledge of English.... [deleted]

The problem perhaps is not so much cross-linguistic as cross-cultural.  It is
interesting to look at Europe.  They get by in public places with very large,
very obvious signs.  Without speaking a word of the language you can pick
up virtually all the information a stranger might want and this is in a place
where the differing languages have some contradictory idioms (stating the time
comes to mind).   The icons work there because the people share a common
everyday lifestyle.

When the thermometer was first mentioned in the article I thought it was used to
indicate the temperature at which the product should be stored.  It wasn't
until spices were mentioned that I realised the truth.  I have never seen
a thermometer icon used to indicate spiciness.   I _have_ seen them indicating
storage temperature.  Despite the fact we share the same language (almost :-) )
I misunderstood an icon.  The piece of culture we don't share is US
supermarkets.  

If you are interested in creating universal icons then you are going to have 
to design them with aliens from another planet in mind as your readers.  I
have a feeling that for every icon useful to your own culture there will exist
an alternate culture which would not understand it.  Can anyone suggest a
universal icon?

-- 
Gary Corby  (Friend of Elvenkind)			Softway Pty Ltd
						ACSnet: gary@softway.oz
					UUCP: ...!uunet!softway.oz!gary