For questions regarding applications that are presented in or offer options for multiple languages.
108
votes
13answers
3k views
Language of language names in the language selector?
Imagine a site that's available in multiple languages. The language is detected automatically by looking at the IP or the browser header. But that's not bulletproof, so a few users might end up on a ...
46
votes
10answers
3k views
How to graphically represent a language
Websites often present language selection to users with flag icons, but I think this is simply wrong. Flags represent countries.
There are two reasons for a user to change the display language (or at ...
19
votes
3answers
559 views
What UI/UX patterns do not “translate” well when localized to other languages?
I wanted to see what tips other designers with more experience designing for web applications and sites that must handle multiple language might have.
I know the basics, like expect the length of ...
14
votes
2answers
438 views
Which is the best way to select a language from 400 possibilities?
We are defining a language selector for 400 languages.
Given the massive number of languages compared to other websites, we applied several mechanisms to reduce the complexity of the language list. A ...
12
votes
6answers
480 views
User suggestions in electronic dictionary
Let's imagine we have an electronic dictionary - it doesn't matter if it's a webpage, a desktop application or a mobile app. The question might also apply to an encyclopaedia.
Every entry has the ...
12
votes
1answer
151 views
How should keyboard mnemonics be localized?
Is there a standard approach to localizing (internationalize) keyboard mnemonics?
For example, in Windows Notepad in English, if the user types Alt+E then P, the Edit menu opens and then the Paste ...
11
votes
3answers
316 views
Why would users of an Arabic interface show an F pattern in eye tracking tests?
Why does eye tracking on the Arabic version of my interface show an F-pattern only 50% of the time? I had assumed it would show a reversed F-pattern because Arabic people read right to left.
11
votes
2answers
198 views
How to create a common shared vocabulary to talk about design?
A client I am currently working at has a problem with inconsistent designs.
I have identified the causes and one thing I notice is the lack of a proper language shared by all stakeholders to ...
10
votes
5answers
840 views
Should i use country flags in language selection fields?
My users can create content in different languages, and i need to provide an option to choose the language when they enter new content.
Right now there are only 5 languages (en, fr, de, pt, es), and ...
10
votes
4answers
605 views
Language selection: top or bottom of the page?
A client has the requirement to provide translation options on their website, most likely using an automated solution like Google Translate. A colleague and I have been discussing the best way to ...
9
votes
4answers
259 views
Should autocorrect include swear words out of the box?
Let's not hide it - it is just common language. Many people do call their friends "b * * * * * s" or "m * * * * rf * * * * rs", and there is no negative context to it.
The iOS autocorrect feature ...
9
votes
1answer
280 views
Should I provide the option to change the language in an app?
Smartphones settings allow you to choose a default language thereby ensuring your application displays in that language. Is it useful to provide an option to change this language within my application ...
9
votes
6answers
174 views
Is it absolutely necessary to show the currently selected language in a language selector?
There are three choices of language. At least on mobile it would be nice if I could save a little space in the footer by omitting the currently active language. This seems risky though as it means the ...
9
votes
1answer
260 views
What UI patterns are effective for editing multilingual content?
What are the best UI patterns for editing multilingual content?
I'm asking about situations where user needs to fill same information (product name, description), in several languages.
Updated: My ...
8
votes
7answers
403 views
Hyphenating URLs and email addresses that would overflow their container?
This is clearly bad UX and web development:
It's important to make sure that email addresses and URLs don't overflow the container, but also that they are fully visible.
But should the email ...
8
votes
1answer
282 views
Should I use American or British English?
I'm working on a few small games, and I was wondering if I should use American or British English for my user interface? I'm not targetting any specific country, and this will probably be the only ...
8
votes
3answers
449 views
input type file workaround for usability reason
The HTML input of type file consists of a text filed and a button that says "Browse". Because our users are not English speakers, we would like to change the wording on the button to be in Hebrew.
But ...
7
votes
4answers
432 views
A good solution how to localize and let user choose language on HTML page
I read another question where a poster states that flags should not be used for languages since flags represent countries. In my mind I agree but in my eye this solution is the best:
Do you agree ...
7
votes
3answers
139 views
Designing bidi text editing
Background. "Bidi" refers to the bidirectional text, that is a text where traditional left-to-right scripts are intermixed with right-to-left ones, such as Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, Thaana, etc. Such ...
6
votes
3answers
88 views
Country/Region Specific locales: How much is it important?
In our website, we are providing more than one language choice, so users will be able to use the website if they knew any of these languages.
However, it surprised me that one site I've visited ...
6
votes
2answers
235 views
Mixing languages on a blog : cute or worst idea ever?
I want to create a blog where posts can be in various languages. In the current version, I have 209 posts total, with 29 in English and 1 in Italian (the rest is in French).
I've read that Google ...
6
votes
4answers
214 views
How to represent site language and article language without confusing the user?
I want to make a website that offers content in different languages (fairly common). On top of this most articles (books) are written in one or at most two languages. The user that is browsing the ...
6
votes
1answer
160 views
Shouldn't automated translation be optional?
More and more websites use some automated translation into what they think is my language of choice, be that by relying on a browser setting (for which I'm looking for a fix) or worse by geolocation. ...
5
votes
5answers
212 views
Is “<Object name>: <quantity>” notation acceptable in most popular localization?
This question was originally asked in the linguistics SE (which is not a good place to ask this kinds of thing).
Full question follows
I follow the software localization guideline, that states ...
5
votes
4answers
388 views
Alternative term to “Blacklist” and “Whitelist”
In short, my company is developing a management tool for managing SIM cards. One of the features of the tool is to block the SIM card if it's put into a none allowed device by device IMEI validation.
...
5
votes
1answer
104 views
Is it necessary to reorganize your entire layout to suit multilingual left-to-right languages?
I'm working on a flash project right now that is necessary to support 16 languages, from english to hebrew, and etc... My dilemma right now is whether or not it is necessary to flip my whole design to ...
5
votes
3answers
132 views
Translating a UI from English to a language with different constructs
I am trying to translate an application with an English UI into Hindi.
The menu items such as Edit in English can be interpreted as either nouns or verbs, which doesn't seem to matter as much. While ...
4
votes
3answers
603 views
How to design a multi-language website ?
I have a blog where I write in French, and sometimes in English. Right now, the distinction is made with a "tag" called "In English", so that users can get the feed for, say, only the English posts.
...
4
votes
2answers
94 views
'Liking' Sensitive Events on Social Media: Contextual Icons and Words for Approval/Agreement
Prompted by recent events. The use of a Like icon (whether thumbs up or otherwise) is fine on social media for lots of things, but certain subjects and events should not be "liked" or use such a ...
4
votes
4answers
183 views
What is the best mechanism for language and country selection?
I need my users to choose their country to use my site. The French version has a totally different setup to the English version, for example.
I'm The trouble is, if I merely ask the user for their ...
4
votes
3answers
242 views
What is a proper verb tense to use for a Web App?
I’m creating a web app for services like CRM, Helpdesk, etc, and I’m wondering what might be the best verb tense to use to address users… Why?
There will be a lot of tooltips, help guides, ...
4
votes
3answers
222 views
In a multilingual website should we provide the local language of the country even most of the people understand english there?
In a multilingual website should we provide the local language of the country even if most of the people understand english there?
For example, In India. Most of the people who use computer and shop ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Spanish UX Keywords Cheat Sheet
I expect to be working on a web application within the next several months and I'd like to "shoehorn" a Spanish language version of the site. If a large enough number of Spanish language users begin ...
3
votes
2answers
668 views
Best Practice for designing UI for a multilingual site?
I'm in charge of UI for a company that offers a brand monitoring and social media analytics for international clients. We currently offer the system in 3 different languages, but this is expected to ...
3
votes
3answers
247 views
Are there any other approaches to language selection other than these?
I'm working on something for a pitch of sorts and would like to look into other approaches to the language/region problem. These are the variations I remember seeing.
clickable Flags or language ...
3
votes
2answers
209 views
Language switch redirect to homepage or content page
I'm using a CMS that supports multiple languages and the build-in SEO tools are decent.
The problem is that it doesn't support switching between languages while remaining on the same page, because ...
3
votes
2answers
102 views
How to handle language detection and suggestion?
In a website that offers translated versions of the website in various languages (6), how should we handle language detection and suggestion?
My theory is that:
Users hate splash screens in which ...
3
votes
3answers
149 views
Language switch graphical state current-language/available-languages
I'm building a website in two languages English/French.
Most of the pages of the website are available in both languages.
There is a switch (two flags) on top of the header of the website that ...
3
votes
3answers
196 views
How should I implement Language selection in a CMS?
One of my client must be able to post News to both french and english language on his website. I would like to know how I should design the CMS to be the most convenient for the admin as possible.
...
3
votes
2answers
119 views
Changing the language of a website
While travelling abroad, I often get pages on websites that are normally in English for me (e.g. images.google.com) served instead in whatever the local language is. The problem is that I can't read ...
3
votes
1answer
100 views
What are factors in the Visual Design of a Language? [closed]
Just to be clear, I'm talking about something like typography, though in most cases typography relates to the redesigning of a set of symbols, not the designing of a set of symbols.
I'm guessing that ...
3
votes
2answers
47 views
Save language preference for next visit?
We are creating a language dialog that suggest the user to change language based on the set browser language. E.g. if someone with browserlanguage ch-de visits our English website, a dialog at the top ...
3
votes
2answers
97 views
Providing multi-language descriptons
In a similar question (Multi Language Name Input), I already read about the translation-topic.
In our desktop applications, we have some situations where the user needs to enter translated values for ...
3
votes
2answers
179 views
Mirror top navigation order between left to right-languages and right to left-languages?
It's common to see international companies and organizations having a global web site with several country web sites. The country web sites is often translated to the countries' own language, which ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Why is the alternate-language link for this page in two languages (original and destination)?
I recently received an email newsletter with the following header:
To view this message as a web page, click here.
To view this message in French, click here.
Pour voir ce message en français, ...
2
votes
3answers
123 views
«English version» or «English»?
If you want to switch to english, for me, the label with only «English» is good, but I think that giving context is better: «English version».
What do you think? I have only two languages and I have ...
2
votes
3answers
189 views
How annoying is it to see your native language rendered with no accents?
I'm localizing my iOS app. All of the screen text, though, is rendered in a handwriting font made by our designer... that contains no special characters. (Yeah, roll your eyes. Go for it.)
As I'm now ...
2
votes
2answers
785 views
Placement of a Change language button
Where would you place a Change language button/Country selector (or dropdown) on a web page? In a footer menu or in a utility menu in the top right corner of a web page or somewhere else on the page? ...
2
votes
2answers
191 views
How to handle language preference
I have a website where I authorize user to change the language of the website thanks to a drop-down list that he can find in the top right on every page.
By default, the language is set accordingly ...
2
votes
5answers
219 views
Multi Language Name Input
We are developing a Client Application that supports multiple languages. We have some MasterData that requires to have a localized Name (e.g a Product is named different in every location). When ...
