A digital distribution service owned by Valve Corporation. Originally created to distribute Valve's own games, Steam has since become the de facto standard for digital distribution of PC games.
Just in the middle of installing steam, not used steam for a long time, not since counter strike source a few years ago. But during the language select I noticed that the flag shwon next to English is actually the American flag. Now I like america dont get me wrong but this is the kind of stuff Americans get abuse for either claiming everything for themselves or just plain getting things wrong. what is with you guys?
Just a small thing I know but had to do something whilst I waited for the program to install :D
Um, well, seeing as Valve is based in the United States, it makes sense for them to put the American flag so as to denote what type of English it is...
There are more English-speakers in America than in the UK. It has nothing to do with claiming things or getting things wrong. It's statistics. There are a lot of things Americans deserve "abuse" for, but this isn't one of them. Not even close.
I think it really all depends on where the developer or company is based. Although I think the American flag is becoming the more common representative for the English option. However, what I find confusing is when I see the stars and stripes next to the Union Jack. Why would someone consider these to be separate languages?!
" Just in the middle of installing steam, not used steam for a long time, not since counter strike source a few years ago. But during the language select I noticed that the flag shwon next to English is actually the American flag. Now I like america dont get me wrong but this is the kind of stuff Americans get abuse for either claiming everything for themselves or just plain getting things wrong. what is with you guys? Just a small thing I know but had to do something whilst I waited for the program to install :D "
well... valve is in the US... so they probly just automatically did it that way...
@supernando: I think this is just like how software has 'English (US)' and 'English (UK)', just that Valve because they're in the states have opted to go with US English. Imagine how tedious it'd be if they had a guy whose job was to make sure that all the z's were s'.
None of us can answer that question because none of us had anything to do with it. =/ Most Americans don't have any say or hand in the things we get generalized for. In fact, most people in the world don't have any say in what a few people in their country send out to the world in media.
" I think it really all depends on where the developer or company is based. Although I think the American flag is becoming the more common representative for the English option. However, what I find confusing is when I see the stars and stripes next to the Union Jack. Why would someone consider these to be separate languages?! "
To differentiate between Her Majesty the Queen's Proper English (which uses exactly the right amount of Us and Zs) and American English (which doesn't).
" I think it really all depends on where the developer or company is based. Although I think the American flag is becoming the more common representative for the English option. However, what I find confusing is when I see the stars and stripes next to the Union Jack. Why would someone consider these to be separate languages?! "
To differentiate between Her Majesty the Queen's Proper English (which uses exactly the right amount of Us and Zs) and American English (which doesn't). "
That comment is way more biased than Valve using the flag of its own country to denote what language they use. Take notes OP, clearly Englishmen are the ones that get things wrong. But seriously, people, don't generalize about everyone in a nation because of something you see one person or a group of people doing.
Steam uses American English. Bioware uses Canadian English. There are slight differences in different dialects. Thus different flags to denote them. DONE.
" I think it really all depends on where the developer or company is based. Although I think the American flag is becoming the more common representative for the English option. However, what I find confusing is when I see the stars and stripes next to the Union Jack. Why would someone consider these to be separate languages?! "
To differentiate between Her Majesty the Queen's Proper English (which uses exactly the right amount of Us and Zs) and American English (which doesn't). "
The highest percentage of english first language speakers are American. There's your answer. You want to have a question about who owned what first, well, America and Britian are both going to do pretty badly.
" There are more English-speakers in America than in the UK. It has nothing to do with claiming things or getting things wrong. It's statistics. There are a lot of things Americans deserve "abuse" for, but this isn't one of them. Not even close. "
I bet there's more English speakers in India than in the USA.
" There are more English-speakers in America than in the UK. It has nothing to do with claiming things or getting things wrong. It's statistics. There are a lot of things Americans deserve "abuse" for, but this isn't one of them. Not even close. "
I bet there's more English speakers in India than in the USA. "
Counting that garbled up shit I hear from customer assistance as English is like counting Spanish as Italian.
This problem exists for all pluricentric languages. Valve probably also uses a German flag to denote German (as opposed to an Austrian or Swiss flag) and a Spanish flag to denote Spanish (despite all the South American countries where Spanish is spoken). There's no easy way around it.
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