English v. English

[mikz]

Title
English v. English

Short, concise description of the idea
The language drop-down box is confusing. Instead of 'English' and 'English (US)', the options are 'English' and 'English (UK)'. Since U.S. English is the most deviant form of English, the latter is clearer.

Full description of the idea
I will not enter into any petty flamewar over which version of English is 'correct', and since LJ is in the United States, I suppose it's fair enough that U.S. English is the default language. But the way the drop-down box is now suggests that U.K. English is some special form of English, a view that's ignorant at best.

I can only think of about two differences between U.K. English and Australian English. I'm sure there are just as few differences between U.K. English and Canadian English and N.Z. English and South African English and the English spoken in a dozen other countries. However, there are scores of differences between all these languages and U.S. English. Therefore, U.S. English is the deviant form, and therefore it should have an option to itself.
An ordered list of benefits

• It would be clearer for users in countries other than the U.K. and U.S. which language they should select.
• It would be clearer for Americans which language they should select.
• It would be more consistent with the majority of software and other web sites.

An ordered list of problems/issues involved

• I can't really think of any; it's just a label change.