Word of the Moment: Vexillology

If there is a thing and it exists, tangibly or even in theory, there is probably a study of it. The other day I grew curious about the study of flags after watching a documentary on Apartheid. While the Apartheid has little to do with the study of flags, I remembered that post-Apartheid South Africa stressed the importance of developing a flag that demonstrated the nation of disparate peoples (with a history of monstrous segregation) was now united. Anyway, all this led me to realize I didn't know the term for the study of flags.  So I looked it up, and there was this cool word: vexillology.

It comes from the Latin vexillum (obviously: "flag") but it's interesting that it came from a particular kind of flag of Roman times actually called the vexillum.  Vexillology is a serious study of flags.  It takes into account both the study and design of flags (vexillologist and vexillographer respectfully). They think about what certain shapes, colors, images, icons, angles mean to the country in both a historical and cultural context. They know forms and functions.  They even have their own pictographic code language  to describe the flag's usage, hoist, past, and other minutiae. They have a society, and, like most societies that are pompously named, they pompously named first in French. The Fédération Internationale des Associations Vexillologiques (FIAV) also go by English, German, and Spanish names, but the German word for "association" begins with a "G", so that totes screws up the acronym and makes them seem less official or something.  You can check them out here.

Maybe I should take up vexillology; flags are cool. I like how the colors and symbols and arrangements represent the ideals and history of the countries they stand for. If I had to pick favorites, I would go with South Africa, the careful thought that was put into creating such a beautiful composition (complete with awesomely named colors like "spectrum green" and "chili red") makes me happy inside. 

Bhutan's flag is pretty dope as well, as it's the only flag in modern times with a dragon on it.  The dragon's name is Druk, the Thunder Dragon of Bhutanese mythology, and he's apparently holding jewels that represent wealth (but I like to think they are apples or persimmons because that boy looks damn hungry).