Marion Gunn wrote:
>
> The opposite it true, Doug. ISO 639 will ONLY issue new 639-1
> (two-letter) codes for languages that already have a 639-2 (three-letter)
> code.
Almost, but not quite. If that were true, 639-2 tags could become effectively
obsolete. The true rules AFAIU are:
1) A language with a 639-1 tag has and will always have a 639-2 tag as well.
E.g. English has tags "eng" and "en".
2) A language which currently has a 639-2 tag but not a 639-1 tag will not
get a new 639-1 tag in future. E.g. Arapaho has tag "arp" but will never
have a 639-1 tag.
3) Therefore, the only future 639-1 tags are those assigned to new (i.e.
not in 639-2) languages, simultaneously with a 639-2 tag. E.g. Lojban,
a currently untagged language, might get the tags "loj" and "lj".
(When Hell freezes over.)
-- There is / one art || John Cowan <jcowan@reutershealth.com> no more / no less || http://www.reutershealth.com to do / all things || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan with art- / lessness \\ -- Piet Hein
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