Re: New RFC 4645-4647 (language tags)

From: Addison Phillips (addison@yahoo-inc.com)
Date: Tue Sep 12 2006 - 10:37:49 CDT

  • Next message: Philippe Verdy: "Re: New RFC 4645-4647 (language tags)"

    Mark E. Shoulson wrote:
    >
    > I think the question here (at least the question *I* have here), is that
    > if and when ISO 4646 is made to include ISO 639-3, given that ISO 639-3
    > and ISO 639-2 both use 3-letter codes, how will it be possible to
    > distinguish whether a 639-2 or a 639-3 code is being used? Unless all
    > of the 639-2 codes are subsumed into 639-3 (i.e. no one code has
    > incompatible meanings under the two standards). And in that case, is
    > 639-2 "deprecated" because 639-3 says everything it says, and more?
    >
    > This is such a simple question I feel stupid for asking it; surely this
    > has been thought of and quickly dispensed with by the committees.
    >

    It's pretty simple, actually. ISO 639-3 and ISO 639-2 share a codespace.
    That is, if you see a code 'xyz' in ISO 639-2, it will have exactly the
    same meaning in ISO 639-3. If you see a code 'xyz' in ISO 639-3, if it
    is assigned (or becomes assigned) in ISO 639-2 it will have exactly the
    same meaning.

    No language will have two codes assigned in the registry. Users will,
    presumably, choose the code that best meets their needs.

    Addison

    -- 
    Addison Phillips
    Globalization Architect -- Yahoo! Inc.
    Internationalization is an architecture.
    It is not a feature.
    


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