ISO 639-3 code for International Sign Language--a good idea? How to proceed?

[Albert Bickford]

Many of you are familiar with the ISO 639-3 (http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/) 
standard of three-letter codes for identifying languages.  Originally 
derived from Ethnologue codes, it now has an independent existence as an 
official international standard of the International Organization for 
Standards.

At present, there is no ISO 639-3 code for International Sign.  Given that 
there is a dictionary of 1500 signs published, it seems like it might be 
useful to have such a code.  However, I know so little about International 
Sign, and others know so much more, I would be reluctant to be the one to 
actually submit the proposal.  Hence this posting--a request for help and 
advice.

I gather that International Sign is not a language, but a somewhat 
artificially constructed body of vocabulary that is combined with a user's 
native SL grammar and applied very flexibly according to the specific 
communicative situation.

The ISO standard does have codes for many artifical languages, so we could 
still justify having a code for it.  What is not so obvious to me is whether 
the standard should identify International Sign as an artificial language, 
or whether there has been enough natural interaction and development over 
the years to erase whatever artificiality may have originally existed.  In 
most artificial languages, the most artificial element is the grammar (as in 
Signing Exact English in North America).  This is one aspect of 
International Sign that has *not* been artificially constrained.  So, maybe 
it's more like a pidgin, right?

What do people on this list feel should be done?

Incidentally, a lot of possible three-letter codes that would make sense as 
the code for International Sign are already in use for other languages. 
However, "ils" is available, so that might be a good choice.  It actually 
doesn't matter exactly what code is chosen for a particular language.  The 
important thing is that it be unique and that its reference be clearly 
documented so people know what it refers to.  That's what the ISO standard 
aims to do.

-- Albert

Albert Bickford 

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