LL-L "Language policies" 2002.08.02 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 02.AUG.2002 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Nigel Smith" <rnigelsmith at hotmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language policies" 2002.08.02 (01) [E]

Mathieu. van Woerkom wrote (quoting Håvard Hjulstad, Acting chairman of
the ISO 639 Joint Advisory Committee):

HH>> Alpha-2 identifier:  li
HH>> Alpha-3 identifier:  lim

M.v.W.> Can anyone tell me when those language identifiers are used?

The Library of Congress website has a set of useful FAQs about ISO 639
here:  http://lcweb.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/faq.html

I quote from FAQ no. 5:

"Who uses the ISO 639 codes and why?
The alpha-2 code set was devised for use in terminology, lexicography
and linguistics.

The alpha-3 code set was devised for use by libraries, information
services, and publishers to indicate language in the exchange of
information, especially in computerized systems. The codes have been
widely used in the library community and may also be adopted for any
application requiring the expression of language in coded form by
terminologists and lexicographers.

Both sets of codes are widely used in Internet applications."

Hope this helps. (Personally I'm not sure I agree fully with the last
statement -- my experience has been that the TWO-letter codes tend to be
used in Internet coding.)

Nigel Smith
rnigelsmith at hotmail.com

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