Re: Blackfoot &c

From: Michael Everson (everson@indigo.ie)
Date: Sat Aug 14 1999 - 06:41:23 EDT


Ar 16:19 -0700 1999-08-13, scríobh Eric Brunner:

>In the second instance, it is really quite recent that the character sets
>used by a large plurality of native languages in use in Canada have been
>actively promoted by that state in the international standards system (now
>at pDAM if memory serves).

No, Amendment 11 to ISO/IEC 10646-1 was published 1998-07-15.

>The same or worse exists w.r.t. the character
>sets of romanized writing systems in the US and Canada. Generally, it is a
>reasonable observation that the ISO system is out of reach of indigenous
>polities, hence unlikely that their linguistic concerns have actually been
>met within the code set space.

This is a completely unfounded and baseless supposition. Please see
http://www.indigo.ie/egt/standards/iso10646/ucs-roadmap.html to see how
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 and the Unicode Technical Committee have recognized
scripts worldwide. Many of us are keenly concerned about support for
indigenous and other lesser-used languages.

>If anyone knows what the ISO registration for Old High Blackfeet, romanized
>or syllabic, or for diacritically simplified modern Siksika, let me know.
>I'll be appropriately contrite.

I know things about these languages. What do you want to know? What
standard are you talking about? ISO 639 or ISO/IEC 10646?

>Meanwhile, can we please assume that the
>universalist pretentions of the ISO system are still culturally limited and
>likely to remain so for some time and that this applies to registration of
>minority language character sets, even if the best of intentions are actually
>present?

Please explain explicitly what you think the problem is. Apparently I
missed the beginning of this thread. I am editor of the revision of ISO/IEC
2375, which specifies the ISO-IR registry.

>>I would suggest, therefore, that the IETF follow the categorizations in
>>the ISO Register, where we have a ready-made catalog of coded character
>>sets, along with a unique and unambiguous way in which to refer to them:
>>the ISO registration number.

"Categorizations"?

>Kitakitamatsinopowaw ("I'll see you again", diacritically simplified modern
> Siksika, romanized.)
>Eric

How should this be represented with proper diacritics?

--
Michael Everson * Everson Gunn Teoranta * http://www.indigo.ie/egt
15 Port Chaeimhghein Íochtarach; Baile Átha Cliath 2; Éire/Ireland
Guthán: +353 1 478 2597 ** Facsa: +353 1 478 2597 (by arrangement)
27 Páirc an Fhéithlinn;  Baile an Bhóthair;  Co. Átha Cliath; Éire



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