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