ISO 639-6, Codes for the representation of names of languages — Part 6: Alpha-4 code for comprehensive coverage of language variants, was a proposed international standard in the ISO 639 series, developed by ISO/TC 37/SC 2 (International Organization for Standardization, Technical Committee 37, Subcommittee 2: Terminographical and lexicographical working methods – later renamed to Terminology workflow and language coding). It contained four-letter codes that denote variants of languages and language families. This allowed one to differentiate between, for example, historical (glvx) versus revived (rvmx) Manx, while ISO 639-3 only includes glv for Manx.
The data supporting ISO 639-6 was researched and compiled by the ISO's registration authority GeoLang. ISO 639-6 was published on 17 November 2009, and withdrawn on 25 November 2014 because of concerns about its usefulness and maintainability. The database also links each language and family to its principal ancestor, allowing the user to follow the classification of various languages. For example, the codes and ancestry of English is given below:
| ISO 639-6 code | Language(s) | ISO 639-3 scope | ISO 639-3 type | ISO 639-2/3 code | ISO 639-2/5 code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Individual | Living | eng | ||
| emen | Early Modern English (ca. 1485 – ca. 1660) | Individual | Living | (eng) | |
| emse | Early Midland and South Eastern Middle English | Individual | Historic | (enm) | |
| meng | Middle English (ca. 1066 – ca. 1350) | Individual | Historic | enm | |
| ango | Anglo Saxon (Old English) (ca. 450 – ca. 1250) | Individual | Historic | ang | |
| angl | Anglic | Collective | (gmw) | ||
| nsea | North Sea (Ingvaeonic) | Collective | (gmw) | ||
| gmcw | West Germanic | Collective | gmw | ||
| grmc | Germanic | Collective | gem | ||
| ineu | Indo-European | Collective | ine | ||
| wrld | World (undetermined) | Special | und |
The database differentiated between different scripts used for the same language. For example, a number of different scripts were used in the Ottoman Empire and as a result the Ottoman Turkish language has been categorized as follows:
| ISO 639-6 code | Language or variant | ISO 639-3 scope | ISO 639-3 type | ISO 639-2/3 code | ISO 15924 code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish, Ottoman (1500–1928) | Individual | Historic | ota | ||
| otaa | Turkish, Ottoman (1500–1928), Armenian script | Individual | Historic | ota | Armn |
| otah | Turkish, Ottoman (1500–1928), Hellenic script | Individual | Historic | ota | Grek |
| otap | Turkish, Ottoman (1500–1928), Perso-Arabic script | Individual | Historic | ota | Arab |
See also
- List of ISO 639-6 codes
- ISO 639-5: 3-letter codes for language families and groups ("remainder" groups from legacy ISO 639-2 were extended inclusively in ISO 639-5).
- ISO 15924: 4-letter codes for the representation of names of scripts (most of them also used in BCP 47 as "script subtags").
- IETF language tag: 5-to-8-letter codes used as "variant subtags", assigned and maintained in the IANA database for BCP 47 language tags.
References
- "ISO 639-6:2009". ISO. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31. Retrieved 2018-10-31.
- Constable, Peter (21 October 2014). "FYI: withdrawal of ISO 639-6". Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
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ISO 639 6 Codes for the representation of names of languages Part 6 Alpha 4 code for comprehensive coverage of language variants was a proposed international standard in the ISO 639 series developed by ISO TC 37 SC 2 International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 37 Subcommittee 2 Terminographical and lexicographical working methods later renamed to Terminology workflow and language coding It contained four letter codes that denote variants of languages and language families This allowed one to differentiate between for example historical glvx versus revived rvmx Manx while ISO 639 3 only includes glv for Manx The data supporting ISO 639 6 was researched and compiled by the ISO s registration authority GeoLang ISO 639 6 was published on 17 November 2009 and withdrawn on 25 November 2014 because of concerns about its usefulness and maintainability The database also links each language and family to its principal ancestor allowing the user to follow the classification of various languages For example the codes and ancestry of English is given below ISO 639 6 code Language s ISO 639 3 scope ISO 639 3 type ISO 639 2 3 code ISO 639 2 5 code English Individual Living eng emen Early Modern English ca 1485 ca 1660 Individual Living eng emse Early Midland and South Eastern Middle English Individual Historic enm meng Middle English ca 1066 ca 1350 Individual Historic enm ango Anglo Saxon Old English ca 450 ca 1250 Individual Historic ang angl Anglic Collective gmw nsea North Sea Ingvaeonic Collective gmw gmcw West Germanic Collective gmwgrmc Germanic Collective gemineu Indo European Collective inewrld World undetermined Special und The database differentiated between different scripts used for the same language For example a number of different scripts were used in the Ottoman Empire and as a result the Ottoman Turkish language has been categorized as follows ISO 639 6 code Language or variant ISO 639 3 scope ISO 639 3 type ISO 639 2 3 code ISO 15924 code Turkish Ottoman 1500 1928 Individual Historic ota otaa Turkish Ottoman 1500 1928 Armenian script Individual Historic ota Armnotah Turkish Ottoman 1500 1928 Hellenic script Individual Historic ota Grekotap Turkish Ottoman 1500 1928 Perso Arabic script Individual Historic ota ArabSee alsoList of ISO 639 6 codes ISO 639 5 3 letter codes for language families and groups remainder groups from legacy ISO 639 2 were extended inclusively in ISO 639 5 ISO 15924 4 letter codes for the representation of names of scripts most of them also used in BCP 47 as script subtags IETF language tag 5 to 8 letter codes used as variant subtags assigned and maintained in the IANA database for BCP 47 language tags References ISO 639 6 2009 ISO Archived from the original on 2018 10 31 Retrieved 2018 10 31 Constable Peter 21 October 2014 FYI withdrawal of ISO 639 6 Archived from the original on 21 August 2019 Retrieved 21 August 2019 This standards or measurement related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This language related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte
