ISO 639

The ISO 639 (ICS n°  01.140.20) is an international standard which defines codes for the representation of the names of Langue S.

  • ISO 639-1 (alpha-2) uses codes on 2 characters, and associate them with the names in French, English and in the language itself.

  • ISO 639-2 (alpha-3) uses codes on 3 characters and has two codings possibles : ISO 639-2/B (bibliographical) and ISO 639-2/T (terminological)   ; the codes are associated with English and French names.
  • ISO 639-3 still supplements the ISO 639-2 with very many other languages manquantes  ; SIL is the principal author and is in load of the recordings in this shutter of the norme  ; only the English names are associated with the added codes.

Classification by code of the language

To find the language easily, knowing its code, to rather refer to the Code list ISO 639 alpha-2.

In the applications using the codes of language ISO 639, one will prefer the code alpha-2 of the ISO 639-1 if there exists. If not one will choose the code alpha-3 of the ISO 639-2/B. (The codes alpha-3 of the standard ISO 639-3 will be used in last spring).

Classification by name of the language

Here, below, the list of the languages classified alphabetically of their name in French, and it (or them) code (S) for each language (alpha-3 and/or alpha-2).

Notes :

  • If the codes alpha-3 (ISO 639-2/B and ISO 639-2/T) differ, the code ISO 639-2/B (bibliographical) is given in first, followed by a bar obliques “/” and by the code ISO 639-2/T (terminological) followed by an asterisk “*”. In the majority of the applications, one will prefer the first bibliographical code, the second terminological code being reserved only for historical reasons. When only one code alpha-3 is indicated it is identical for the two uses.
  • Certaines languages has several standardized synonymous names, in French and/or English. These names are listed each one in their place in the alphabetical classification, and are followed other standardized synonyms, separated by a semicolon “; ”.

With

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Note : the old code alpha-2 (iw*) of the ISO 639-1 for the Hebrew was replaced by the code “He” in this standard. This old code is indicated between brackets. There should not be used any more in the new applications, but remains still used in many software for compatibility (in particular for the coding of the parameters of localization).

I

Note : the old code alpha-2 (in*) of the ISO 639-1 for the Indonésien was replaced by the code “id” in this standard. This old code is indicated between brackets. There should not be used any more in the new applications, but remains still used in certain software for compatibility (in particular for the coding of the parameters of localization).

J

Note : the old code alpha-2 (jw*) of the ISO 639-1 and the old code alpha-3 (jaw*) of the ISO 639-2 for the Javanese were published by error and were replaced by the codes “jv” and “jav” in these standards. These old codes are indicated between brackets. It should not be used in the new applications any more, but can be still used in certain software for compatibility (in particular for the coding of the parameters of localization).

K

L

M

NR

O

P

Q

R

S

Note : the Serbo-Croatian, from old code alpha-2 (sh*) in ISO 639-1 and from old code alpha-3 (shr*) in the ISO 639-2, was withdrawn the 2000-02-18 of the list and the standard. There remains held for compatibility in the applications managing of the data of localization, but should not be used any more in the new applications.

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Note : the old code alpha-2 (ji*) of the ISO 639-1 for the Yiddish was replaced by the codes “yi” in this standard. This old code is indicated between brackets. It should not be used any more in the new applications, but can be still used in certain software for compatibility (in particular for the coding of the parameters of localization).

Z

External bonds

  • http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/ (authority of recording of the codes ISO 639-2)
  • http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/langhome.html (all lists of code ISO 639-2)
  • http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/French_list.php (codes ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-1 sorted by French name)
  • http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/codechanges.html (list of the changes of codes ISO 639-2)
  • http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/ (banner page of SIL on ISO 639-3)
  • http://www.dicts.info/languages2.php (ISO 639 codes and language names in many languages)

Be-X-old: ISO 639 Zh-min-nan: ISO 639

Random links:Gerhard Gentzen | War of Palestine of 1948/sources | Voice off America | Revolt red Turbans | Belarus (undertaken)