Re: language identifiers for sign languages (incl. sgn) vs. attribute for indicating the representation of an individual language in "sign language modality"

"Doug Ewell" <[email protected]> Fri, 29 Nov 2019 18:59:00 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.ietf.languages
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If you are serious, and it sounds very much like you are, about making =
the new standard work well with BCP 47, I would suggest a few things:

 =EF=BF=BD

Read BCP 47, essentially cover-to-cover, so that you come away feeling =
you have a very strong grasp on both the syntax and the intended use =
scenarios. You will want 21636 to fit into  =EF=BF=BDBCP 47 the way 639 =
and 3166 and 15924 and UN M49 already do, so this understanding is of =
utmost importance.

 =EF=BF=BD

Keep in mind that all types of subtag, except the primary language =
subtag, are optional and any or all can be used together. That is to =
say, it might not make sense to use a script subtag together with a =
21636-based subtag indicating =E2=80=9Csigned=E2=80=9D, but short of =
that, almost any combination is possible.

 =EF=BF=BD

Study the BCP 47 syntax carefully so you are in a position to propose a =
reasonable and compatible structure for 21636-based subtags. This may be =
hard because we didn=E2=80=99t leave much in the way of =
=E2=80=9Creserved=E2=80=9D patterns for a projected new type of subtag. =
One pattern that might possibly be workable is 3 characters, 1 digit =
followed by 2 letters. There aren=E2=80=99t any existing subtags like =
that, so it might be possible to update the syntax to carve this pattern =
out of the existing syntax. I=E2=80=99m just throwing ideas out here.

 =EF=BF=BD

Remember that BCP 47 can RECOMMEND using or not using certain subtag =
values together, but cannot enforce it. Users will do what they do. BCP =
47 gives an example of "tlh-Kore-AQ-fonipa" (Klingon, Korean script, as =
used in Antarctica, IPA phonetic transcription) as a tag that is silly, =
but perfectly valid syntactically, and even perhaps semantically. Think =
of combinations that might exist when your subtags are added.

 =EF=BF=BD

Understand how your subtags will participate in matching. Keep in mind =
that many processes use simplified matching, and might return results in =
=E2=80=9Cen=E2=80=9D in response to a request for =
=E2=80=9Cen-with-some-new-subtag-for-haptic=E2=80=9D, which might not be =
a great match in practice. Be ready to suggest what processes should do =
in certain cases. Remember software isn=E2=80=99t updated overnight.

 =EF=BF=BD

Be prepared to participate in the IETF process of updating BCP 47, =
because if you want these to be full-fledged subtags (not an extension), =
then we will have to go through that process and your input will be =
needed. It=E2=80=99s a lengthy and sometimes difficult process; if you =
think WE=E2=80=99RE asking tough questions here, just wait.

 =EF=BF=BD

OR=E2=80=A6 you might take a different path entirely and consider =
creating an extension for 21636 identifiers instead. (If you=E2=80=99re =
not sure what an =E2=80=9Cextension=E2=80=9D is, go back to =
=E2=80=9CRead BCP 47=E2=80=9D above.) You would need to write an RFC to =
define the extension, from several specific angles, as described in BCP =
47, and get that approved through IETF. You will still need to have =
stable identifiers, meaning they don=E2=80=99t change in a way that =
makes existing language tags invalid. And the identifiers need to be =
publicly available, not something one needs to pay for or set up an =
account to view.

 =EF=BF=BD

Going the extension route might also allow you to recreate the =
hierarchical structure you were describing, in a way that a single =
subtag would not accommodate.

 =EF=BF=BD

--

Doug Ewell | Thornton, CO, US | ewellic.org

 =EF=BF=BD

From: Sebastian Drude <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >=20
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2019 5:56
To: John Cowan <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >
Cc: Doug Ewell <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >; Christian =
Galinski <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> >; Fourney, David =
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >; Peter =
Constable <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >; =
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> ; Debra Russell <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> >; ietf-languages <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> >; Melinda Lyons <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> >; Gary Simons <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> >; 105-5-03 Hein, Anja =
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Ietf-languages] language identifiers for =
sign languages (incl. sgn) vs. attribute for indicating the =
representation of an individual language in "sign language modality"

 =EF=BF=BD

Indeed, ISO 639-6 failed, and (in my view and that of many colleagues =
dealing with language diversity) rightly so, although it had much valid =
research and some interesting insights.

To begin with, a single flat hierarchy mixing dialects and modalities =
etc. without cross-classifications is doomed, given the =
multidimensionality of linguistic variation (cf. ISO 21636). Then, an =
attempt to exhaustively list all varieties of all languages in the world =
by basically a single person or very small group must fail; this clearly =
needs a community effort where many experts contribute.=20

Work on what is now ISO 21636 was originally intended to replace the =
failed ISO 639-6, but is now a related but separate endeavor, preparing =
the ground for a future registration mechanism for language varieties.=20

Best, Sebastian=20

--=20

Sent from my phone, excuses for being short

--=20

drude@xs4all - +55 (91) 983 733 319

 =20

 =EF=BF=BD

On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 12:47 AM -0300, "John Cowan" <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:

 =EF=BF=BD

 =EF=BF=BD

On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 10:15 AM <[email protected] =
<mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:

 =EF=BF=BD

In my understanding, once ISO 21636 is established / accepted, the next =
step would be to set up a central registration mechanism for individual =
varieties.

 =EF=BF=BD

That is exactly what ISO 639-6 was intended to be, and it was withdrawn. =
=EF=BF=BD There are other people on this list and elsewhere who probably =
understand why better than I do, but Peter Constable's post to this list =
(at =
=EF=BF=BD<https://www.alvestrand.no/pipermail/ietf-languages/2014-October=
/012167.html>) said: =EF=BF=BD "While ISO 639-6 did get approved and =
published, the code table for 639-6 has never been made fully available =
in a usable manner. What data has been available has been looked at by =
lots of people with a response that they don't find it particularly =
useful for any practical application. Moreover, the agency that was =
designated as registration authority appears to have ceased its =
operations. In a nutshell, 639-6 had in many respects failed."

 =EF=BF=BD

 =EF=BF=BD


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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue =
vlink=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal>If you are =
serious, and it sounds very much like you are, about making the new =
standard work well with BCP 47, I would suggest a few =
things:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Read BCP 47, essentially cover-to-cover, so that you =
come away feeling you have a very strong grasp on both the syntax and =
the intended use scenarios. You will want 21636 to fit into &nbsp;BCP 47 =
the way 639 and 3166 and 15924 and UN M49 already do, so this =
understanding is of utmost importance.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Keep in mind =
that all types of subtag, except the primary language subtag, are =
optional and any or all can be used together. That is to say, it might =
not make sense to use a script subtag together with a 21636-based subtag =
indicating =E2=80=9Csigned=E2=80=9D, but short of that, almost any =
combination is possible.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Study the =
BCP 47 syntax carefully so you are in a position to propose a reasonable =
and compatible structure for 21636-based subtags. This may be hard =
because we didn=E2=80=99t leave much in the way of =
=E2=80=9Creserved=E2=80=9D patterns for a projected new type of subtag. =
One pattern that might possibly be workable is 3 characters, 1 digit =
followed by 2 letters. There aren=E2=80=99t any existing subtags like =
that, so it might be possible to update the syntax to carve this pattern =
out of the existing syntax. I=E2=80=99m just throwing ideas out =
here.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Remember that BCP 47 can RECOMMEND using or not using =
certain subtag values together, but cannot enforce it. Users will do =
what they do. BCP 47 gives an example of &quot;tlh-Kore-AQ-fonipa&quot; =
(Klingon, Korean script, as used in Antarctica, IPA phonetic =
transcription) as a tag that is silly, but perfectly valid =
syntactically, and even perhaps semantically. Think of combinations that =
might exist when your subtags are added.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Understand =
how your subtags will participate in matching. Keep in mind that many =
processes use simplified matching, and might return results in =
=E2=80=9Cen=E2=80=9D in response to a request for =
=E2=80=9Cen-with-some-new-subtag-for-haptic=E2=80=9D, which might not be =
a great match in practice. Be ready to suggest what processes should do =
in certain cases. Remember software isn=E2=80=99t updated =
overnight.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Be prepared to participate in the IETF process of =
updating BCP 47, because if you want these to be full-fledged subtags =
(not an extension), then we will have to go through that process and =
your input will be needed. It=E2=80=99s a lengthy and sometimes =
difficult process; if you think WE=E2=80=99RE asking tough questions =
here, just wait.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>OR=E2=80=A6 =
you might take a different path entirely and consider creating an =
extension for 21636 identifiers instead. (If you=E2=80=99re not sure =
what an =E2=80=9Cextension=E2=80=9D is, go back to =E2=80=9CRead BCP =
47=E2=80=9D above.) You would need to write an RFC to define the =
extension, from several specific angles, as described in BCP 47, and get =
that approved through IETF. You will still need to have stable =
identifiers, meaning they don=E2=80=99t change in a way that makes =
existing language tags invalid. And the identifiers need to be publicly =
available, not something one needs to pay for or set up an account to =
view.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Going the extension route might also allow you to =
recreate the hierarchical structure you were describing, in a way that a =
single subtag would not accommodate.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:Consolas;color:black;background:white'>--<o:p></o:p>=
</span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:Consolas;color:black;background:white'>Doug Ewell | =
Thornton, CO, US | ewellic.org</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><div><div =
style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in =
0in 0in'><p class=3DMsoNormal><b>From:</b> Sebastian Drude &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; <br><b>Sent:</b> =
Friday, November 29, 2019 5:56<br><b>To:</b> John Cowan &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;<br><b>Cc:</b> Doug =
Ewell &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
Christian Galinski &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]=
</a>&gt;; Fourney, David &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
Peter Constable &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>; Debra Russell &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
ietf-languages &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
Melinda Lyons &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
Gary Simons &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;; =
105-5-03 Hein, Anja &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]=
</a>&gt;<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Ietf-languages] language =
identifiers for sign languages (incl. sgn) vs. attribute for indicating =
the representation of an individual language in &quot;sign language =
modality&quot;<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Indeed, ISO 639-6 =
failed, and (in my view and that of many colleagues dealing with =
language diversity) rightly so, although it had much valid research and =
some interesting insights.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>To begin with, a =
single flat hierarchy mixing dialects and modalities etc. without =
cross-classifications is doomed, given the multidimensionality of =
linguistic variation (cf. ISO 21636). Then, an attempt to exhaustively =
list all varieties of all languages in the world by basically a single =
person or very small group must fail; this clearly needs a community =
effort where many experts contribute. =
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Work on what is now =
ISO 21636 was originally intended to replace the failed ISO 639-6, but =
is now a related but separate endeavor, preparing the ground for a =
future registration mechanism for language varieties. =
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Best, Sebastian =
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>-- =
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Sent from my phone, =
excuses for being short<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>-- =
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>drude@xs4all - +55 =
(91) 983 733 319<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></s=
pan></p></div><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'>On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at =
12:47 AM -0300, &quot;John Cowan&quot; &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style=3D'border:none;border-left:solid =
#CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in =
6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5=
..0pt'><div><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal>On =
Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 10:15 AM &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; =
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote =
style=3D'border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in =
6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5=
..0pt'><div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span =
lang=3DEN-GB>In my understanding, once ISO 21636 is established / =
accepted, the next step would be to set up a central registration =
mechanism for individual =
varieties.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></blockquote><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>That is exactly what ISO 639-6 was intended to be, and =
it was withdrawn.&nbsp; There are other people on this list and =
elsewhere who probably understand why better than I do, but Peter =
Constable's post to this list (at&nbsp;<span =
style=3D'color:black'>&lt;</span><a =
href=3D"https://www.alvestrand.no/pipermail/ietf-languages/2014-October/0=
12167.html">https://www.alvestrand.no/pipermail/ietf-languages/2014-Octob=
er/012167.html</a>&gt;) said:&nbsp; &quot;<span =
style=3D'color:black'>While ISO 639-6 did get approved and published, =
the code table for 639-6 has never been made fully available in a usable =
manner. What data has been available has been looked at by lots of =
people with a response that they don't find it particularly useful for =
any practical application. Moreover, the agency that was designated as =
registration authority appears to have ceased its operations. In a =
nutshell, 639-6 had in many respects =
failed.&quot;</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div><div><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div></div></div></d=
iv></blockquote></div></div></body></html>
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