Request: Language Code "de-DE-1996"

J.Wilkes J.Wilkes
Wed, 24 Apr 2002 19:28:40 -0100


On 24 Apr 2002 at 10:43, Peter_Constable@sil.org wrote:

>>Sorry, I just don't follow this logic.  The vocabulary of a region/country
>> and the  orthography rules seem pretty orthogonal to me.
> 
> The choices may be orthogonal, but when an author cares about the choice of
> vocabulary, I'm saying that (s)he generally will also care about the choice
> of orthography (though not vice versa in general). E.g. if you're
> localising software for some particular region and have to make some
> vocabulary choices, aren't you forced to also make orthographic choices? I
> don't see how it can be otherwise.

There are significant differences between de-1901 and de-1996; yet, there 
are texts that fit both orthographies. If the sentences are simple, and a 
(long) lists of words in which the orthographies differ is avoided, a text 
can be indeed be correct in both orthographies. (Simple button/menu texts 
in programs, for example - "öffnen", "schließen", "speichern"; yet 
regional words like "Kassa" etc. might be needed.)  

In general I agree with you, though. In most cases people will make a 
choice which orthography they use. 

> I'm not suggesting that we do. In my paper, I propose a model in which
> writing system is a derivative notion of individual language, and
> orthography is a derivative notion of writing system. So, you don't ever
> specify an orthography without specifying (whether implicitly or
> explicitly) a particular writing system, and a particular language. These
> distinct notions are not orthogonal.

I am uncertain whether my above example contradicts you here. I agree on 
that the writing system is a derivative notion of individual language. But 
from my point of view, both orthography and regional peculiarities are, if 
not exactly orthogonal, at least not really hierarchical.  

Yes, if your perspective is the change and the timeline, the orthography 
is subordinate to the regional vocabulary.  

No, if your perspective is the practical use for example, since all three 
countries share many silmilarities. Many texts written in German language 
are not specific to one country, since they don't contain country-specific 
words or phrases. In that case, the orthography may be more important; 
e.g. for trade or legal documents (of which the EU produces a lot).  

[...]
> I'm not particular after something needed by linguists and scholars. I'm
> trying to sort out what industry as a whole needs, which I guess equates as
> much as anything can to the average user.


Johannes Wilkes
-- 
metabit * software and networks * heterogenous,distributed,generative  
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