Orthographic tags for dummies

Don Osborn dzo at bisharat.net
Sat Nov 11 14:45:26 CET 2006


OK, all this discussion raises questions in my mind, first about what
exactly orthographic tags would be used for (a reference would suffice), and
then more specifically about what all this means for various languages that
either
1) use (extended) Latin scripts across borders in sometimes different ways
(e.g. Hausa, Fulfulde/Pulaar, Manding languages, Kwanyama/Ndonga, just to
name a few) or
2) have different more or less competing (extended) Latin orthographies in
the same country (Dinka, and I think some tongues in Nigeria [recent
developments])

My understanding was that for (1) the country code was the only way to make
the distinction - since many countries have established "official"
orthographies. One possible use of an orthographic tag here, if I understand
correctly, is when a language is used in >1 country with the same
orthography - i.e., one could dispense with the country tag in favor of the
orthography tag (mention was made for instance of es-americas; is there
anything similar for other international or regional cross-border
languages?).

For (1) & (2), is there a threshold of use or anticipated use that must be
established for proposing a tag?

TIA for any feedback.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfrican Localisation project






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