I think this is premature. We need clarification as to whether codes like fra are disjoint with codes like frm and fro first. If they are disjoint, then we need to have the policy clearly stated for language codes that do not have "Old" alternates. For the purpose of illustration, assume that old
<span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span> is as different from modern as fro is from fr. There are the following two alternatives:<br><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The subtag 'cs' means any <span id="st" name="st" class="st">
Czech</span>, modern or old, and therefore
</span> </li><ol><li>cs can legitimately be used to tag a document with old <span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span>.</li><li>a request to the <a href="mailto:ietf-languages@iana.org">ietf-languages@iana.org</a> for a variant-subtag applying to cs indicating old
<span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span> is perfectly reasonable, and SHOULD be granted.<br></li><li>ISO can only add another subtag that means old <span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span> if cs is treated as a metalanguage, since otherwise that would invalidate old subtags.
<br></li></ol><li style="font-weight: bold;">The subtag 'cs mean only modern <span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span>, and therefore</li><ol><li>cs cannot be correctly used to tag a document with old <span id="st" name="st" class="st">
Czech</span>, so the only recourse is to use a private use code or 'und'.
</li><li>a request to the <a href="mailto:ietf-languages@iana.org">ietf-languages@iana.org</a> for a variant-subtag applying to cs indicating old <span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span> is illegitimate, and MUST not be granted.
</li><li>ISO can and should add a different subtag that means old <span id="st" name="st" class="st">Czech</span></li></ol></ol>Mark<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 2/13/07, <b class="gmail_sendername"><a href="mailto:cowan@ccil.org">
cowan@ccil.org</a></b> <<a href="mailto:cowan@ccil.org">cowan@ccil.org</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
ISO 639-2 (and a fortiori ISO 639-3) contains identifiers for Old French<br>(fro), Middle French (frm), and Modern French (fra), separated by time<br>periods. This subdivision works well for most documents, as the given<br>
dates correspond roughly to the timeline for major changes in the written<br>form of the evolving French language.<br><br>However, sometimes the exact provenance of a document cannot be<br>determined, while internal language features may indicate a language
<br>variety that bridges the Old/Middle or the Middle/Modern divides.<br><br>Classification of such doubtful or ambiguous documents is enhanced<br>by providing a macrolanguage code which encompasses French of all time<br>
periods. I therefore propose a macrolanguage identifier that encompasses<br>fro, frm, and fra.<br><br>The filled-out forms are attached. I suggest "frz" as the identifier.<br><br>This is by way of a test case; if the RA approves it, I will submit
<br>similar forms for English, Dutch, (High) German, Greek, Gaelic,<br>Provencal/Occitan, and Turkish.<br><br>--<br>Her he asked if O'Hare Doctor tidings sent from far John Cowan<br>coast and she with grameful sigh him answered that
<a href="http://ccil.org/~cowan">http://ccil.org/~cowan</a><br>O'Hare Doctor in heaven was. Sad was the man that word <a href="mailto:cowan@ccil.org">cowan@ccil.org</a><br>to hear that him so heavied in bowels ruthful. All
<br>she there told him, ruing death for friend so young, James Joyce, Ulysses<br>algate sore unwilling God's rightwiseness to withsay. "Oxen of the Sun"<br><br>_______________________________________________
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</a><br><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Mark