[Ltru] Alemanic & Swiss German

[John Cowan]

Martin Duerst scripsit:

> I don't know what exactly are the criteria for labeling
> something a 'language' in Ethnologue or iso-639-1/2/3.

See http://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/introduction.asp#language_id

    *  Two related varieties are normally considered varieties of the
    same language if speakers of each variety have inherent understanding
    of the other variety at a functional level (that is, can understand
    based on knowledge of their own variety without needing to learn
    the other variety).

    * Where spoken intelligibility between varieties is marginal, the
    existence of a common literature or of a common ethnolinguistic
    identity with a central variety that both understand can be a strong
    indicator that they should nevertheless be considered varieties of
    the same language.

    * Where there is enough intelligibility between varieties to
    enable communication, the existence of well-established distinct
    ethnolinguistic identities can be a strong indicator that they should
    nevertheless be considered to be different languages.

-- 
Here lies the Christian,                        John Cowan
        judge, and poet Peter,                  http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Who broke the laws of God                       cowan at ccil.org
        and man and metre.