Proposal for a subtag registration (fr-2004-ORTOGRAF)

[Peter Constable]

> From: ietf-languages-bounces at alvestrand.no [mailto:ietf-languages-
> bounces at alvestrand.no] On Behalf Of Stephane Bortzmeyer


> To put things into perspective, what problem do we try to solve by
> limiting registrations to variants that have a sizable user base,
> "well-enough attested"?

[snip]

> I candidly ask this because RFC 4646 never mentions the criteria of
> "well-enough attested use". It just says "This requirement is not
> intended to exclude particular languages or dialects due to the size
> of the speaker population or lack of a standardized orthography.
> Minority languages will be considered equally on their own merits."

I don't think the request for established usage is in contradiction with what the RFC says, and I don't think it needs to be explicitly stated to be an operational principle here. I think what problem is being solved -- or, rather, what problem is being avoided -- is to prevent registration of subtags that will need to be widely supported indefinitely but which never had any potential value beyond a handful of individuals for a brief period of time.


Peter