Duplicate Busters: Survey #1 [bwo] and [bxx]

John Cowan cowan at ccil.org
Thu Jul 31 19:09:34 CEST 2008


ISO639-3 at sil.org scripsit:

> In other words, can the same name be used with two different code elements 
> without further qualification if they are not  the reference names in both 
> instances?

I don't speak for the IETF, but our current draft document forbids this
situation (within a given domain; "Mongolian" can safely be the name
of both a language and a script, for example), which is why these cases
have come up now.

To draw an example from a more familiar part of the world: there is
plenty of historical precedent, and perhaps even modern-day usage, for
calling German by the name of "Dutch"; but to add "Dutch" to the list
of alternative names for Standard German would be productive of nothing
but horrible confusion.

-- 
There is no real going back.  Though I          John Cowan
may come to the Shire, it will not seem         cowan at ccil.org
the same; for I shall not be the same.          http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth,
and a long burden.  Where shall I find rest?           --Frodo


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