ISOtaalcodes

ISOtaalcodes are standardized identifiers used to designate languages in data exchange, publishing, software, and library catalogs. They are defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and are organized within the ISO 639 family of standards. The codes enable consistent labeling of language data across systems, regions, and applications.

The core standards are ISO 639-1 and ISO 639-2, with subsequent expansions in ISO 639-3 and ISO 639-5. ISO 639-1 provides two-letter codes for major languages, such as en for English, fr for French, es for Spanish, and zh for Chinese. ISO 639-2 provides three-letter codes and includes two sets for some languages in older bibliographic schemes, while ISO 639-3 extends coverage to a much larger number of individual languages with a single, unified three-letter code for each language. ISO 639-5 covers language families and groups, rather than individual languages.

In practice, ISO taalcodes are commonly used in metadata, bibliographic records, software localization, and web technologies. Language tags on the web follow IETF standards (BCP 47), which build on ISO 639 codes and allow combinations with scripts, regions, and variants, such as en, en-US, or zh-Hans-CN. While ISO 639 codes provide a stable naming system, they are periodically revised to add new languages or adjust distinctions as linguistic knowledge evolves.

Limitations include occasional language-dialect distinctions and the need to select the most appropriate level of granularity for a given dataset. Users should consult the latest ISO 639 registries or documentation when implementing taalcodes to ensure accuracy and compatibility across platforms.