BS ISO 639-1:2002

Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Terms and definitions
4 Two-letter language code
   4.1 Form of the language identifier
   4.2 Registration for new language identifiers
   4.3 Application of language identifiers
   4.4 Application of the country code
5 Lists of language identifiers
Annex A (normative) Procedures for the Registration
        Authority and Registration Authorities Advisory
        Committee for ISO 639
Annex B (informative) Changes from ISO 639:1988 to ISO 639-1:2001
Bibliography

Defines code consisting of language code elements comprising two-letter language identifiers for the representation of names of languages.

This part of ISO639 provides a code consisting of language code elements comprising two-letter lan­guage identifiers for the representation of names of languages. The language identifiers according to this part of ISO639 were devised originally for use in ter­minology, lexicography and linguistics, but may be adopted for any application requiring the expression of language in two-letter coded form, especially in computerized systems. The alpha-2 code was de­vised for practical use for most of the major languages of the world that are not only most frequently repre­sented in the total body of the world’s literature, but which also comprise a considerable volume of spe­cialized languages and terminologies. Additional lan­guage identifiers are created when it becomes apparent that a significant body of documentation written in specialized languages and terminologies exists. Languages designed exclusively for machine use, such as computer-programming languages, are not included in this code.