RFC 3066 (rfc3066) - Page 1 of 13
Tags for the Identification of Languages
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group H. Alvestrand
Request for Comments: 3066 Cisco Systems
BCP: 47 January 2001
Obsoletes: 1766
Category: Best Current Practice
Tags for the Identification of Languages
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document describes a language tag for use in cases where it is
desired to indicate the language used in an information object, how
to register values for use in this language tag, and a construct for
matching such language tags.
1. Introduction
Human beings on our planet have, past and present, used a number of
languages. There are many reasons why one would want to identify the
language used when presenting information.
In some contexts, it is possible to have information available in
more than one language, or it might be possible to provide tools
(such as dictionaries) to assist in the understanding of a language.
Also, many types of information processing require knowledge of the
language in which information is expressed in order for that process
to be performed on the information; for example spell-checking,
computer-synthesized speech, Braille, or high-quality print
renderings.
One means of indicating the language used is by labeling the
information content with an identifier for the language that is used
in this information content.
Alvestrand Best Current Practice