[DDI-SRG] DDI Q

Joachim Wackerow joachim.wackerow at gesis.org
Thu Jul 23 09:50:38 EDT 2009


Arofan,

I assumed Benjamin is talking about DDI3 because they had a workshop on 
3. But you are right @lang is DDI 1/2.
Anyway: @lang and xml:lang in DDI 2, and xml:lang and similar 
elements/attributes in DDI 3 should have the content of an ISO 639 code, 
right?

xml:lang is defined as xs:language which is a string that conforms to 
the pattern [a-zA-Z]{1,8}(-[a-zA-Z0-9]{1,8})*. An enumerated list of ISO 
639 two- and three-letter codes would restrict this much tighter. By the 
external genericode mechanism it would be flexible enough. The question 
is: can it be done just for the DDI language elements/attributes or also 
for xml:lang?

Achim

A. Gregory wrote:
> Achim:
> 
> Am I correct in thinking that @lang is a DDI 1/2.* thing? We actually use
> the schema type in DDI 3.0 for all non-standard (that is, non-xml:lang)
> attributes, because the semantic is different from xml:lang. At least, that
> was the intention.
> 
> There is no way to enumerate the values for xml:lang because xml supports
> the extensions provided for in ISO 639. If we want to restrict this, we
> could enumerate.
> 
> If there are places in DDI 3.0 where we have incorrectly typed fields which
> are supposed to take a standard language value, we should fix these.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Arofan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ddi-srg-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu
> [mailto:ddi-srg-bounces at icpsr.umich.edu] On Behalf Of Joachim Wackerow
> Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:18 AM
> To: ddi-srg at icpsr.umich.edu
> Subject: Re: [DDI-SRG] DDI Q
> 
> Wendy,
> 
> This looks like we need to improve the documentation for language usage. 
> ISO 639 is nowhere mentioned. A paragraph regarding the usage of 
> language could be introduced including some information like below. A 
> list of elements and attributes which use the ISO code can be added.
> 
> A controlled vocabulary can be provided as genericode list for the 
> two-letter code and the three-letter code as well. I'm not sure if this 
> is included in the lists of the CV group. I didn't find it in the Ken's 
> email from 2009-02-13.
> 
> I noticed a bug in archive.
> /n1:DDIInstance/s:StudyUnit/a:Archive/a:OrganizationScheme/a:Individual/a:La
> nguage/@ISO
> The attribute ISO should have a value of the ISO code not 
> LanguageLevelCodeType
> 
> This is all work for 3.2. It looks like a minor but non-validating 
> change. The addition of xml:lang for upper-level elements is anyway pending.
> 
> Achim
> 
> Joachim Wackerow wrote:
>> Hi Benjamin,
>>
>> The attribute xml:lang is defined by the XML standard. ISO 639 is used 
>> for language codes.
>>
>> ISO 639 is used in DDI at several other places where a language code is 
>> required.
>>
>> See the official list at:
>> http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php
>>
>> The three-letter code list is the newer standard. Usually the two-letter 
>> code list is used when it is sufficient. The three-letter code list is 
>> probably more appropriate for your usage. Hopefully you will find all 
>> languages in this list. If not, tell me.
>>
>> Please note, that "New codes will no longer be added to ISO 639-1 after 
>> the publication of a revised standard unless they are also added to ISO 
>> 639-2."
>>
>> Details at:
>> 4. Relationship between ISO 639-1 to ISO 639-2
>> http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/iso639jac_n3r.html
>>
>> Achim
>>
>> benjamin clark wrote:
>>> Hello All,
>>>
>>> We are slowly by slowly working on the DDI and I have 1 question for 
>>> you.  I belief the @lang attribute of many elements is suppose to be 
>>> an ISO code for the language? I am having trouble finding that list 
>>> and further what happens when the language does not exist in that list?
>>>
>>> thanks
>>> benjamin d clark
>>
> 
> 


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