Information about Macrolanguage

ISO 639-3 is an international standard for language codes. In defining some of its language codes, some are defined as macrolanguages covering either significantly different dialects or a net of very closely related languages. There are 56 languages in ISO 639-2 which are considered to be “macrolanguages” in 639-3 [1].

Some of these macrolanguages had no individual language as defined by 639-3 in ISO 639-2, e.g. 'ara'. Others like 'nor' had their two individual parts (nno,nob) already in 639-2. That means some languages (e.g. 'arb') that were considered by ISO 639-2 to be dialects of one language ('ara') are now in ISO 639-3 in certain contexts considered to be individual languages themselves. This is an attempt to deal with varieties that may be linguistically distinct from each other, but are treated by their speakers as forms of the same language, e.g. in cases of diglossia. For example,

• Generic Arabic, 639-2http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/documentation.asp?id=ara
• Standard Arabic, 639-3http://www.sil.org/iso639-3/documentation.asp?id=arb

List of macrolanguages

aaa—ezz

aka

aka is the ISO 639-3 language code for Akan. Its ISO 639-1 code is ak. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. fat — Fanti
2. twi — Twi

ara

ara is the ISO 639-3 language code for Arabic language. Its ISO 639-1 code is ar. There are 30 individual language codes assigned.

aym

aym is the ISO 639-3 language code for Aymara. Its ISO 639-1 code is ay. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ayr — Central Aymara
2. ayc — Southern Aymara

aze

aze is the ISO 639-3 language code for Azerbaijani. Its ISO 639-1 code is az. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. azj — North Azerbaijani
2. azb — South Azerbaijani

bal

bal is the ISO 639-3 language code for Baluchi. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. bgp — Eastern Balochi
2. bcc — Southern Balochi
3. bgn — Western Balochi

bik

bik is the ISO 639-3 language code for Bikol. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. bhk — Albay Bicolano
2. bcl — Central Bicolano
3. bto — Iriga Bicolano
4. cts — Northern Catanduanes Bicolano
5. bln — Southern Catanduanes Bicolano

bua

bua is the ISO 639-3 language code for Buriat. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. bxu — China Buriat
2. bxm — Mongolia Buriat
3. bxr — Russia Buriat

chm

chm is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mari, a language located in Russia. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. mhr — Eastern Mari
2. mrj — Western Mari

cre

cre is the ISO 639-3 language code for Cree. Its ISO 639-1 code is cr. There are 6 individual language codes assigned:

1. crm — Moose Cree
2. crl — Northern East Cree
3. crk — Plains Cree
4. crj — Southern East Cree
5. csw — Swampy Cree
6. cwd — Woods Cree

In addition, there are 6 closely associated individual codes.

1. nsk — Naskapi (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
2. moe — Montagnais (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
3. atj — Atikamekw (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
4. crg — Michif language (Cree-French mixed language with strong influences from Ojibwe language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
5. ojs — Ojibwa, Severn (Ojibwa, Northern) (part of the Ojibwa language group with strong influences from the Cree language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
6. ojw — Ojibwa, Western (part of the Ojibwa language group with strong influences from the Cree language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)

In addition, there is 1 other language without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code.

1. Bungee language (mixed language of Cree, Ojibwa, French, English, Assiniboine and Scottish Gaelic)

del

del is the ISO 639-3 language code for Delaware. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. umu — Munsee
2. unm — Unami

den

den is the ISO 639-3 language code for Slave. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. scs — North Slavey
2. xsl — South Slavey

din

din is the ISO 639-3 language code for Dinka. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. dip - Northeastern Dinka
2. diw - Northwestern Dinka
3. dib - South Central Dinka
4. dks - Southeastern Dinka
5. dik - Southwestern Dinka

doi

doi is the ISO 639-3 language code for Dogri. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. dgo — Dogri (individual language)
2. xnr — Kangri

faa—jzz

fas

fas is the ISO 639-3 language code for Persian (also known as Farsi). Its ISO 639-1 code is fa. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. prs — Dari
2. pes — Western Farsi

ful

ful is the ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 language code for Fulah (also spelled Fula). Its ISO 639-1 code is ff. There are 9 individual language codes assigned for varieties of Fulah:

1. fub — Adamawa Fulfulde
2. fui — Bagirmi Fulfulde
3. fue — Borgu Fulfulde
4. fuq — Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde
5. ffm — Maasina Fulfulde
6. fuv — Nigerian Fulfulde
7. fuc — Pulaar
8. fuf — Pular
9. fuh — Western Niger Fulfulde

gba

gba is the ISO 639-3 language code for Gbaya located in the Central African Republic. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. bdt — Bokoto
2. gbp — Gbaya-Bossangoa
3. gbq — Gbaya-Bozoum
4. gya — Northwest Gbaya
5. mdo — Southwest Gbaya

gon

gon is the ISO 639-3 language code for Gondi. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. gno — Northern Gondi
2. ggo — Southern Gondi

grb

grb is the ISO 639-3 language code for Grebo. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. gry — Barclayville Grebo
2. grv — Central Grebo
3. gec — Gboloo Grebo
4. gbo — Northern Grebo
5. grj — Southern Grebo

grn

grn is the ISO 639-3 language code for Guarani. Its ISO 639-1 code is gn. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. nhd — Chiripá
2. gui — Eastern Bolivian Guaraní
3. gun — Mbyá Guaraní
4. gug — Paraguayan Guaraní
5. gnw — Western Bolivian Guaraní

hai

hai is the ISO 639-3 language code for Haida. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. hdn — Northern Haida
2. hax — Southern Haida

hbs

hbs is the ISO 639-3 language code for Serbo-Croatian. Its ISO 639-1 code is sh. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. bos — Bosnian
2. hrv — Croatian
3. srp — Serbian

hmn

hmn is the ISO 639-3 language code for Hmong. As of 2006, 21 individual language codes are included:

1. hmc — Central Huishui Hmong
2. hmm — Central Mashan Hmong
3. hmj — Chonganjiang Hmong
4. hme — Eastern Huishui Hmong
5. hmq — Eastern Qiandong Hmong
6. muq — Eastern Xiangxi Hmong
7. mww — Hmong Daw
8. blu — Hmong Njua
9. hml — Luopohe Hmong
10. hmd — Northeastern Dian Hmong
11. huj — Northern Guiyang Hmong
12. hmi — Northern Huishui Hmong
13. hmp — Northern Mashan Hmong
14. hea — Northern Qiandong Hmong
15. hmy — Southern Guiyang Hmong
16. hma — Southern Mashan Hmong
17. hms — Southern Qiandong Hmong
18. hmg — Southwestern Guiyang Hmong
19. hmh — Southwestern Huishui Hmong
20. hmw — Western Mashan Hmong
21. mmr — Western Xiangxi Hmong

iku

iku is the ISO 639-3 language code for Inuktitut. Its ISO 639-1 code is iu. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ike — Eastern Canadian Inuktitut
2. ikt — Western Canadian Inuktitut

ipk

ipk is the ISO 639-3 language code for Inupiaq. Its ISO 639-1 code is ik. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. esi — North Alaskan Inupiatun
2. esk — Northwest Alaska Inupiatun

jrb

jrb is the ISO 639-3 language code for Judeo-Arabic. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. yhd — Judeo-Iraqi Arabic
2. aju — Judeo-Moroccan Arabic
3. yud — Judeo-Tripolitanian Arabic
4. ajt — Judeo-Tunisian Arabic
5. jye — Judeo-Yemeni Arabic

kaa—ozz

kau

kau is the ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 language code for the Kanuri language. Its ISO 639-1 code is kr. There are 3 individual language codes assigned in ISO 639-3 for varieties of Kanuri:

1. knc — Central Kanuri
2. kby — Manga Kanuri
3. krt — Tumari Kanuri

There are 2 other related languages that are not considered part of the macrolanguage under ISO 639:

1. bms — Bilma Kanuri
2. kbl — Kanembu

kok

kok is the ISO 639-3 language code for Konkani language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

kom

kom is the ISO 639-3 language code for Komi. Its ISO 639-1 code is kv. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. koi — Komi-Permyak
2. kpv — Komi-Zyrian

kon

kon is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kongo. Its ISO 639-1 code is kg. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. kng — Koongo
2. ldi — Laari
3. kwy — San Salvador Kongo

kpe

kpe is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kpelle language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

kur

kur is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kurdish. Its ISO 639-1 code is ku. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ckb — Central Kurdish
2. kmr — Northern Kurdish
3. sdh — Southern Kurdish

lah

lah is the ISO 639-3 language code for Lahnda language. There are 8 individual language codes assigned.

man

man is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mandingo language. There are 7 individual language codes assigned.

mlg

mlg is the ISO 639-3 language code for Malagasy. Its ISO 639-1 code is mg. There are 10 individual language codes assigned:

1. xmv — Antankarana Malagasy
2. bhr — Bara Malagasy
3. msh — Masikoro Malagasy
4. bmm — Northern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
5. plt — Plateau Malagasy
6. skg — Sakalava Malagasy
7. bjq — Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
8. tdx — Tandroy-Mahafaly Malagasy
9. txy — Tanosy Malagasy
10. xmw — Tsimihety Malagasy

mon

mon is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mongolian. Its ISO 639-1 code is mn. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. khk — Halh Mongolian
2. mvf — Peripheral Mongolian

msa

msa is the ISO 639-3 language code for Malay. Its ISO 639-1 code is ms. There are 13 individual language codes assigned:

1. btj — Bacanese Malay
2. bve — Berau Malay
3. bvu — Bukit Malay
4. coa — Cocos Islands Malay
5. jax — Jambi Malay
6. meo — Kedah Malay
7. mqg — Kota Bangun Kutai Malay
8. mly — Malay (specific)
9. xmm — Manado Malay
10. max — North Moluccan Malay
11. mfa — Pattani Malay
12. msi — Sabah Malay
13. vkt — Tenggarong Kutai Malay

mwr

mwr is the ISO 639-3 language code for Marwari language. There are 6 individual language codes assigned.

nor

nor is the ISO 639-3 language code for Norwegian. Its ISO 639-1 code is no. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. nob — Norwegian Bokmål
2. nno — Norwegian Nynorsk

oci

oci is the ISO 639-3 language code for Occitan language. Before 1500, it was also known as Provençal. Its ISO 639-1 code is oc. There are 5 individual language codes assigned.

oji

oji is the ISO 639-3 language code for the Anishinaabe languages, commonly called the Ojibwe language group. Its ISO 639-1 code is oj. There are 7 individual language codes assigned:

1. ciw — Chippewa (Ojibwa, Southwestern)
2. ojb — Ojibwa, Northwestern
3. ojc — Ojibwa, Central
4. ojg — Ojibwa, Mississaga (Ojibwa, Eastern)
5. ojs — Ojibwa, Severn (Ojibwa, Northern)
6. ojw — Ojibwa, Western
7. otw — Odawa

In addition, there are 3 closely associated individual codes.

1. alq — Algonquin language (part of the Ojibwe language group but not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
2. pot — Potawatomi language (formerly part of the Ojibwe language group and not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
3. crg — Michif language (Cree-French mixed language with strong influences from Ojibwe language group and not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)

In addition, there are 2 other languages without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code.

1. Broken Ojibwa (pidgin language used until the end of the 19th century)
2. Bungee language (mixed language of Cree, Ojibwa, French, English, Assiniboine and Scottish Gaelic)

See also

• Anishinaabe language dialects

orm

orm is the ISO 639-3 language code for Oromo language. Its ISO 639-1 code is om. There are 4 individual language codes assigned:

1. gax — Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
2. hae — Eastern Oromo
3. orc — Orma
4. gaz — West Central Oromo

paa—zzz

pus

pus is the ISO 639-3 language code for Pushto language. Its ISO 639-1 code is ps. There are 3 individual language codes assigned.

que

que is the ISO 639-3 language code for Quechua. Its ISO 639-1 code is qu. As of April 2007 there are 44 individual language codes assigned for Quechua varieties.

1. qva — Ambo-Pasco Quechua
2. qxu — Arequipa-La Unión Quechua
3. quy — Ayacucho Quechua
4. qvc — Cajamarca Quechua
5. qvl — Cajatambo North Lima Quechua
6. qud — Calderón Highland Quichua
7. qxr — Cañar Highland Quichua
8. quk — Chachapoyas Quechua
9. cqu — Chilean Quechua
10. qug — Chimborazo Highland Quichua
11. qxc — Chincha Quechua
12. qxa — Chiquián Ancash Quechua
13. qwc — Classical Quechua
14. qwa — Corongo Ancash Quechua
15. quz — Cusco Quechua
16. qve — Eastern Apurímac Quechua
17. qub — Huallaga Huánuco Quechua
18. qvh — Huamalíes-Dos de Mayo Huánuco Quechua
19. qwh — Huaylas Ancash Quechua
20. qvw — Huaylla Wanca Quechua
21. qvi — Imbabura Highland Quichua
22. qxw — Jauja Wanca Quechua
23. quf — Lambayeque Quechua
24. qvj — Loja Highland Quichua
25. qvm — Margos-Yarowilca-Lauricocha Quechua
26. qvo — Napo Lowland Quechua
27. qul — North Bolivian Quechua
28. qvn — North Junín Quechua
29. qxn — Northern Conchucos Ancash Quechua
30. qvz — Northern Pastaza Quichua
31. qvp — Pacaraos Quechua
32. qxh — Panao Huánuco Quechua
33. qxp — Puno Quechua
34. qxl — Salasaca Highland Quichua
35. qvs — San Martín Quechua
36. qxt — Santa Ana de Tusi Pasco Quechua
37. qus — Santiago del Estero Quichua
38. qws — Sihuas Ancash Quechua
39. quh — South Bolivian Quechua
40. qxo — Southern Conchucos Ancash Quechua
41. qup — Southern Pastaza Quechua
42. quw — Tena Lowland Quichua
43. qur — Yanahuanca Pasco Quechua
44. qux — Yauyos Quechua

raj

raj is the ISO 639-3 language code for Rajasthani language. There are 6 individual language codes assigned.

rom

rom is the ISO 639-3 language code for Romany language. There are 7 individual language codes assigned.

sqi

sqi is the ISO 639-3 language code for Albanian. Its ISO 639-1 code is sq. As of June 2006 there are 4 individual language codes assigned for Albanian languages:

1. aae — Arbëreshë Albanian
2. aat — Arvanitika Albanian
3. aln — Gheg Albanian
4. als — Tosk Albanian

srd

srd is the ISO 639-3 language code for Sardinian language. Its ISO 639-1 code is sc. There are 4 individual language codes assigned.

swa

swa is the ISO 639-3 language code for Swahili. Its ISO 639-1 code is sw. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. swc — Congo Swahili
2. swh — Swahili (individual language)

syr

syr is the ISO 639-3 language code for Syriac language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

tmh

tmh is the ISO 639-3 language code for Tamashek language. There are 4 individual language codes assigned.

uzb

uzb is the ISO 639-3 language code for Uzbek language. Its ISO 639-1 code is uz. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

yid

yid is the ISO 639-3 language code for Yiddish language. Its ISO 639-1 code is yi. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

zap

zap is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zapotec language. There are 58 individual language codes assigned.

zha

zha is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zhuang language. Its ISO 639-1 code is za. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

zho

zho is the ISO 639-3 language code for Chinese. Its ISO 639-1 code is zh. There are 13 individual language codes assigned, some with their own dialects:

1. cdo — Min Dong
2. *(standardized form: Fuzhou dialect)
3. cjy — Jin (linguistics)
4. cmn — Mandarin (linguistics)
5. *Standard Mandarin
6. *Beijing dialect
7. *Taiwanese Mandarin
8. cpx — Puxian Min
9. czh — Hui (linguistics)
10. czo — Min Zhong
11. gan — Gan (linguistics)
12. hak — Hakka (linguistics)
13. hsn — Xiang (linguistics)
14. mnp — Min Bei
15. nan — Min Nan
16. *Hokkien
17. **Amoy (linguistics)
18. ***Quanzhou (linguistics)
19. ***Zhangzhou (linguistics)
20. ***Taiwanese (linguistics)
21. ***Penang Hokkien
22. ***Medan Hokkien
23. *Chaoshan
24. **Teochew (dialect)
25. **Swatow (linguistics)
26. *Qiongwen
27. wuu — Wu (linguistics)
28. yue — Yue (Cantonese (linguistics))
29. *Guangzhou dialect
30. *Taishan dialect

Although the Dungan language (dng) is considered most closely related to Mandarin, it is not listed under Chinese in ISO 639-3 due to separate historical and cultural development (see diasystem).

ISO 639 also lists codes for Old Chinese (och) and Late Middle Chinese (ltc). They are not listed under Chinese in ISO 639-3 because they are categorized as ancient and historical languages, respectively.

See also

• Identification of the varieties of Chinese
• List of Chinese dialects
• List of ISO 639 codes for Chinese languages
• Spoken Chinese

zza

zza is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zaza language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

External links

[2] Click here for a complete list of Macrolanguages.