ISO 639 macrolanguage

A macrolanguage is a book-keeping mechanism for the ISO 639 international standard for language codes. Macrolanguages are established to assist mapping between different sets of ISO language codes. Specifically, there may be a many-to-one correspondence between ISO 639-3, intended to identify all the thousands of languages of the world, and either of two other sets, ISO 639-1, established to identify languages in computer systems, and ISO 639-2, which encodes a few hundred languages for library cataloguing and bibliographic purposes. When such many-to-one ISO 639-2 codes are included in an ISO 639-3 context, they are called "macrolanguages" to distinguish them from the corresponding individual languages of ISO 639-3.[1] According to the ISO,

Some existing code elements in ISO 639-2, and the corresponding code elements in ISO 639-1, are designated in those parts of ISO 639 as individual language code elements, yet are in a one-to-many relationship with individual language code elements in [ISO 639-3]. For purposes of [ISO 639-3], they are considered to be macrolanguage code elements.

— ISO 639-3: Relationship between ISO 639-3 and the other parts of ISO 639[2]
"Macrolanguage" redirects here. For macro languages in computer science, see Macro (computer science).

ISO 639-3 is curated by SIL International, ISO 639-2 is curated by the Library of Congress (USA).

The mapping often has the implication that it covers borderline cases where two language varieties may be considered strongly divergent dialects of the same language or very closely related languages (dialect continuums); it may also encompass situations when there are language varieties that are considered to be varieties of the same language on the grounds of ethnic, cultural, and political considerations, rather than linguistic reasons. However, this is not its primary function and the classification is not evenly applied.

For example, Chinese is a macrolanguage encompassing many languages that are not mutually intelligible, but the languages "Standard German", "Bavarian German", and other closely related languages do not form a macrolanguage, despite being more mutually intelligible. Other examples include Tajiki not being part of the Persian macrolanguage despite sharing much lexicon, and Urdu and Hindi not forming a macrolanguage despite forming a mutually intelligible dialect continuum. Even all dialects of Hindi are considered as separate languages. Basically, ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 use different criteria for dividing language varieties into languages, 639-2 uses shared writing systems and literature more whereas 639-3 focuses on mutual intelligibility and shared lexicon. The macrolanguages exist within the ISO 639-3 code set to make mapping between the two sets easier.

The use of macrolanguages was applied in Ethnologue, starting in the 16th edition.[3] As of 2020, there are fifty-eight language codes in ISO 639-2 that are counted as macrolanguages in ISO 639-3,[4] but new macrolanguages are no longer being created, as current databases are sufficient to indicated the relationships between codes.

Some of the macrolanguages had no individual language (as defined by 639-3) in ISO 639-2, e.g. "ara" (Arabic), but ISO 639-3 recognizes different varieties of Arabic as separate languages under some circumstances. Others, like "nor" (Norwegian) had their two individual parts (nno Nynorsk, nob Bokmål) already in 639-2. That means some languages (e.g. "arb" Standard Arabic) 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, 639-2[5]
  • Standard Arabic, 639-3[6]

ISO 639-2 also includes codes for collections of languages; these are not the same as macrolanguages. These collections of languages are excluded from ISO 639-3, because they never refer to individual languages. Most such codes are included in ISO 639-5.

Types of macrolanguages
  • elements that have no ISO 639-2 code: 4 (bnc, hbs, kln, luy)
  • elements that have no ISO 639-1 code: 29
  • elements that do have ISO 639-1 codes: 33
  • elements whose individual languages have ISO 639-1 codes: 4
    • aka – tw
    • hbs – bs, hr, sr
    • msa – id
    • nor – nb, nn

List of macrolanguages

This list only includes official data from https://iso639-3.sil.org/code_tables/macrolanguage_mappings/data.

ISO 639-1ISO 639-2ISO 639-3Number of individual languagesName of macrolanguage
akakaaka2Akan language
araraara29 + retired 1Arabic language
ayaymaym2Aymara language
azazeaze2Azerbaijani language
(-)balbal3Baluchi language
(-)bikbik8 + retired 1Bikol language
(-)(-)bnc5Bontok language
(-)buabua3Buriat language
(-)chmchm2Mari language (Russia)
crcrecre6Cree language
(-)deldel2Delaware language
(-)denden2Slavey language (Athapascan)
(-)dindin5Dinka language
(-)doidoi2Dogri language
etestest2Estonian language
fafas/perfas2Persian language
fffulful9Fulah language
(-)gbagba6 + retired 1Gbaya language (Central African Republic)
(-)gongon3 + retired 1Gondi language
(-)grbgrb5Grebo language
gngrngrn5Guaraní language
(-)haihai2Haida language
(-)[7](-)hbs4Serbo-Croatian
(-)hmnhmn25 + retired 1Hmong language
iuikuiku2Inuktitut language
ikipkipk2Inupiaq language
(-)jrbjrb5Judeo-Arabic languages
krkaukau3Kanuri language
(-)(-)kln9Kalenjin languages
(-)kokkok2Konkani language
kvkomkom2Komi language
kgkonkon3Kongo language
(-)kpekpe2Kpelle language
kukurkur3Kurdish language
(-)lahlah7 + retired 1Lahnda language
lvlavlav2Latvian language
(-)(-)luy14Luyia language
(-)manman6 + retired 1Manding languages
mgmlgmlg11 + retired 1Malagasy language
mnmonmon2Mongolian language
msmsa/maymsa36 + retired 1Malay language
(-)mwrmwr6Marwari language
nenepnep2Nepali language
nonornor2Norwegian language
ojojioji7Ojibwa language
ororiori2Oriya language
omormorm4Oromo language
pspuspus3Pashto language
ququeque43 + retired 1Quechua language
(-)rajraj6Rajasthani language
(-)romrom7Romany language
sqsqi/albsqi4Albanian language
scsrdsrd4Sardinian language
swswaswa2Swahili language
(-)syrsyr2Syriac language
(-)tmhtmh4Tuareg languages
uzuzbuzb2Uzbek language
yiyidyid2Yiddish language
(-)zapzap57 + retired 1Zapotec language
zazhazha16 + retired 2Zhuang languages
zhzho/chizho16Chinese language
(-)zzazza2Zaza language
335862440 + retired 13total codes
ISO 639-1ISO 639-2ISO 639-3Number of individual languagesName of macrolanguage

List of macrolanguages and the individual languages

This is a complete list of the individual language codes that comprise the macrolanguages in the ISO 639-3 code tables as of 30 January 2020.[8]

aaa–ezz

aka

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

ara

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

The following codes were previously part of ara:

aym

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

  • ayr – Central Aymara
  • ayc – Southern Aymara

aze

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

  • azj – North Azerbaijani
  • azb – South Azerbaijani

bal

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

  • bgp – Eastern Balochi
  • bcc – Southern Balochi
  • bgn – Western Balochi

bik

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

The following code was previously part of bik:

  • bhk – Albay Bicolano (Split into Buhi'non Bikol [ubl], Libon Bikol [lbl], Miraya Bikol [rbl], and West Albay Bikol [fbl] on 18 January 2010)

bnc

bnc is the ISO 639-3 language code for Bontok. There are five individual language codes assigned:

  • ebk – Eastern Bontok
  • lbk – Central Bontok
  • obk – Southern Bontok
  • rbk – Northern Bontok
  • vbk – Southwestern Bontok

bua

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

  • bxu – China Buriat
  • bxm – Mongolia Buriat
  • bxr – Russia Buriat

chm

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

  • mhr – Eastern Mari
  • mrj – Western Mari

cre

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

In addition, there are six closely associated individual codes:

  • nsk – Naskapi (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
  • moe – Montagnais (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
  • atj – Atikamekw (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
  • crg – Michif language (Cree-French mixed language with strong influences from Ojibwe language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
  • 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)
  • 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 one other language without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code:

del

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

den

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

  • scs – North Slavey
  • xsl – South Slavey

din

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

  • dip – Northeastern Dinka
  • diw – Northwestern Dinka
  • dib – South Central Dinka
  • dks – Southeastern Dinka
  • dik – Southwestern Dinka

doi

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

est

est is the ISO 639-3 language code for Estonian. Its ISO 639-1 code is et. There are two individual language codes assigned:

faa–jzz

fas

fas is the ISO 639-3 language code for Persian. Its ISO 639-1 code is fa. There are two individual language codes assigned:

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 nine individual language codes assigned for varieties of Fulah:

gba

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

The following code was previously part of gba:

  • mdo – Southwest Gbaya (Split into Southwest Gbaya [gso] (new identifier) and Gbaya-Mbodomo [gmm] on 14 January 2008)

gon

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

  • esg – Aheri Gondi
  • gno – Northern Gondi
  • wsg – Adilabad Gondi

The following code was previously part of gon:

  • ggo – Southern Gondi (Split into [esg] Aheri Gondi and [wsg] Adilabad Gondi on 15 January 2016)

grb

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

  • gry – Barclayville Grebo
  • grv – Central Grebo
  • gec – Gboloo Grebo
  • gbo – Northern Grebo
  • grj – Southern Grebo

grn

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

hai

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

  • hdn – Northern Haida
  • hax – Southern Haida

hbs

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

hmn

hmn is the ISO 639-3 language code for Hmong. There are twenty-five individual language codes assigned:

  • hmc – Central Huishui Hmong
  • hmm – Central Mashan Hmong
  • cqd – Chuanqiandian Cluster Miao
  • hme – Eastern Huishui Hmong
  • hmq – Eastern Qiandong Miao
  • muq – Eastern Xiangxi Miao
  • hmj – Ge
  • mww – Hmong Daw
  • hnj – Hmong Njua
  • hrm – Horned Miao
  • hmd – Large Flowery Miao
  • hml – Luopohe Hmong
  • huj – Northern Guiyang Hmong
  • hmi – Northern Huishui Hmong
  • hmp – Northern Mashan Hmong
  • hea – Northern Qiandong Miao
  • sfm – Small Flowery Miao
  • hmy – Southern Guiyang Hmong
  • hma – Southern Mashan Hmong
  • hms – Southern Qiandong Miao
  • hmg – Southwestern Guiyang Hmong
  • hmh – Southwestern Huishui Hmong
  • hmw – Western Mashan Hmong
  • hmz – Hmong Shua
  • mmr – Western Xiangxi Miao

The following code was previously part of hmn:

  • blu – Hmong Njua (Split into Hmong Njua [hnj] (new identifier), Chuanqiandian Cluster Miao [cqd], Horned Miao [hrm], and Small Flowery Miao [sfm] on 14 January 2008)

iku

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

ipk

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

  • esi – North Alaskan Inupiatun
  • esk – Northwest Alaska Inupiatun

jrb

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

kaa–ozz

kau

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

  • knc – Central Kanuri
  • kby – Manga Kanuri
  • krt – Tumari Kanuri

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

kln

kln is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kalenjin. There are nine individual language codes assigned:

kok

kok is the ISO 639-3 language code for Konkani (macrolanguage). There are two individual language codes assigned:

Both languages are referred to as Konkani by their respective speakers.

kom

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

kon

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

kpe

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

  • gkp – Guinea Kpelle
  • xpe – Liberia Kpelle

kur

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

lah

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

Note that lah does not include Panjabi/Punjabi (pan).

The following code was previously part of lah:

  • pmu – Mirpur Panjabi (Moved to code "phr" on 12 January 2015)

lav

lav is the ISO 639-3 language code for Latvian. Its ISO 639-1 code is lv. There are two individual language codes assigned:

luy

luy is the ISO 639-3 language code for Luyia. There are fourteen individual language codes assigned:

man

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

  • emk – Eastern Maninkakan
  • mwk – Kita Maninkakan
  • mku – Konyanka Maninka
  • mnk – Mandinka
  • msc – Sankaran Maninka
  • mlq – Western Maninkakan

The following codes were previously part of man:

mlg

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

  • xmv – Antankarana Malagasy
  • bhr – Bara Malagasy
  • msh – Masikoro Malagasy
  • bmm – Northern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
  • plt – Plateau Malagasy
  • skg – Sakalava Malagasy
  • bzc – Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
  • tkg – Tesaka Malagasy
  • tdx – Tandroy-Mahafaly Malagasy
  • txy – Tanosy Malagasy
  • xmw – Tsimihety Malagasy

The following codes were previously part of mlg:

  • bjq – Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy (Split into Southern Betsimisaraka [bzc] and Tesaka Malagasy [tkg] on 18 May 2011)

mon

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

  • khk – Halh Mongolian
  • mvf – Peripheral Mongolian

msa

msa is the ISO 639-3 language code for Malay (macrolanguage). Its ISO 639-1 code is ms. There are thirty-six individual language codes assigned:

The following code was previously part of msa:

  • mly – Malay (individual language) (Split into Standard Malay [zsm], Haji [hji], Papuan Malay [pmy], and Malay [zlm] on 18 February 2008)

mwr

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

nep

nep is the ISO 639-3 language code for Nepali (macrolanguage). Its ISO 639-1 code is ne. There are two individual language codes assigned:

nor

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

  • nob – Norwegian Bokmål
  • nno – Norwegian Nynorsk

oji
Further information: Ojibwe dialects

oji is the ISO 639-3 language code for Ojibwa. Its ISO 639-1 code is oj. There are seven individual language codes assigned:

In addition, there are three closely associated individual codes:

  • alq – Algonquin language (part of the Ojibwe language group but not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
  • pot – Potawatomi language (formerly part of the Ojibwe language group and not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
  • 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 two other languages without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code:

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

ori

ori is the ISO 639-3 language code for Oriya (macrolanguage). Its ISO 639-1 code is or. There are two individual language codes assigned:

orm

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

paa–zzz

pus

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

que

que is the ISO 639-3 language code for Quechua. Its ISO 639-1 code is qu. There are forty-three individual language codes assigned:

The following code was previously part of que:

  • cqu – Chilean Quechua (Moved to code "quh" on 15 January 2016)

raj

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

rom

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

In addition, there are eight individual codes not part of this macrolanguage but they are categorized as mixed languages:

In addition, there is a language without an individual code assigned, which it is not part of this macrolanguage:

sqi

sqi is the ISO 639-3 language code for Albanian. Its ISO 639-1 code is sq. There are four individual language codes assigned:

srd

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

  • sro – Campidanese Sardinian
  • sdn – Gallurese Sardinian
  • src – Logudorese Sardinian
  • sdc – Sassarese Sardinian

swa

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

syr

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

tmh

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

uzb

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

yid

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

  • ydd – Eastern Yiddish
  • yih – Western Yiddish

zap

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

The following codes were previously part of zap:

  • ztc – Lachirioag Zapotec (Moved to Yatee Zapotec [zty] on 18 July 2007)

In addition, there is an individual code not part of this macrolanguage because it is categorized as a historical language:

  • xzp – Ancient Zapotec

zha

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

The following codes were previously part of zha:

  • ccx – Northern Zhuang (Split into Guibian Zh [zgn], Liujiang Zh [zlj], Qiubei Zh [zqe], Guibei Zh [zgb], Youjiang Zh [zyj], Central Hongshuihe Zh [zch], Eastern Hongshuihe Zh [zeh], Liuqian Zh [zlq], Yongbei Zh [zyb], and Lianshan Zh [zln]. on 14 January 2008)
  • ccy – Southern Zhuang (Split into Nong Zhuang [zhn], Yang Zhuang [zyg], Yongnan Zhuang [zyn], Zuojiang Zhuang [zzj], and Dai Zhuang [zhd] on 18 July 2007)

zho
Further information: List of varieties of Chinese and Varieties of Chinese

zho is the ISO 639-3 language code for Chinese. Its ISO 639-1 code is zh. There are sixteen individual language codes assigned, most of which are not actually languages but rather groups of Sinitic languages distinguished by isoglosses:

Although the Dungan language (dng) is a dialect of Mandarin, it is not listed under Chinese in ISO 639-3 due to separate historical and cultural development.[9]

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.

zza

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

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See also

References
  1. ISO 639-3: Scope of denotation for language identifiers: Macrolanguages
  2. https://iso639-3.sil.org/about/relationships
  3. Lewis, M. Paul, ed. (2009). Ethnologue. Dallas: SIL International.
  4. "Scope of denotation for language identifiers". SIL International.
  5. "Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: ara". SIL International.
  6. "Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: arb". SIL International.
  7. ISO 639-2/RA Change Notice
    ISO
    639-1
    Code    		 ISO
    639-2
    Code    		 English
    name of
    Language    		 French
    name of
    Language    		 Date
    Added or
    Changed    		 Category
    of Change    		 Notes
    [-sh] (none) Serbo-Croatian serbo-croate 2000-02-18 Dep This code was deprecated in 2000 because there were separate language codes for each individual language represented (Serbian, Croatian, and then Bosnian was added). It was published in a revision of ISO 639-1, but was never included in ISO 639-2. It is considered a macrolanguage (general name for a cluster of closely related individual languages) in ISO 639-3. Its deprecated status was reaffirmed by the ISO 639 JAC in 2005.
    sr srp [scc] Serbian serbe 2008-06-28 CC ISO 639-2/B code deprecated in favor of ISO 639-2/T code
    hr hrv [scr] Croatian croate 2008-06-28 CC ISO 639-2/B code deprecated in favor of ISO 639-2/T code
  8. "ISO 639-3 Code Tables". SIL International. 2019-04-09.
  9. Rimsky-Korsakoff, Svetlana (1967). "Soviet Dungan: The Chinese language of Central Asia. Alphabet, phonology, morphology". Monumenta Serica. 26: 352–421.
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