Structure of ISO 639

Voted YES on Merging the various parts of ISO 639 (the Standard for Language Codes) into one document and replacing the hardcoded language code tables with links to web sites that can be maintained externally

Description:

SO/DIS 639-4:2022, which was approved entirely and unanimously, was developed anticipating the consolidation of the former ISO 639-series (Parts 1 to 5) into one single document. The Foreword of the new document should be corrected to indicate “This new edition of ISO 639 cancels and replaces the latest editions of the former ISO 639-series (ISO 63901:2022, ISO 639-2:1998, ISO 639-3:2007, ISO 639-4:2010 and ISO 639-5:2008), of which it constitutes a technical revision.”

As the tables for the ISO 639 language code will continue to be maintained by the “Language Coding Agencies, LCA” (former “RAs”), and be made publicly available on their websites, it does not seem appropriate to include code tables in ISO 639, as they will become outdated as soon as new codes are registered. Instead, the Standard ISO 639 should include hyperlinks directing the users to the tables maintained by the LCAs on their websites, always kept up to date.