Re: [Ietf-languages] Suggestion to update Urdu Script Designation in the subtag registry

[Doug Ewell <[e-mail]>]

Hi Daniel,

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The purpose of Suppress-Script in BCP 47 is to improve compatibility between BCP 47 applications and those written to older specifications, which did not support script subtags.

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There was a great deal of concern, in the mid-’00s when RFC 4646 was being developed, that the new script subtags would be overused, so that, for example, users who previously tagged English content as “en” or “en-US” would start tagging it as “en-Latn” or “en-Latn-US” instead. This would add virtually no information to the tag, because English is normally written in the Latin script; but it could cause compatibility problems with processes that did not understand the script subtag. Suppress-Script was devised as a way to discourage users from adding unnecessary script subtags like this. It is optional, pragmatic, and suggestive in nature; it does not attempt to provide a scholarly reference about the language.

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By changing the Suppress-Script for Urdu from ‘Arab’ to ‘Aran’, we would be essentially saying that the tag “ur-Arab” does add significant information beyond the tag “ur”, which is not true (most Urdu content is indeed written in the Arabic script) and in my opinion would be a step backward. Note that there is no corresponding script subtag for “Arabic script (Naskh variant).”

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I suspect, somewhat echoing Peter, that most users do not even know ‘Aran’ exists or why it is separately encoded. While I understand some of the thought process behind this proposal, I agree that the change should not be made.

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--

Doug Ewell | Thornton, CO, US | ewellic.org

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From: Ietf-languages <[e-mail]> On Behalf Of Daniel LaVon Billings
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 11:56
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [Ietf-languages] Suggestion to update Urdu Script Designation in the subtag registry

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Urdu is listed as Arab script reference in the subtag registry when it should have the newer approved Aran designation:

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https://www.iana.org/assignments/language-subtag-registry/language-subtag-registry <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iana.org%2Fassignments%2Flanguage-subtag-registry%2Flanguage-subtag-registry&data=02%7C01%7Cdaniel%40churchofjesuschrist.org%7C37060a5c0a8a4fb04c8c08d83ee334fe%7C61e6eeb35fd74aaaae3c61e8deb09b79%7C0%7C1%7C637328492850938946&sdata=6uXT5tBTUTGojI%2BkP2HtSYHJ%2BRzqKYTdnvvCZG79jhk%3D&reserved=0> 

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Urdu should be using the Aran script, not the Arab script:

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%%

Type: language

Subtag: ur

Description: Urdu

Added: 2005-10-16

Suppress-Script: Arab

%%

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