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

[Daniel LaVon Billings <[e-mail]>]

Culturally, they only use the Aran variant script for Urdu, so logically applications should look for a Nastaliq font as opposed to a Naskh font whenever "ur" is being called. Otherwise, we will be locked in a situation where our technical limitations are holding back the appropriate culturally significant script from being recognized as the standard in the language. The registry should reflect that cultural significance or else there is no reason for Aran to exist at all in ISO 15924.

Daniel Billings |  Internationalization and Translation Systems Manager
Language Services and Area Support
Publishing Services Department
[e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]>

"We shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is for the vigilant, the active, the brave." - Patrick Henry

From: Peter Constable <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 1:57 PM
To: Daniel LaVon Billings <[e-mail]>; [e-mail]
Subject: RE: Suggestion to update Urdu Script Designation in the subtag registry

If the proposal is to the Suppress-Script value for the ur language entry, then I definitely disagree.

In general, I'm not sure why script-variant IDs like Aran or Latg exist in ISO 15924 at all, and I'm not aware of any application contexts in which they are actually used. For any languages written using Arabic script, including languages in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, I think it's generally likely that applications would use tags with a script subtag Arab or else without any script subtag. And changing the Suppress-Script field for ur would likely break some applications that would expect tags of the form "ur-Arab" were it not for the current Suppress-Script value.

If it were allowed, I wouldn't have objected to adding a second Suppress-Script field with Aran. But RFC5646 only permits one Suppress-Script field.


Peter

From: Ietf-languages <[e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]>> On Behalf Of Daniel LaVon Billings
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 10:56 AM
To: [e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]>
Subject: [Ietf-languages] Suggestion to update Urdu Script Designation in the subtag registry

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

https://www.iana.org/assignments/language-subtag-registry/language-subtag-registry<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook..com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iana.org%2Fassignments%2Flanguage-subtag-registry%2Flanguage-subtag-registry&data=02%7C01%7C%7C474b1783d597405620a608d83ef45726%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637328566431979306&sdata=Aqs%2FaRTTuH5TxwkwPvdsE8nT60U2YBnpq6D1wBz%2FC6E%3D&reserved=0>

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

%%
Type: language
Subtag: ur
Description: Urdu
Added: 2005-10-16
Suppress-Script: Arab
%%


%%

Type: script

Subtag: Aran

Description: Arabic (Nastaliq variant)

Added: 2014-12-11

%%

How can we get the subtag registry to be updated?

Daniel Billings |  Internationalization and Translation Systems Manager
Language Services and Area Support
Publishing Services Department
[e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]>

"We shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is for the vigilant, the active, the brave." - Patrick Henry