Language codes
A language code identifies a language. The Ethnologue lists them so they are also called Ethnologue codes.
In FieldWorks, a writing system code is based on a language code. If a language has a two-letter code and a three-letter code, the writing system code is based on the two-letter code.
Two-letter codes are from international standard ISO 639-1.
Three-letter codes are from international standard ISO/DIS 639-3.
ISO 639-3 is a code that aims to define three-letter identifiers for all known human languages. At the core of ISO 639-3 are the individual languages already accounted for in ISO 639-2. The large number of living languages in the initial inventory of ISO 639-3 beyond those already included in ISO 639-2 was derived primarily from Ethnologue (15th edition).
Tip
You do not need to memorize language codes. When you search for the language in the Ethnologue database that is in FieldWorks, you see the code.
The two-letter and three-letter codes that identify the language of text in HTML and XML files are from ISO 639.
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