Subject: RFC 3066, RFC 4646 and xml:lang

From: Chris Newman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:42:23 -0800

The W3C XML specification presently refers to RFC 3066 for language tagging.

RFC 4646 obsoletes RFC 3066, and adds the ability to embed a script code as a 
subtag of the language tag.

A document I was reviewing:
  <http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-geopriv-revised-civic-lo>

has an explicit need for the script code (as it refers to a document that 
allows the same civic address to be described in multiple scripts).  Although 
it doesn't explicitly state use of RFC 4646 in xml:lang, that's implied by the 
text and I'd like to make it explicit for clarity.

A couple questions:

Does the W3C have any problem if IETF-defined XML documents allow use of RFC 
4646 language tags with script codes in xml:lang?

Does the W3C have a preference of whether we use xml:lang in this way, or when 
the need for script codes arises, would the W3C prefer we define a different 
XML attribute name for this purpose in IETF-defined XML documents?

                - Chris

---

From: Philippe Le Hegaret <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:33:15 -0500

Hi Chris,

Here are the responses I've got.

> 4646 language tags with script codes in xml:lang?

Not at all. XML 4th edition indicates:
[[
The values of the attribute are language identifiers as defined by [IETF
RFC 3066], Tags for the Identification of Languages, or its successor;
]]
http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml/#sec-lang-tag

Having said that, we should make sure to be more explicit in the next
edition of the spec.

> XML attribute name for this purpose in IETF-defined XML documents?

As long as xml:lang describes the language etc of the XML content to
which it is applied, it's fine to use xml:lang. [1]

Regards,

Philippe

[1] http://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-when-xmllang