Re: (iso639.444) SV: Analysis of ISO 639 and mappings to SIL Ethnologue

On 02/16/2002 06:54:29 PM "Audun H. Lona" wrote:

>The Norwegian and Sami language pages on this web site are unfortunately
>so full of errors that they should be removed or corrected immediately
>in order to avoid misleading information to be spread.
>
>An example on http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=LPR
>Dialects RUIJA, TORNE, SEA LAPPISH. Ruija is the Finnish name for the
>territory covered by Northern-Troms and Finnmark provinces (fylker), its
>not a dialect.

The Ethnologue data is drawn from multiple sources and, while every effort 
is made to obtain the most reliable information, there's a lot to track 
when you're dealing with 7000+ languages. Such compilations can never be 
perfect -- there is always more to be known.

If Ruija appears as a dialect name, it is that way because some source 
that was deemed to be of some reliability reported it that way. The main 
sources for any given country is provided in the language-by-country 
listings; e.g. for Finland at 
http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Finland. The main sources 
for Finland are listed as follows: "Information mainly from M. Stephens 1976; B. Comrie 1987; T. Salminen 
1987-1998." 

If you know of errors and have better, documented information, the 
Ethnologue editor is always looking for input on how the information can 
be improved. Please read the Introduction at 
http://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/introduction.asp and use the feedback 
questionnaires at http://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/feedback.asp. If 
the questionnaires do not seem to fit the kind of revision you think is 
needed, please contact the Ethnologue editor at Editor_Ethnologue@sil.org.


>The term "saami" should be replaced with "sami" as in the 639 original
>document (i hope).

As witnessed by other messages in this thread, there isn't uniform 
agreement on how the English name for this language should be spelled, and 
apparently both spellings are found. Nevertheless, if there is a spelling 
that is preferred by the speaker communities themselves, then I'm sure the 
Ethnologue editor would want to revise the spellings used in the 
Ethnologue. Again, please use the feedback questionnaires or contact the 
editor to request changes -- and please remember to provide documentation 
to support those changes (changes won't be made without evidence to 
support them).



- Peter


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Constable

Non-Roman Script Initiative, SIL International
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX 75236, USA
Tel: +1 972 708 7485
E-mail: <peter_constable@sil.org>

Received on Monday, 18 February 2002 10:54:52 UTC