ISO 639-3 is an international standard for language codes. In defining some of its language codes, some are defined as macrolanguages covering either significantly different dialects or a net of very closely related languages. There are 56 languages in ISO 639-2 which are considered to be macrolanguages in 639-3. ^[1]

Some of these macrolanguages had no individual language as defined by 639-3 in ISO 639-2, e.g. 'ara'. Others like 'nor' had their two individual parts (nno,nob) already in 639-2. That means some languages (e.g. 'arb') that were considered by ISO 639-2 to be dialects of one language ('ara') are now in ISO 639-3 in certain contexts considered to be individual languages themselves. This is an attempt to deal with varieties that may be linguistically distinct from each other, but are treated by their speakers as forms of the same language, e.g. in cases of diglossia. For example,

• Generic Arabic, 639-2 ^[2]
• Standard Arabic, 639-3 ^[3]

List of macrolanguages

aaa?ezz

aka

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Akan. Its ISO 639-1 code is ak. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Fanti
2. ? Twi

ara

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Arabic language. Its ISO 639-1 code is ar. There are 30 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Algerian Saharan Arabic
2. ? Tajiki Arabic
3. ? Baharna Arabic
4. ? Mesopotamian Arabic
5. ? Ta'izzi-Adeni Arabic
6. ? Hijazi Arabic
7. ? Omani Arabic
8. ? Cypriot Arabic
9. ? Dhofari Arabic
10. ? Tunisian Arabic
11. ? Saidi Arabic
12. ? Gulf Arabic
13. ? South Levantine Arabic
14. ? North Levantine Arabic
15. ? Sudanese Arabic
16. ? Standard Arabic
17. ? Algerian Arabic
18. ? Najdi Arabic
19. ? Moroccan Arabic
20. ? Egyptian Arabic
21. ? Uzbeki Arabic
22. ? Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic
23. ? Hadrami Arabic
24. ? Libyan Arabic
25. ? Sanaani Arabic
26. ? North Mesopotamian Arabic
27. ? Babalia Creole Arabic
28. ? Sudanese Creole Arabic
29. ? Chadian Arabic
30. ? Shihhi Arabic

aym

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Aymara. Its ISO 639-1 code is ay. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Central Aymara
2. ? Southern Aymara

aze

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Azerbaijani. Its ISO 639-1 code is az. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? North Azerbaijani
2. ? South Azerbaijani

bal

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Baluchi. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Eastern Balochi
2. ? Southern Balochi
3. ? Western Balochi

bik

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Bikol. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Albay Bicolano
2. ? Central Bicolano
3. ? Iriga Bicolano
4. ? Northern Catanduanes Bicolano
5. ? Southern Catanduanes Bicolano

bua

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Buriat. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? China Buriat
2. ? Mongolia Buriat
3. ? Russia Buriat

chm

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mari, a language located in Russia. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Eastern Mari
2. ? Western Mari

cre

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Cree. Its ISO 639-1 code is cr. There are 6 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Moose Cree
2. ? Northern East Cree
3. ? Plains Cree
4. ? Southern East Cree
5. ? Swampy Cree
6. ? Woods Cree

In addition, there are 6 closely associated individual codes.

1. ? Naskapi (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
2. ? Montagnais (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
3. ? Atikamekw (part of the Cree language group but not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
4. ? Michif language (Cree-French mixed language with strong influences from Ojibwe language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
5. ? Ojibwa, Severn (Ojibwa, Northern) (part of the Ojibwa language group with strong influences from the Cree language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)
6. ? Ojibwa, Western (part of the Ojibwa language group with strong influences from the Cree language group and not included under the cre macrolanguage designation)

In addition, there is 1 other language without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code.

1. Bungee language (mixed language of Cree, Ojibwa, French, English, Assiniboine and Scottish Gaelic)

del

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Delaware. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Munsee
2. ? Unami

den

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Slave. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? North Slavey
2. ? South Slavey

din

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Dinka. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. - Northeastern Dinka
2. - Northwestern Dinka
3. - South Central Dinka
4. - Southeastern Dinka
5. - Southwestern Dinka

doi

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Dogri. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Dogri (individual language)
2. ? Kangri

faa?jzz

fas

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Persian. Its ISO 639-1 code is fa. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Dari Persian
2. ? Western Persian

ful

is the ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 language code for Fulah (also spelled Fula). Its ISO 639-1 code is ff. There are 9 individual language codes assigned for varieties of Fulah:

1. ? Adamawa Fulfulde
2. ? Bagirmi Fulfulde
3. ? Borgu Fulfulde
4. ? Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde
5. ? Maasina Fulfulde
6. ? Nigerian Fulfulde
7. ? Pulaar
8. ? Pular
9. ? Western Niger Fulfulde

gba

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Gbaya located in the Central African Republic. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Bokoto
2. ? Gbaya-Bossangoa
3. ? Gbaya-Bozoum
4. ? Northwest Gbaya
5. ? Southwest Gbaya

gon

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Gondi. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Northern Gondi
2. ? Southern Gondi

grb

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Grebo. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Barclayville Grebo
2. ? Central Grebo
3. ? Gboloo Grebo
4. ? Northern Grebo
5. ? Southern Grebo

grn

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Guarani. Its ISO 639-1 code is gn. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Chiripá
2. ? Eastern Bolivian Guaraní
3. ? Mbyá Guaraní
4. ? Paraguayan Guaraní
5. ? Western Bolivian Guaraní

hai

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Haida. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Northern Haida
2. ? Southern Haida

hbs

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Serbo-Croatian. Its ISO 639-1 code is sh. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Bosnian
2. ? Croatian
3. ? Serbian

hmn

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Hmong. As of Feb. 2007, 24 individual language codes are included:

1. ? Central Huishui Hmong
2. ? Central Mashan Hmong
3. ? Chuanqiandian Cluster Miao
4. ? Eastern Huishui Hmong
5. ? Eastern Qiandong Hmong
6. ? Eastern Xiangxi Hmong
7. ? Ge
8. ? Hmong Daw
9. ? Hmong Njua
10. ? Horned Miao
11. ? Large Flowery Miao
12. ? Luopohe Hmong
13. ? Northern Guiyang Hmong
14. ? Northern Huishui Hmong
15. ? Northern Mashan Hmong
16. ? Northern Qiandong Miao
17. ? Small Flowery Miao
18. ? Southern Guiyang Hmong
19. ? Southern Mashan Hmong
20. ? Southern Qiandong Miao
21. ? Southwestern Guiyang Hmong
22. ? Southwestern Huishui Hmong
23. ? Western Mashan Hmong
24. ? Western Xiangxi Miao

iku

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Inuktitut. Its ISO 639-1 code is iu. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Eastern Canadian Inuktitut
2. ? Western Canadian Inuktitut

ipk

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Inupiaq. Its ISO 639-1 code is ik. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? North Alaskan Inupiatun
2. ? Northwest Alaska Inupiatun

jrb

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Judeo-Arabic. There are 5 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Judeo-Iraqi Arabic
2. ? Judeo-Moroccan Arabic
3. ? Judeo-Tripolitanian Arabic
4. ? Judeo-Tunisian Arabic
5. ? Judeo-Yemeni Arabic

kaa?ozz

kau

is the ISO 639-2 and ISO 639-3 language code for the Kanuri language. Its ISO 639-1 code is kr. There are 3 individual language codes assigned in ISO 639-3 for varieties of Kanuri:

1. ? Central Kanuri
2. ? Manga Kanuri
3. ? Tumari Kanuri

There are 2 other related languages that are not considered part of the macrolanguage under ISO 639:

1. ? Bilma Kanuri
2. ? Kanembu

kok

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Konkani macrolanguage. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Goan Konkani (has official recognition as an independent language)
2. ? Konkani language (no official recognition, treated by some linguists as a dialect of Marathi)

Both languages are refered to as Konkani by their respective speakers.

kom

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Komi. Its ISO 639-1 code is kv. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Komi-Permyak
2. ? Komi-Zyrian

kon

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kongo. Its ISO 639-1 code is kg. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Koongo
2. ? Laari
3. ? San Salvador Kongo

kpe

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kpelle language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Guinea Kpelle
2. ? Liberia Kpelle

kur

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Kurdish. Its ISO 639-1 code is ku. There are 3 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Central Kurdish
2. ? Northern Kurdish
3. ? Southern Kurdish

lah

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Lahnda language. There are 8 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Jakati
2. ? Khetrani
3. ? Mirpur Panjabi
4. ? Northern Hindko
5. ? Pahari-Potwari
6. ? Seraiki
7. ? Southern Hindko
8. ? Western Panjabi

man

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mandingo language. There are 7 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Eastern Maninkakan
2. ? Forest Maninka
3. ? Kita Maninkakan
4. ? Konyanka Maninka
5. ? Mandinka
6. ? Sankaran Maninka
7. ? Western Maninkakan

mlg

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Malagasy. Its ISO 639-1 code is mg. There are 10 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Antankarana Malagasy
2. ? Bara Malagasy
3. ? Masikoro Malagasy
4. ? Northern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
5. ? Plateau Malagasy
6. ? Sakalava Malagasy
7. ? Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy
8. ? Tandroy-Mahafaly Malagasy
9. ? Tanosy Malagasy
10. ? Tsimihety Malagasy

mon

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Mongolian. Its ISO 639-1 code is mn. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Halh Mongolian
2. ? Peripheral Mongolian

msa

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Malay. Its ISO 639-1 code is ms. There are 13 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Bacanese Malay
2. ? Berau Malay
3. ? Bukit Malay
4. ? Cocos Islands Malay
5. ? Jambi Malay
6. ? Kedah Malay
7. ? Kota Bangun Kutai Malay
8. ? Malay (specific)
9. ? Manado Malay
10. ? North Moluccan Malay
11. ? Pattani Malay
12. ? Sabah Malay
13. ? Tenggarong Kutai Malay

mwr

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Marwari language. There are 6 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Dhundari
2. ? Marwari (India)
3. ? Marwari (Pakistan)
4. ? Merwari
5. ? Mewari
6. ? Shekhawati

nor

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Norwegian. Its ISO 639-1 code is no. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Norwegian Bokmål
2. ? Norwegian Nynorsk

oji

is the ISO 639-3 language code for the Anishinaabe languages, commonly called the Ojibwe language group. Its ISO 639-1 code is oj. There are 7 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Chippewa (Ojibwa, Southwestern)
2. ? Ojibwa, Northwestern
3. ? Ojibwa, Central
4. ? Ojibwa, Mississaga (Ojibwa, Eastern)
5. ? Ojibwa, Severn (Ojibwa, Northern)
6. ? Ojibwa, Western
7. ? Odawa

In addition, there are 3 closely associated individual codes.

1. ? Algonquin language (part of the Ojibwe language group but not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
2. ? Potawatomi language (formerly part of the Ojibwe language group and not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)
3. ? Michif language (Cree-French mixed language with strong influences from Ojibwe language group and not included under the oji macrolanguage designation)

In addition, there are 2 other languages without individual codes closely associated, but not part of, this macrolanguage code.

1. Broken Ojibwa (pidgin language used until the end of the 19th century)
2. Bungee language (mixed language of Cree, Ojibwa, French, English, Assiniboine and Scottish Gaelic)

See also

• Anishinaabe language dialects

orm

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Oromo language. Its ISO 639-1 code is om. There are 4 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
2. ? Eastern Oromo
3. ? Orma
4. ? West Central Oromo

paa?zzz

pus

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Pushto language. Its ISO 639-1 code is ps. There are 3 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Central Pashto
2. ? Northern Pashto
3. ? Southern Pashto

que

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Quechua. Its ISO 639-1 code is qu. As of April 2007 there are 44 individual language codes assigned for Quechua varieties.

1. ? Ambo-Pasco Quechua
2. ? Arequipa-La Unión Quechua
3. ? Ayacucho Quechua
4. ? Cajamarca Quechua
5. ? Cajatambo North Lima Quechua
6. ? Calderón Highland Quichua
7. ? Cañar Highland Quichua
8. ? Chachapoyas Quechua
9. ? Chilean Quechua
10. ? Chimborazo Highland Quichua
11. ? Chincha Quechua
12. ? Chiquián Ancash Quechua
13. ? Classical Quechua
14. ? Corongo Ancash Quechua
15. ? Cusco Quechua
16. ? Eastern Apurímac Quechua
17. ? Huallaga Huánuco Quechua
18. ? Huamalíes-Dos de Mayo Huánuco Quechua
19. ? Huaylas Ancash Quechua
20. ? Huaylla Wanca Quechua
21. ? Imbabura Highland Quichua
22. ? Jauja Wanca Quechua
23. ? Lambayeque Quechua
24. ? Loja Highland Quichua
25. ? Margos-Yarowilca-Lauricocha Quechua
26. ? Napo Lowland Quechua
27. ? North Bolivian Quechua
28. ? North Junín Quechua
29. ? Northern Conchucos Ancash Quechua
30. ? Northern Pastaza Quichua
31. ? Pacaraos Quechua
32. ? Panao Huánuco Quechua
33. ? Puno Quechua
34. ? Salasaca Highland Quichua
35. ? San Martín Quechua
36. ? Santa Ana de Tusi Pasco Quechua
37. ? Santiago del Estero Quichua
38. ? Sihuas Ancash Quechua
39. ? South Bolivian Quechua
40. ? Southern Conchucos Ancash Quechua
41. ? Southern Pastaza Quechua
42. ? Tena Lowland Quichua
43. ? Yanahuanca Pasco Quechua
44. ? Yauyos Quechua

raj

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Rajasthani language. There are 6 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Bagri
2. ? Gade Lohar
3. ? Gujari
4. ? Hadothi
5. ? Malvi
6. ? Wagdi

rom

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Romany language. There are 7 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Balkan Romani
2. ? Baltic Romani
3. ? Carpathian Romani
4. ? Kalo Finnish Romani
5. ? Sinte Romani
6. ? Vlax Romani
7. ? Welsh Romani

sqi

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Albanian. Its ISO 639-1 code is sq. As of June 2006 there are 4 individual language codes assigned for Albanian languages:

1. ? Arbëreshë Albanian
2. ? Arvanitika Albanian
3. ? Gheg Albanian
4. ? Tosk Albanian

srd

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Sardinian language. Its ISO 639-1 code is sc. There are 4 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Campidanese
2. ? Gallurese
3. ? Logudorese
4. ? Sassarese

swa

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Swahili. Its ISO 639-1 code is sw. There are 2 individual language codes assigned:

1. ? Congo Swahili
2. ? Swahili

syr

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Syriac language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
2. ? Chaldean Neo-Aramaic

tmh

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Tamashek language. There are 4 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Tahaggart Tamahaq
2. ? Tamasheq
3. ? Tawallammat Tamajaq
4. ? Tayart Tamajeq

uzb

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Uzbek language. Its ISO 639-1 code is uz. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Northern Uzbek language
2. ? Southern Uzbek language

yid

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Yiddish language. Its ISO 639-1 code is yi. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Eastern Yiddish
2. ? Western Yiddish

zap

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zapotec language. There are 57 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Aloápam Zapotec
2. ? Amatlán Zapotec
3. ? Asunción Mixtepec Zapotec
4. ? Ayoquesco Zapotec
5. ? Cajonos Zapotec
6. ? Chichicapan Zapotec
7. ? Choapan Zapotec
8. ? Coatecas Altas Zapotec
9. ? Coatlán Zapotec
10. ? El Alto Zapotec
11. ? Elotepec Zapotec
12. ? Guevea De Humboldt Zapotec
13. ? Güilá Zapotec
14. ? Isthmus Zapotec
15. ? Lachiguiri Zapotec
16. ? Lachixío Zapotec
17. ? Lapaguía-Guivini Zapotec
18. ? Loxicha Zapotec
19. ? Mazaltepec Zapotec
20. ? Miahuatlán Zapotec
21. ? Mitla Zapotec
22. ? Mixtepec Zapotec
23. ? Ocotlán Zapotec
24. ? Ozolotepec Zapotec
25. ? Petapa Zapotec
26. ? Quiavicuzas Zapotec
27. ? Quioquitani-Quierí Zapotec
28. ? Rincón Zapotec
29. ? San Agustín Mixtepec Zapotec
30. ? San Baltazar Loxicha Zapotec
31. ? San Juan Guelavía Zapotec
32. ? San Pedro Quiatoni Zapotec
33. ? San Vicente Coatlán Zapotec
34. ? Santa Catarina Albarradas Zapotec
35. ? Santa Inés Yatzechi Zapotec
36. ? Santa María Quiegolani Zapotec
37. ? Santiago Xanica Zapotec
38. ? Santo Domingo Albarradas Zapotec
39. ? Sierra de Juárez Zapotec
40. ? Southeastern Ixtlán Zapotec
41. ? Southern Rincon Zapotec
42. ? Tabaa Zapotec
43. ? Tejalapan Zapotec
44. ? Texmelucan Zapotec
45. ? Tilquiapan Zapotec
46. ? Tlacolulita Zapotec
47. ? Totomachapan Zapotec
48. ? Xadani Zapotec
49. ? Xanaguía Zapotec
50. ? Yalálag Zapotec
51. ? Yareni Zapotec
52. ? Yatee Zapotec
53. ? Yatzachi Zapotec
54. ? Yautepec Zapotec
55. ? Zaachila Zapotec
56. ? Zaniza Zapotec
57. ? Zoogocho Zapotec

zha

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zhuang language. Its ISO 639-1 code is za. There are 16 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Central Hongshuihe Zhuang
2. ? Dai Zhuang
3. ? Eastern Hongshuihe Zhuang
4. ? Guibei Zhuang
5. ? Guibian Zhuang
6. ? Lianshan Zhuang
7. ? Liujiang Zhuang
8. ? Liuqian Zhuang
9. ? Minz Zhuang
10. ? Nong Zhuang
11. ? Qiubei Zhuang
12. ? Yang Zhuang
13. ? Yongbei Zhuang
14. ? Yongnan Zhuang
15. ? Youjiang Zhuang
16. ? Zuojiang Zhuang

zho

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Chinese. Its ISO 639-1 code is zh. There are 13 individual language codes assigned, some with their own dialects:

1. ? Min Dong
   • (standardized form: Fuzhou dialect)
2. ? Jin
3. ? Mandarin
   • Standard Mandarin
   • Beijing dialect
   • Taiwanese Mandarin
4. ? Puxian Min
5. ? Hui
6. ? Min Zhong
7. ? Gan
8. ? Hakka
9. ? Xiang
10. ? Min Bei
11. ? Min Nan
    • Hokkien
      • Amoy
        • Quanzhou
        • Zhangzhou
        • Taiwanese
        • Penang Hokkien
        • Medan Hokkien
    • Chaoshan
      • Teochew
      • Swatow
    • Qiongwen
12. ? Wu
13. ? Yue (Cantonese)
    • Guangzhou dialect
    • Taishan dialect

Although the Dungan language () is considered most closely related to Mandarin, it is not listed under Chinese in ISO 639-3 due to separate historical and cultural development (see diasystem).^[4]

ISO 639 also lists codes for Old Chinese () and Late Middle Chinese (). They are not listed under Chinese in ISO 639-3 because they are categorized as ancient and historical languages, respectively.

See also

• Identification of the varieties of Chinese
• List of Chinese dialects
• Spoken Chinese

zza

is the ISO 639-3 language code for Zaza language. There are 2 individual language codes assigned.

1. ? Dimli
2. ? Kirmanjki

References

1. ↑
2. ↑
3. ↑
4. ↑

External links

• ISO 639-3 Macrolanguage Mappings