The 2000 edition of the MARC Code List for Languages is now available on the MARC website at: //www.loc.gov/marc/languages. This web-based publication contains a list of languages and their associated three-character alphabetic codes that allow for the designation of the language or languages in MARC records. References from variant forms and specific language names assigned to group codes are included. This edition also includes numerous changes necessary for compatibility with the newly approved ISO 639-2 (Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages Part 2: Alpha-3 code). It contains 434 discrete codes, of which 54 are used for groups of languages.
The list includes all valid codes and code assignments as of February 2000 and supersedes the 1996 web and print editions of the USMARC Code List for Languages. There are 26 code changes, 1 deletion, and 32 additions in this new publication.
The printed edition of the MARC Code List for Languages (ISBN 0-8444-1012-8) will also be available from the Library of Congress Cataloging Distribution Service within the next three months. An announcement will be made at that time including ordering information.
Questions regarding the language codes should be directed to:
April 24, 2000
Library of Congress