Toki Pona and ISO 639
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:48 pm
In 2007 an application to the ISO 639 Registration Authority to give a language code to Toki Pona was rejected, for the following reasons:
It has got back on the table. I'm an advisor to the 639 committee and I recently successfully got a code for Neo. I am supporting a code for Toki Pona.Registration Authority decision on Change Request no. 2007-011: reject requested creation of new identifier for Toki Pona
In consultation with Anthony Aristar of LinguistList, the ISO 639-3 Registration Authority has determined that the request for this new code element is premature. The propagation of a new constructed language is often a short-lived interest of limited scope; few constructed languages have lasting impact in the world community of languages to become more than mere novelties. Toki Pona seems to fit the novelty category, as an intentionally “minimalist” language. During 2007 there was some media interest in Toki Pona, in which its novel aspects were highlighted. If Toki Pona survives the next few years and continues to develop, both in applications and in user base, then the RA will be open to consider a new request for assignment of a code element for Toki Pona.