I've started a Draft Proposal page <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/Default_Language_Format>for this language format tag, based on our discussion here. It still needs more links and rendering examples, plus your comments
The draft proposal outline: Specify the default language format used for name labels and tags. This tag shows the default language and script that should be used to display name labels on an international map. By avoiding the use of the default *name=* *tag for the display of name lables, this proposal will encourage the use of name tags that include the language code, thereby improving the quality and utility of the database. The key *language:default *with the 2 or 3 letter ISO language code as value should be tagged on administrative boundary relations, such as countries, provinces and aboriginal communities to clarify the default language used for the majority of default *name=**tags within a particular region or settlement. If multiple scripts may be used for the language, a qualifier may be added to specify the script format. Multiple languages can be specified, separated with a semicolon, for an administrative boundary or place if the local community has decided to include more than one name in the default name label and wishes general map rendering to display more than one name. The language:default tag will be applied to the largest existing boundary relation that accurately represents the language used for default names. When a smaller administrative boundary has different default language format, this boundary should receive a language tag as well. This would include boundaries of aboriginal lands and municipalities where a different regional or local language is dominant. The language:default tag may also be applied to individual objects when the language format of the object's name is different than the default for the region, for example when the common name for a feature is in a language foreign to the region, or in a rarely used local language. If name tags commonly include additional local or official languages in a region or settlement, in addition to the default language format, the boundary or place may be tagged with language:local=* and language:official=* to specifiy the other languages commonly used. More than one official or local language can by specified in the value by use of a semicolon as a divider. However, the default language should always be specified when verifiable, to reduce the need to tag individual map features. See the Proposal Page <http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/Default_Language_Format> for all the details including futher rational, tagging format, examples, possible errors, wiki pages that will be updated, etc.: wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposed_features/Default_Language_Format Thanks for your suggested improvements and comments! - Joseph Eisenberg >
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