Editing Linguasphere Observatory (section)

==The Linguasphere Register and Linguascale referential framework==
The ''Linguascale'' framework is a referential system covering all languages, as published in the ''Linguasphere Register'' in 2000 and subsequently refined in 2010. It comprises a flexible coding formula which seeks to situate each language and dialect within the totality of the world's living and recorded languages, having regard to ongoing linguistic research.

The first part of this linguascale is the [[decimal]] classification referred to above, consisting of a ''linguasphere key'' of two numerals denoting the relevant phylozone or geozone: from <code>00</code>. to <code>99</code>. This provides a systematic numerical key for the initial classification of any of the world's languages, following the principles set out in the ''Linguasphere Register''. The first numeral of the key represents one of the ten referential ''sectors'' into which the world's languages are initially divided. The sector can either be a ''phylosector'', in which the constituent languages are considered to be in a diachronic relationship one with another, or a ''geosector'', in which languages are grouped geographically rather than historically.

The second numeral is used to represent the ten ''zones'' into which each geosector is divided for referential purposes. The component zones, like the sectors, are described as either ''phylozones'' or ''geozones'', based on the nature of the relationship among their constituent languages: either historical or geographical.

The second part of the linguascale consists of three capital letters (majuscules): from <code>-AAA-</code> to <code>-ZZZ-</code>. Each zone is divided into one or more ''sets'', with each set being represented by the first majuscule of this three-letter (alpha-3) component. Each set is divided into one or more ''chains'' (represented by the second majuscule) and each chain is into one or more ''nets'' (represented by the third majuscule). The division of the languages of a zone into sets, chains and nets is based on relative degrees of linguistic proximity, as measured in principle by approximate proportions of shared basic vocabulary. Geozones are on average divided into more sets than phylozones because relationships among languages within the latter are by definition more obvious and much closer.

The third and final part of the linguascale consists of up to three lowercase letters (minuscules), used to identify a language or dialect with precision: from <code>aaa</code> to <code>zzz</code>. The first letter of this sequence represents an ''outer unit'' (preferred from 2010 to the original term of "outer language", to avoid the shifting and often emotive applications of the terms "language" and "dialect"). The ''inner units'' and [[Variety (linguistics)|language varieties]] that may comprise any outer unit are coded using a second, and wherever necessary a third minuscule letter.

===Examples===
The application of the linguascale may be illustrated with the concrete examples below, chosen from within the [[English language]].

For example,
* The code covering all forms of English is <code>52-ABA</code>, where <code>5=</code> represents the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European phylosector]], <code>52=</code> represents the [[Germanic languages|Germanic phylozone]], <code>52-A</code> represents the ''Norsk+ Frysk set'' (a compound-name chosen to cover the contents of the Germanic phylozone), <code>52-AB</code> represents the ''English+ Anglo-Creole chain'', and <code>52-ABA</code> is the ''English net''. Within this net, the outer units are:
** <code>52-ABA-a</code> – [[Scots language|Scots]]+ Northumbrian.
** <code>52-ABA-b</code> – "Anglo-English" (the traditional localised varieties of southern Great Britain and also Ireland).
** <code>52-ABA-c</code> – Global English (varieties of modern English as spoken and written around the world).
* Some more specific examples of English varieties are:
** <code>52-ABA-abb</code> is the [[Geordie]] traditional variety: belonging to <code>52-ABA-a</code> Scots+ Northumbrian outer language, and <code>52-ABA-ab</code> Northumbrian.
** <code>52-ABA-bco</code> is the [[Norfolk]] traditional variety: belonging to <code>52-ABA-b</code> "Anglo-English" outer unit, and specifically to <code>52-ABA-bc</code> Southern (British) traditional English.
** <code>52-ABA-cof</code> covers the range of (non-creolised) Nigerian English : belonging to <code>52-ABA-c</code> Global English outer unit, and <code>52-ABA-co</code> West-African English. Nigerian English is thus distinguished from the often overlapping <code>52-ABB-bf</code> Enpi (or "NP", from the abbreviation of so-called "Nigerian Pijin"): belonging to <code>52-ABB</code> Anglo-Creole net, and <code>52-ABB-b</code> Wes-kos (West Coast Anglo-Creole).

===Languages of London===
A practical application of the ''Linguasphere Register'' and its linguascale in the study of a complex urban linguistic environment has been as the referential framework for successive surveys of over 200 languages other than English spoken by plurilingual children at state schools in London (representing just under 40% of the total number of children attending), as edited in 2000 by Baker and Eversley and in 2010 by Eversley et al.<ref>P.Baker and Eversley, J., ''Multilingual Capital: the languages of London's schoolchildren and their relevance to economic, social and educational policies'', Battlebridge for Corporation of London: London 2000 {{ISBN|1-903292-00-X}} (also P.Baker and J.Kim, ''Global London'', Battlebridge: London 2003 {{ISBN|1-903292-09-3}}) and in J.Eversley, D. Mehmedbegović, A.Sanderson, T.Tinsley, M. vonAhn and R.D.Wiggins, ''Language Capital: Mapping the languages of London's schoolchildren'', CILT National Centre for Languages: London 2010 {{ISBN|978-1-904243-96-0}}</ref>

===See also===
* Language code with tabulated example of coding systems (for English and Spanish), including ISO 639 and Linguasphere.