OSU Library Metadata: A Guideline to Best Practices: Language

Label: Language
Maps to Dublin Core Element Name: Language
Maps to MARC field (in World Cat): 546
Mandatory: Optional, but recommended
Repeatable: Yes
Qualifiers:
Refinements: None
Schemes:

A language of the intellectual content of the resource.

Indicates the language(s) of the intellectual content of the resource. This implies the language(s) in which a text is written or the spoken language(s) of an audio or video resource. Visual images do not usually have a language unless there is significant text in a caption or in the image itself.

1. A resource may include multiple languages. Use separate Language elements to enter multiple languages or clearly separate each entry by a semicolon followed by a space (; ) within an element.
2. Indicate the language using a standard scheme such as ISO 639-2 or RFC3066. The same scheme should be followed throughout a collection.
3. In addition to using language codes, if needed, a textual description of the nature of the language may be included in the Description element. Example: “In German and English, in parallel columns.”

Notes: