query standard codes languages dialects numerical alphabetic codes established representing languages dialects computer databases computerized information exchange international standard representing language dialect spoken utterance opposed written form best found threecharacter alphabetic code used cornell sil language archive published ethnologue wycliffe bible translators inc however status international standard corresponding numerical form published ideally standard numerical form would use 13 bits represent 5445 languages described would leave 3 bits two bytes reference 8 dialects international organization standardization publish two relevant standards neither attempts represent spoken languages directly standard iso 639 1988 code representation names languages uses two alphabetic characters represent 136 languages distinguish various spoken forms chinese mandarin cantonese etc standard iso 3166 1988 code representation names countries presents three different codes represent countries world use identifying dialects associated different countries interest establishing iso international standard brian doherty doherty bnr ca p udc number 20 english 951 chinese listed annex iso 639 1988 e f