Template talk:Infobox Language/Usage

Purpose
''The language template is for use in articles about languages or dialects. It provides a common standard for displaying data about a language.''

How to incorporate the template into an article: the basics
The template should placed at the very top of the wikitext of the article, before any text. The absolute basic syntax is as shown below:
 *   &larr; this ends the template call

However, you will probably want to add more than just this. Other parameters are listed below, they can be incorporated anywhere between the first and last lines, and in any order.

Some more parameters
There are several more parameters that can be defined between the opening and closing lines. These are:
 * |nativename=native name of the language &larr; what the language calls itself
 * |states=countries in which it is mainly spoken &larr; you do not have to define both this and region
 * |region=geographic region in which it is mainly spoken &larr; you do not have to define both this and states; use this parameter for a single statement about geographic distribution
 * |speakers=the number of speakers of the language
 * |iso1=the ISO 639-1 code for the language
 * |iso2=the ISO 639-2 code for the language &larr; see just below for the situation where a language has two ISO 639-2 codes
 * |iso3=the ISO 639-3 code for the language &larr; see below for the situation where multiple ISO 639-3 codes apply; if there is no ISO 639-3 code, set |iso3=none to return the text none

If any of these are unknown, simply leave them out: the template will provide a default text. If a language has two ISO 639-2 codes, one will be defined as the bibliographic code, and the other terminological. These can be added in seperate fields using the following parameters:
 * |iso2b=the ISO 639-2 bibliographic code
 * |iso2t=the ISO 639-2 terminological code

How to display the genetic classification of a language
You can use the language template to show the genetic classification of a language at a glance. This classification is displayed as a descending staircase of language families, from the broadest to the most specific. To add the genetic classification use the following:
 * |fam1=the broadest possible widely accepted language family of which the language is a part &larr; if this would be exactly the same as you have defined for familycolor, it may be omitted
 * |fam2=a more specific sub-family
 * |fam3=a more specific group

You can keep adding parameters in like fashion until you have completed the classification. If you would prefer to enter some other information in this box (for example, disputed), use this parameter instead:
 * |family=whatever you want to say

Some optional parameters
Some parts of the template remain invisible unless they are specifically called. Only use these parameters if they are required.
 * |fontcolor=colour of font against 'familycolor' &larr; the font colour is usually black, use this to change it if it is difficult to read
 * |pronunciation=pronunciation of the native name of the language in IPA → remember to enclose the transcription in either or
 * |rank=language's ranking in the list of languages by number of native speakers
 * |nation=list of countries in which it is an official language
 * |agency=regulatory body or language academy for the language
 * |extinct=date of extinction, or information about extinction &larr; this replaces speakers
 * |script=writing system(s) used to represent the language &larr; in the form "Latin (English variant)"

Where a language has more than one ISO 639-3 code
Some languages have a number of ISO 639-3 codes, one for each dialect of that language. If you try putting all of these codes in the usual iso3= parameter, it will get quite messy. Instead, use the following parameters:
 * |lc1=language code of the first dialect
 * |ld1=name of the first language dialect
 * |ll1=link to the Wikipedia article on that dialect

For subsequent dialects, use lc2 and so forth. If the name of a language is the same as its Wikipedia article, you do not need to define lln. It will link without it. If you do not want an internal link to that dialect's page, set lln=none: the text of ldn will then be displayed unlinked. If you want bold text, you can set lln to the name of the page the infobox is on.

Using the template for sign languages
This template is appropriate to use for sign languages. The following parameter is used instead of speakers:
 * |signers=number of people who sign that language

Once this parameter is defined or familycolor=Sign is set, the rest of the template makes sure that any reference to 'speaking' is replaced by ones to 'signing'. Setting this parameter automatically makes the coloured bars of the infobox, the colour defined for sign languages, and provides a default of iso2=sgn if no other text is provided. All the other parameters work in exactly the same way.

Using the template for conlangs
This template is appropriate to use for constructed languages. The following parameters can be used:
 * |creator=name of language creator
 * |date=year of first creation
 * |setting=the use or setting for the language
 * |posteriori=natural-language sources

Using these parameters, or setting famillycolor=Conlang, automatically sets the coloured bars of the infobox to with white text, and removes the states and region parameters from use (nation is also disabled). If the iso2 parameter is left undefined, it is treated as being iso2=art. For conlangs, the family or famn parameters are used to describe the hierarchy of purpose of the language, whereas posteriori is used to describe the a posteriori sources on which the conlang draws.

Images in the template
You cannot put large images into the language template: they just make it very messy. You can place a small image at the top of the template using the following parameters:
 * |caption=very simple description of image &larr; this is placed in the left-hand column
 * |image= [[image:image name.png|center|200px|Description of the image.]] &larr; usual image mark-up applies.

If you have a slightly larger image, you can place at the bottom of the template, spanning both columns, with the following parameter:
 * |map= [[image:image name.png|center|thumb|300px|Description of the image.]]

Footer notice
At the bottom of the infobox is a notice. In most instances, it will be a notice about the Unicode fonts used for displaying IPA. For sign languages, it changes to a link to the list of sign languages. Other notices can be appended manually, using one of the following parameters:
 * |notice=Indic &larr; fixes a notice about Indic fonts
 * |notice=nonotice &larr; removes the default notice