# `Language`

A language, written as its two-letter code: `en`.

Use it to say what language something is in, such as a document or a subtitle. When the region matters as well, as with dates and numbers, use [`Locale`](/docs/types/type-locale.md), which tells `en-GB` from `en-US`.

## Shape

One of 188 values, such as `Language.aa`, written `aa`. Details has them.

## Example

```jadpo
Language.en
```

`text.parse(raw, as: Language)` reads one from text that comes from outside. Text that isn't one at all fails `malformed`, such as `eng`, `en-GB` or `english`.

## Good to know

- Each value is its code: `Language.or` is Odia.
- `text.format` can also write the three-letter code, `eng`, with `form: CodeForm.alpha3`.
- `==` tells you whether two are the same. `<` and `list.sort_by` don't take it.

## In JSON

A string, in a request, a response or `json.write`:

```json
"en"
"iw"
"ja"
```

## Details

<details>
<summary>Text form, storage, how it is shown, and operations</summary>

`Language` is in the group Places, and has been in Jadpo since 0.1.0.

### Every value

Every value, each after `Language.`, with how it is written:

`aa`, `ab`, `ae`, `af`, `ak`, `am`, `an`, `ar`, `as`, `av`, `ay`, `az`, `ba`, `be`, `bg`, `bi`, `bm`, `bn`, `bo`, `br`, `bs`, `ca`, `ce`, `ch`, `co`, `cr`, `cs`, `cu`, `cv`, `cy`, `da`, `de`, `dv`, `dz`, `ee`, `el`, `en`, `eo`, `es`, `et`, `eu`, `fa`, `ff`, `fi`, `fj`, `fo`, `fr`, `fy`, `ga`, `gd`, `gl`, `gn`, `gu`, `gv`, `ha`, `he`, `hi`, `ho`, `hr`, `ht`, `hu`, `hy`, `hz`, `ia`, `id`, `ie`, `ig`, `ii`, `ik`, `in`, `io`, `is`, `it`, `iu`, `iw`, `ja`, `ji`, `jv`, `jw`, `ka`, `kg`, `ki`, `kj`, `kk`, `kl`, `km`, `kn`, `ko`, `kr`, `ks`, `ku`, `kv`, `kw`, `ky`, `la`, `lb`, `lg`, `li`, `ln`, `lo`, `lt`, `lu`, `lv`, `mg`, `mh`, `mi`, `mk`, `ml`, `mn`, `mo`, `mr`, `ms`, `mt`, `my`, `na`, `nb`, `nd`, `ne`, `ng`, `nl`, `nn`, `no`, `nr`, `nv`, `ny`, `oc`, `oj`, `om`, `or`, `os`, `pa`, `pi`, `pl`, `ps`, `pt`, `qu`, `rm`, `rn`, `ro`, `ru`, `rw`, `sa`, `sc`, `sd`, `se`, `sg`, `si`, `sk`, `sl`, `sm`, `sn`, `so`, `sq`, `sr`, `ss`, `st`, `su`, `sv`, `sw`, `ta`, `te`, `tg`, `th`, `ti`, `tk`, `tl`, `tn`, `to`, `tr`, `ts`, `tt`, `tw`, `ty`, `ug`, `uk`, `ur`, `uz`, `ve`, `vi`, `vo`, `wa`, `wo`, `xh`, `yi`, `yo`, `za`, `zh`, `zu`.

### Text form

`text.from` writes one standard text form, the same form `text.parse` reads back: `en`, `iw` and `ja`.

### How it is stored

It is stored in one column named for the field, of type `text`. `ja` is stored as `'ja'`.

### How it is shown to people

`text.format(value, locale:)` shows it to people in their locale.

With `locale: Locale.en_gb`:

| Value | Shown |
|---|---|
| `en` | `English` |
| `iw` | `Hebrew` |
| `ja` | `Japanese` |
| `or` | `Odia` |

### Operations

It also takes `text.parse`, `text.from`, `text.format`, `json.read`, `json.write` and `==`. [How every standard type behaves](/docs/every-standard-type-meets-one-contract.md) says how they work.

</details>