LOCALE(5) Linux User Manual LOCALE(5)

locale - describes a locale definition file

The locale definition file contains all the information that the localedef(1) command needs to convert it into the binary locale database.

The definition files consist of sections which each describe a locale category in detail.

The locale definition file starts with a header that may consist of the following keywords:

<escape_char>
is followed by a character that should be used as the escape-character for the rest of the file to mark characters that should be interpreted in a special way. It defaults to the backslash (\).
<comment_char>
is followed by a character that will be used as the comment-character for the rest of the file. It defaults to the number sign (#).

The locale definition has one part for each locale category. Each part can be copied from another existing locale or can be defined from scratch. If the category should be copied, the only valid keyword in the definition is copy followed by the name of the locale which should be copied.

The following category sections are defined by POSIX:

  • LC_CTYPE
  • LC_COLLATE
  • LC_MESSAGES
  • LC_MONETARY
  • LC_NUMERIC
  • LC_TIME

In addition, since version 2.2, the GNU C library supports the following nonstandard categories:

  • LC_ADDRESS
  • LC_IDENTIFICATION
  • LC_MEASUREMENT
  • LC_NAME
  • LC_PAPER
  • LC_TELEPHONE

The definition starts with the string LC_ADDRESS in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a string containing field descriptors that define the format used for postal addresses in the locale. The following field descriptors are recognized:
%a
Care of person, or organization.
%f
Firm name.
%d
Department name.
%b
Building name.
%s
Street or block (e.g., Japanese) name.
%h
House number or designation.
%N
Insert an end-of-line if the previous descriptor's value was not an empty string; otherwise ignore.
%t
Insert a space if the previous descriptor's value was not an empty string; otherwise ignore.
%r
Room number, door designation.
%e
Floor number.
%C
Country designation, from the <country_post> keyword.
%z
Zip number, postal code.
%T
Town, city.
%S
State, province, or prefecture.
%c
Country, as taken from data record.

Each field descriptor may have an 'R' after the '%' to specify that the information is taken from a Romanized version string of the entity.

followed by the country name in the language of the current document (e.g., "Deutschland" for the de_DE locale).
followed by the abbreviation of the country (see CERT_MAILCODES).
followed by the two-letter abbreviation of the country (ISO 3166).
followed by the three-letter abbreviation of the country (ISO 3166).
followed by the numeric country code (ISO 3166).
followed by the code for the country car number.
followed by the ISBN code (for books).
followed by the language name in the language of the current document.
followed by the two-letter abbreviation of the language (ISO 639).
followed by the three-letter abbreviation of the language (ISO 639-2).
followed by the three-letter abbreviation of the language for library use (ISO 639-2).

The LC_ADDRESS definition ends with the string END LC_ADDRESS.

The definition starts with the string LC_CTYPE in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a list of uppercase letters. The letters A through Z are included automatically. Characters also specified as cntrl, digit, punct, or space are not allowed.
followed by a list of lowercase letters. The letters a through z are included automatically. Characters also specified as cntrl, digit, punct, or space are not allowed.
followed by a list of letters. All character specified as either upper or lower are automatically included. Characters also specified as cntrl, digit, punct, or space are not allowed.
followed by the characters classified as numeric digits. Only the digits 0 through 9 are allowed. They are included by default in this class.
followed by a list of characters defined as white-space characters. Characters also specified as upper, lower, alpha, digit, graph, or xdigit are not allowed. The characters <space>, <form-feed>, <newline>, <carriage-return>, <tab>, and <vertical-tab> are automatically included.
followed by a list of control characters. Characters also specified as upper, lower, alpha, digit, punct, graph, print, or xdigit are not allowed.
followed by a list of punctuation characters. Characters also specified as upper, lower, alpha, digit, cntrl, xdigit, or the <space> character are not allowed.
followed by a list of printable characters, not including the <space> character. The characters defined as upper, lower, alpha, digit, xdigit, and punct are automatically included. Characters also specified as cntrl are not allowed.
followed by a list of printable characters, including the <space> character. The characters defined as upper, lower, alpha, digit, xdigit, punct, and the <space> character are automatically included. Characters also specified as cntrl are not allowed.
followed by a list of characters classified as hexadecimal digits. The decimal digits must be included followed by one or more set of six characters in ascending order. The following characters are included by default: 0 through 9, a through f, A through F.
followed by a list of characters classified as blank. The characters <space> and <tab> are automatically included.
followed by a list of mappings from lowercase to uppercase letters. Each mapping is a pair of a lowercase and an uppercase letter separated with a , and enclosed in parentheses. The members of the list are separated with semicolons.
followed by a list of mappings from uppercase to lowercase letters. If the keyword tolower is not present, the reverse of the toupper list is used.

The LC_CTYPE definition ends with the string END LC_CTYPE.

The LC_COLLATE category defines the rules for collating characters. Due to limitations of libc not all POSIX-options are implemented.

The definition starts with the string LC_COLLATE in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

The order-definition starts with a line:

followed by a list of keywords chosen from forward, backward, or position. The order definition consists of lines that describe the order and is terminated with the keyword

For more details see the sources in /usr/lib/nls/src notably the examples POSIX, Example and Example2.

The LC_COLLATE definition ends with the string END LC_COLLATE.

This category contains meta-information about the locale definition.

The definition starts with the string LC_IDENTIFICATION in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by the title of the locale document (e.g., "Maori language locale for New Zealand").
followed by the name of the organization that maintains this document.
followed by the address of the organization that maintains this document.
followed by the name of the contact person at the organization that maintains this document.
followed by the email address of the person or organization that maintains this document.
followed by the telephone number (in international format) of the organization that maintains this document.
followed by the fax number (in international format) of the organization that maintains this document.
followed by the name of the language to which this document applies.
followed by the name of the country/geographic extent to which this document applies.
followed by a description of the audience for which this document is intended.
followed by a description of any special application for which this document is intended.
followed by the short name for this document.
followed by the revision number of this document.
followed by the revision date of this document.

In addition, for each of the categories defined by the document, there should be a line starting with the keyword category, followed by:

  • a string that identifies this locale category definition,
  • a semicolon, and
  • one of the LC_* identifiers.

The LC_IDENTIFICATION definition ends with the string END LC_IDENTIFICATION.

The definition starts with the string LC_MESSAGES in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a regular expression that describes possible yes-responses.
followed by a regular expression that describes possible no-responses.
followed by the output string corresponding to "yes".
followed by the output string corresponding to "no".

The LC_MESSAGES definition ends with the string END LC_MESSAGES.

The definition starts with the string LC_MEASUREMENT in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by number identifying the standard used for measurement. The following values are recognized:
1
Metric.
2
US customary measurements.

The LC_MEASUREMENT definition ends with the string END LC_MEASUREMENT.

The definition starts with the string LC_MONETARY in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by the international currency symbol. This must be a 4-character string containing the international currency symbol as defined by the ISO 4217 standard (three characters) followed by a separator.
followed by the local currency symbol.
followed by the string that will be used as the decimal delimiter when formatting monetary quantities.
followed by the string that will be used as a group separator when formatting monetary quantities.
followed by a string that describes the formatting of numeric quantities.
followed by a string that is used to indicate a positive sign for monetary quantities.
followed by a string that is used to indicate a negative sign for monetary quantities.
followed by the number of fractional digits that should be used when formatting with the int_curr_symbol.
followed by the number of fractional digits that should be used when formatting with the currency_symbol.
followed by an integer that indicates the placement of currency_symbol for a nonnegative formatted monetary quantity:
0
the symbol succeeds the value.
1
the symbol precedes the value.
followed by an integer that indicates the placement of currency_symbol for a negative formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_cs_precedes.
followed by an integer that indicates the placement of int_currency_symbol for a nonnegative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_cs_precedes.
followed by an integer that indicates the placement of int_currency_symbol for a negative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_cs_precedes.
followed by an integer that indicates the separation of currency_symbol, the sign string, and the value for a nonnegative formatted monetary quantity. The following values are recognized:
0
No space separates the currency symbol and the value.
1
If the currency symbol and the sign string are adjacent, a space separates them from the value; otherwise a space separates the currency symbol and the value.
2
If the currency symbol and the sign string are adjacent, a space separates them from the value; otherwise a space separates the sign string and the value.
followed by an integer that indicates the separation of currency_symbol, the sign string, and the value for a negative formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sep_by_space.
followed by an integer that indicates the separation of int_currency_symbol, the sign string, and the value for a nonnegative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sep_by_space.
followed by an integer that indicates the separation of int_currency_symbol, the sign string, and the value for a negative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sep_by_space.
followed by an integer that indicates where the positive_sign should be placed for a nonnegative monetary quantity:
0
Parentheses enclose the quantity and the currency_symbol or int_curr_symbol.
1
The sign string precedes the quantity and the currency_symbol or the int_curr_symbol.
2
The sign string succeeds the quantity and the currency_symbol or the int_curr_symbol.
3
The sign string precedes the currency_symbol or the int_curr_symbol.
4
The sign string succeeds the currency_symbol or the int_curr_symbol.
followed by an integer that indicates where the negative_sign should be placed for a negative monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sign_posn.
followed by an integer that indicates where the negative_sign should be placed for a nonnegative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sign_posn.
followed by an integer that indicates where the negative_sign should be placed for a negative internationally formatted monetary quantity. The same values are recognized as for p_sign_posn.

The LC_MONETARY definition ends with the string END LC_MONETARY.

The definition starts with the string LC_NAME in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a string containing field descriptors that define the format used for names in the locale. The following field descriptors are recognized:
%f
Family name(s).
%F
Family names in uppercase.
%g
First given name.
%G
First given initial.
%l
First given name with Latin letters.
%o
Other shorter name.
%m
Additional given name(s).
%M
Initials for additional given name(s).
%p
Profession.
%s
Salutation, such as "Doctor".
%S
Abbreviated salutation, such as "Mr." or "Dr.".
%d
Salutation, using the FDCC-sets conventions.
%t
If the preceding field descriptor resulted in an empty string, then the empty string, otherwise a space character.
followed by the general salutation for any gender.
followed by the salutation for men.
followed by the salutation for married women.
followed by the salutation for unmarried women.
followed by the salutation valid for all women.

The LC_NAME definition ends with the string END LC_NAME.

The definition starts with the string LC_NUMERIC in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by the string that will be used as the decimal delimiter when formatting numeric quantities.
followed by the string that will be used as a group separator when formatting numeric quantities.
followed by a string that describes the formatting of numeric quantities.

The LC_NUMERIC definition ends with the string END LC_NUMERIC.

The definition starts with the string LC_PAPER in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by the height, in millimeters, of the standard paper format.
followed by the width, in millimeters, of the standard paper format.

The LC_PAPER definition ends with the string END LC_PAPER.

The definition starts with the string LC_TELEPHONE in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a string that contains field descriptors that identify the format used to dial international numbers. The following field descriptors are recognized:
%a
Area code without nationwide prefix (the prefix is often "00").
%A
Area code including nationwide prefix.
%l
Local number (within area code).
%e
Extension (to local number).
%c
Country code.
%C
Alternate carrier service code used for dialing abroad.
%t
If the preceding field descriptor resulted in an empty string, then the empty string, otherwise a space character.
followed by a string that contains field descriptors that identify the format used to dial domestic numbers. The recognized field descriptors are the same as for tel_int_fmt.
followed by the prefix used to call international phone numbers.
followed by the prefix used from other countries to dial this country.

The LC_TELEPHONE definition ends with the string END LC_TELEPHONE.

The definition starts with the string LC_TIME in the first column.

The following keywords are allowed:

followed by a list of abbreviated names of the days of the week. The list starts with the first day of the week as specified by week (Sunday by default).
followed by a list of names of the days of the week. The list starts with the first day of the week as specified by week (Sunday by default).
followed by a list of abbreviated month names.
followed by a list of month names.
The appropriate representation of the am and pm strings.
The appropriate date and time format.
The appropriate date format.
The appropriate time format.
The appropriate time format when using 12h clock format.
followed by a list of three values: The number of days in a week (by default 7), a date of beginning of the week (by default corresponds to Sunday), and the minimal length of the first week in year (by default 4). Regarding the start of the week, 19971130 shall be used for Sunday and 19971201 shall be used for Monday. Thus, countries using 19971130 should have local Sunday name as the first day in the day list, while countries using 19971201 should have Monday translation as the first item in the day list.
Number of the first day from the day list to be shown in calendar applications. The default value of 1 corresponds to either Sunday or Monday depending on the value of the second week list item.
Number of the first working day from the day list.
followed by a value that indicates the direction for the display of calendar dates, as follows:
1
Left-right from top.
2
Top-down from left.
3
Right-left from top.
followed by the appropriate date representation for date(1).

The LC_TIME definition ends with the string END LC_TIME.

/usr/lib/locale/ — database for the current locale setting of that category
/usr/lib/nls/charmap/* — charmap-files

POSIX.2, ISO/IEC 14652.

This manual page isn't complete.

locale(1), localedef(1), localeconv(3), newlocale(3), setlocale(3), uselocale(3), charmap(5), locale(7)

This page is part of release 3.67 of the Linux man-pages project. A description of the project, information about reporting bugs, and the latest version of this page, can be found at http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.

2014-03-18 Linux

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