Overview
ISO 10585:1996 specifies an Armenian alphabet coded character set designed for the international interchange of bibliographic information. The standard defines a set of 83 graphic characters with coded representations, presented as a code table plus a legend that gives each graphic, its name and explanatory notes. ISO 10585 is intended for use in data processing systems and message transmission systems handling Armenian bibliographic citations and annotations.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Character repertoire: A fixed set of 83 Armenian graphic characters (capital and small letters, punctuation and special marks) with assigned code positions.
- Code table and legend: The standard includes a detailed code table and a legend identifying each character by code, graphic and name.
- Spacing vs non‑spacing characters: Certain marks (for example, the Armenian question mark, abbreviation mark and exclamation mark) are treated as non‑spacing and are coded before the base letter they modify; they may render above the character.
- Punctuation specifics: Armenian punctuation names and uses are documented (e.g., full stop “vercaket”, comma “bout”, semicolon “mijaket”, abbreviation mark “patiw”, emphasis and exclamation marks).
- Implementation rules: Implementation follows ISO/IEC 2022 conventions and this character set is to be identified by an escape sequence (to be assigned). Unassigned code positions are reserved and shall not be used in international interchange.
- Interoperability: Character names were aligned, where possible, with ISO/IEC 10646‑1; European‑style punctuation and numerals used with Armenian are available in the complementary Cyrillic set referenced by the standard.
- Informative annexes: Annex A gives historical background on the Armenian script; Annex B lists bibliographic and implementation references.
Applications and users
ISO 10585 is relevant for:
- Libraries and bibliographic systems - cataloguing, MARC exports and bibliographic information interchange in Armenian.
- Software developers - text encoding, legacy system migration, and middleware for message transmission and data exchange.
- Archive and library automation vendors - ensuring interoperable Armenian metadata exchange between systems.
- Font and typesetting vendors - correct rendering of Armenian letters and non‑spacing punctuation in bibliographic displays.
- Standards bodies and registries - implementing ISO/IEC 2022 escape‑sequence registration and compatibility with Unicode/ISO/IEC 10646.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 2022 - Character code structure and extension techniques (implementation/escape sequences)
- ISO/IEC 646 - 7‑bit coded character set for information interchange
- ISO/IEC 10646‑1 - Universal Multilingual Plane / character name alignment
Keywords: ISO 10585, Armenian alphabet, coded character set, bibliographic information interchange, character encoding, ISO/IEC 2022, Armenian punctuation, bibliographic citations.