title: Date & Time terminology

Date & Time terminology

This topic is in-progress and and not finalized yet for use.

Following are terminology and definitions that are used for Date and Time structure and data in CLDR. The terminology used in CLDR have dependency on LDML Spec #35 and names of methods and objects in ICU.

TerminologyDefinitionExamples
Symbols or Pattern characters or placeholder symbolThe ASCII-range letters used in patterns, character in a placeholder fieldG, y, M, d
pattern fields or placeholder fieldsA sequence of one or more of the above used in a pattern sequence of characters that is replaced in a pattern at runtime, like MMM, {1}, “###” (in numbers)MMM E
Spec: Elements ICU: textual forms as symbolsThe specific localized values that replace a pattern fields depending on the dateMonday or January, or 7.
calendar fieldsThe abstract calendar type that is represented by the lettersera or year.
calendar field “ names"The localized names for each type of calendar field“era” or “year”: