RFC 2184 (rfc2184) - Page 1 of 9
MIME Parameter Value and Encoded Word Extensions: Character Sets, Languages, and Continuations
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group N. Freed
Request for Comments: 2184 Innosoft
Updates: 2045, 2047, 2183 K. Moore
Category: Standards Track University of Tennessee
August 1997
MIME Parameter Value and Encoded Word Extensions:
Character Sets, Languages, and Continuations
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
1. Abstract
This memo defines extensions to the RFC 2045 media type and RFC 2183
disposition parameter value mechanisms to provide
(1) a means to specify parameter values in character sets
other than US-ASCII,
(2) to specify the language to be used should the value be
displayed, and
(3) a continuation mechanism for long parameter values to
avoid problems with header line wrapping.
This memo also defines an extension to the encoded words defined in
RFC 2047 to allow the specification of the language to be used for
display as well as the character set.
2. Introduction
The Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, or MIME [RFC-2045, RFC-
2046, RFC-2047, RFC-2048, RFC-2049], define a message format that
allows for
(1) textual message bodies in character sets other than
US-ASCII,
(2) non-textual message bodies,
(3) multi-part message bodies, and
Freed & Moore Standards Track
