diff --git a/db/select_test.go b/db/select_test.go
index 895601c8..d0196ca5 100644
--- a/db/select_test.go
+++ b/db/select_test.go
@@ -1470,6 +1470,41 @@ func TestSelect(t *testing.T) {
 
 		setupDB(1)
 
+		txt := `
+		USE NS test DB test;
+		CREATE |person:1..10|;
+		UPDATE person:3 SET test = "ändrew";
+		UPDATE person:5 SET test = "Another";
+		UPDATE person:7 SET test = "alexander";
+		UPDATE person:9 SET test = "Alexander";
+		UPDATE person:2 SET test = "Tobie";
+		UPDATE person:4 SET test = "1000";
+		UPDATE person:6 SET test = "2";
+		UPDATE person:8 SET test = null;
+		SELECT test FROM person ORDER BY test COLLATE ASC;
+		`
+
+		res, err := Execute(permsKV(), txt, nil)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(res, ShouldHaveLength, 11)
+		So(res[10].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 10)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[0]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[1]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[2]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[3]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "1000")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[4]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "2")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[5]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Alexander")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[6]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "alexander")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[7]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "ändrew")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[8]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Another")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[9]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Tobie")
+
+	})
+
+	Convey("Order records with en-GB collation", t, func() {
+
+		setupDB(1)
+
 		txt := `
 		USE NS test DB test;
 		CREATE |person:1..10|;
@@ -1505,6 +1540,41 @@ func TestSelect(t *testing.T) {
 
 		setupDB(1)
 
+		txt := `
+		USE NS test DB test;
+		CREATE |person:1..10|;
+		UPDATE person:3 SET test = "ändrew";
+		UPDATE person:5 SET test = "Another";
+		UPDATE person:7 SET test = "alexander";
+		UPDATE person:9 SET test = "Alexander";
+		UPDATE person:2 SET test = "Tobie";
+		UPDATE person:4 SET test = "1000";
+		UPDATE person:6 SET test = "2";
+		UPDATE person:8 SET test = null;
+		SELECT test FROM person ORDER BY test COLLATE NUMERIC ASC;
+		`
+
+		res, err := Execute(permsKV(), txt, nil)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(res, ShouldHaveLength, 11)
+		So(res[10].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 10)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[0]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[1]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[2]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, nil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[3]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "2")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[4]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "1000")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[5]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Alexander")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[6]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "alexander")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[7]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "ändrew")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[8]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Another")
+		So(data.Consume(res[10].Result[9]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, "Tobie")
+
+	})
+
+	Convey("Order records with en-GB collation and numeric sorting", t, func() {
+
+		setupDB(1)
+
 		txt := `
 		USE NS test DB test;
 		CREATE |person:1..10|;
@@ -1536,7 +1606,7 @@ func TestSelect(t *testing.T) {
 
 	})
 
-	Convey("Order records with collation and numeric and insensitive sorting using unicode definition", t, func() {
+	Convey("Order records with en-GB collation and numeric and insensitive sorting using unicode definition", t, func() {
 
 		setupDB(1)
 
diff --git a/sql/exprs.go b/sql/exprs.go
index 67a6c1b0..4b13d735 100644
--- a/sql/exprs.go
+++ b/sql/exprs.go
@@ -289,23 +289,23 @@ func (p *parser) parseType() (t, k string, err error) {
 
 }
 
-func (p *parser) parseLanguage() (language.Tag, error) {
+func (p *parser) parseLanguage() (tag language.Tag, err error) {
 
-	_, lit, err := p.shouldBe(IDENT, STRING)
-	if err != nil {
-		return language.English, &ParseError{Found: lit, Expected: []string{"string"}}
-	}
+	tag = language.English
+
+	if _, lit, exi := p.mightBe(IDENT, STRING); exi {
+
+		if tag, err = language.Parse(lit); err != nil {
+			return tag, &ParseError{Found: lit, Expected: []string{"BCP47 language"}}
+		}
 
-	tag, err := language.Parse(lit)
-	if err != nil {
-		return language.English, &ParseError{Found: lit, Expected: []string{"BCP47 language"}}
 	}
 
 	if _, _, exi := p.mightBe(NUMERIC); exi {
 		tag, _ = tag.SetTypeForKey("kn", "true")
 	}
 
-	return tag, err
+	return tag, nil
 
 }