Comparing typographic traditions for different languages

If you are using biblatex with biber as back-end for citations, csquotes for quotations, and babel for language support, you are half way to your goal. :-)

If you are typesetting units, siunitx will help you to the correct notation (see also the web page of Bureau International des Poids et Messures). However, the SI-notation is not always ‘correct’ typography.

For the details regarding specific language, I suggest that you ask questions, for example on tex.sx.

I can give some references to Norwegian typography, but since the articles and web pages are in Norwegian, I assume they will be of use for only a limited audience. For general typography, see for example the web pages Typografi.no and Typografi i Norge. Very interesting is the link to fourteen (14) articles by the Norwegian typographer Sven Erik Skarsbø. The articles are in full text (.PDF-files in Norwegian), and answer most of your questions regarding Norwegian language and Norwegian typography.

The text book used at typographical schools in Norway, Øyvin Rannem: Bokstav, bilde, budskap : lærebok i typografi, is available online free for non-commercial use at the University Library, provided you have a Norwegian IP address.

This book is one they are using at the education institute for typographers and graphic designers:

@book{rannem_bokstav_1988, 
  address = {Oslo}, 
  title = {Bokstav, bilde, budskap : lærebok i typografi}, 
  isbn = {978-82-00-35138-2}, 
  publisher = {Universitetsforl.}, 
  author = {Rannem, Øyvin}, 
  year = {1988}, 
  keywords = {} 
}

In French, try www.guide-typographie.com, which includes a section comparing English typography. For more on French typography, see www.synapse-fr.com/typographie/TTM_0.htm. Also check the collections of links at tex.loria.fr/english/typographie.html and, of course, the many treasures at jacques-andre.fr.

In Germany we have many rules which are written down in a standard called DIN (deutsche Industrie Norm - german industry standard ). Those rules are typographic rules in some way while not necessarily developed by typographers.

There is a standard about citations: DIN 1505-2 Wikipedia (german)

It says basically : Name1, Prename1[ ; Name2, Prename2 ; ...]: Title : Subtitle. [Volume ]Place: Publisher, Year.[ - ISBN #####][ p. #-#]

Another rule defines Symbols: DIN 1302 Wikipedia (german) or formular symbols (this is compatible to SI) DIN 1338 . I could link many more cause we have standards for every situation ;)

The international equivalent is ISO 80000 which defines also typographic rules for typesetting units etc.

Another good source for information about unit typesetting is btw the siunitx documentation.