Textual Content
Changes in the Natural Language
WAI Definition (Checkpoint 4.1)
Clearly identify changes in the natural language of a document's text and any text equivalents (e.g., captions).
Explanation
The <html> tag in the header of the page indicates the language of the page's content. If a word or phrase of another language appears in the content, it should be tagged accordingly.
Rationale
Screen readers and Braille devices need to identify changes in the natural language so they can present it with the correct pronunciation.
Technique
Use the "lang" attribute to identify text in another language. See bold example below.
Example
<ul>
<li><a href="sg_letter.html">Letter of the Secretary general</a></li>
<li><a href="letter_fr.html" lang="fr">Lettre du Représentant permanent de la Belgique</a></li>
<li><a href="letter_sc.html">Letter of the President of the Security Council</a></li>
</ul>
Validation
Test
Check the page manually.
If there is content in a language other than the main language of the page, check the HTML code.
Success Criteria
Text in a language other than the main language of the page should be enclosed in a tag using the "lang" attribute.