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HTML

The xml:lang Attribute

The xml:lang attribute in HTML is used to specify the natural language of the content. This attribute is part of the XML namespace and can be used alongside the lang attribute. It is particularly useful in documents that are meant to be compliant with both HTML and XML (XHTML).

 

Purpose and Usage

  • Language Specification: The xml:lang attribute helps in defining the language of the text content in an element, similar to the lang attribute.
  • Interoperability: It ensures compatibility with XML-based tools and applications that rely on the xml:lang attribute to determine the language.

 

Example Usage

Here is an example of how to use both xml:lang and lang attributes in an HTML document:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Example Page</title>
</head>
<body>
    <p lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Bonjour tout le monde!</p>
</body>
</html>

In this example:

  • The html element specifies that the primary language of the document is English (en).
  • The p element overrides this and specifies that the language of its content is French (fr).

 

Key Points

  1. Redundancy: When used together, lang and xml:lang should have the same value to avoid conflicts and ensure consistency.
  2. Backward Compatibility: Older HTML user agents might only recognize the lang attribute, while XML parsers recognize xml:lang. Using both ensures compatibility with a wider range of tools and browsers.
  3. Internationalization: Both attributes are part of internationalization practices, allowing content to be properly understood and rendered according to the specified language.

 

Best Practices

  • Always use both lang and xml:lang attributes when working with XHTML documents to ensure full compatibility.
  • Keep the values of lang and xml:lang consistent within the same element to avoid confusion.
  • Specify the language at the document root and override it only when necessary for specific elements.

 

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