Quick question for #HTML boffins: we have a table in an otherwise-English-language document (<html lang="en">) with Toki Pona text in the left column and its English translation in the right column. If we do this:

<colgroup>
<col lang="tok">
<col>
</colgroup>

...will that correctly mark all of the cells in the left column as being in tok while leaving the right column in en?

(Other advice about parallel translations welcome - we learned HTML in the 1990s, all of this is new to us.)

Edit: We've been told that the systems to determine language only look at parent elements, and <col> is not actually a parent element - so instead we're going to mark each Toki Pona-language cell with lang="tok" because we know that'll work. Thanks, y'all!

#askFedi

Follow

@Packbat @Satsuma it will not afaict; the rules for determining the language of an element only look at parent elements (and col isn’t a parent of the elements in the column)

@Lady @Satsuma Aha! There we go, then - I'll delete that and just put the lang="tok" in each cell's element, then. Thanks!

@Packbat @Satsuma yeah it's the sort of thing i wouldn't have been surprised if it had worked but i checked the spec and there doesn't appear to be anything to support it

probably at least in part because it could create a weird conflicting situation where the HTML language and the XML language differ

@Packbat @Satsuma (language has implications beyond just screenreaders and spellcheckers; it can be used to style CSS so it requires a certain level of formal rigidity)

Sign in to participate in the conversation
📟🐱 GlitchCat

A small, community‐oriented Mastodon‐compatible Fediverse (GlitchSoc) instance managed as a joint venture between the cat and KIBI families.