- Success Criterion 3.1.2
- Conformance level AA
Language Switcher Link With No Language Tag of Its Own
3.1.2 — Language of Parts
Scenario
Setting
An e-book reader's library page
What’s wrong
Language-switcher links written in their own language ("Deutsch", "日本語") without their own lang attributes.
Example
<p>Please visita nuestra tienda.</p>Why it matters
Screen-reader users hearing mixed-language content with the wrong voice rules.
How to test
Inspect language-switcher links (e.g., 'Deutsch', '日本語'): check whether each carries its own lang attribute matching the language it's written in.
How to fix
The passage in another language must carry its own correct lang attribute.
<p>Please visit <span lang="es">nuestra tienda</span>.</p>A lang attribute on the foreign-language span switches the screen reader's pronunciation for just that phrase.
Outcome
On an e-book reader's library page, this barrier is gone for screen-reader users hearing mixed-language content with the wrong voice rules — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.
Who is affected
Screen-reader users hearing mixed-language content with the wrong voice rules.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- No Way to Programmatically Tell Which Language a Passage Uses
- Foreign-Language Quote or Phrase With No Language Attribute
- Mixed-Language Legal or Product Text Left Entirely Unmarked
- Language Attribute Copy-Pasted Onto the Wrong Piece of Text
- Bilingual Layout Where One Column’s Language Goes Unmarked
- User-Generated Content in Another Language Never Tagged