- From: Thomas Broyer <t.broyer@gmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:55:51 +0200
- To: public-html@w3.org
2007/7/20, Robert Burns: > > I like the more elaborate document conformance criteria the HTML5 > draft provides for <dfn> and <abbr>. However, right now <dfn> either > encloses text nodes that are the the definition of the term or, in > the case of an abbreviation, it includes a text node (indirectly) > that is the term defined (with the @title value the definition of the > term). There are places in the draft, where the distinction between a > term and the elaborate definition is not kept completely distinct. I > think it has been even more difficult for authors to keep these uses > separate. This confusion over exactly how to use a <dfn> element is > one of the prime use-case/problem statements for the following > proposals: ...mainly because HTML4 did a very bad job at defining <DFN>: there's not even an example! > proposed additions (for <dfn>/ > > Element-specific attributes: > scoped (boolean) > defref (string; required) [...] > Based on my proposal, the definition would be marked up with the > <dfn> element and the term would be marked up with the <abbr> > element. [...] > <p>The <dfn><abbr>Zat</abbr></dfn>, short for Zat'ni'catel, is a > weapon.</p> > <p>Jack used a <abbr>Zat</abbr> to make the boxes of evidence > disappear.</p>" > > My proposal would change this to: > <p>The <abbr>Zat</abbr>, <dfn defref='Zat'>short for Zat'ni'catel</ > dfn>, is a weapon.</p> > <p>Jack used a <abbr>Zat</abbr> to make the boxes of evidence > disappear.</p>" Er, aren't you the man calling for "avoiding changing the meaning of HTML4 elements because it creates namespace collisions"? And you're proposing: - adding a *required* attribute - changing the definition of DFN to contain the definition rather than the term (and then introducing <TERM> instead) Just a few words about your example: how's "is a weapon" not part of the definition of "Zat"? I concede that the example could be better marked up adding a title attribute to the <abbr> with value "Zat'ni'catel" but leaving this aside, it's correct. <p>The <dfn><abbr title="Zat'ni'catel">Zat</abbr></dfn>, short for Zat'ni'catel, is a weapon.</p> > With this approach the, association is clear and the UA is not left > to infer what the association is based on a paragraph that may > contain less or more than the precise definition. I'd rather introduce a <definition> element in this case: <p><definition>The <dfn><abbr>Zat</abbr></dfn>, short for Zat'ni'catel, is a weapon</definition>; Jack used a one to make the boxes of evidence disappear.</p> -- Thomas Broyer
Received on Friday, 20 July 2007 06:55:57 UTC