- From: Dave Singer <singer@apple.com>
- Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:15:41 -0700
- To: Ian Hickson <ian@hixie.ch>, Chris Wilson <Chris.Wilson@microsoft.com>
- Cc: "public-html@w3.org" <public-html@w3.org>, Chris Wendt <Chris.Wendt@microsoft.com>
At 20:25 +0000 31/07/08, Ian Hickson wrote:
> > In HTML 5, this could be done with a new attribute "translate", valid on
>> all elements. Values "yes" and "no". Default is "yes". By default
>> attributes are not translatable, alt and title remaining as exceptions.
>> HTML will not introduce new translatable attributes.
>
>How about a new keyword for "lang", instead, which means "not
>translatable" or some such? lang="computer-code" or something.
I think that there is a difference between something 'not having' a
language and 'should not' be translated, isn't there?
I mean, if I quote JFK saying "Ich bin ein Berliner" I should
probably tag the quotation as being in German, and that it should be
left that way. The lang attribute would control (I hope) how a
text-to-speech reader would read it, for example.
Perhaps auto-translate systems should be more careful, and only
translate text that's in the overall language of the page, into the
target, and not the 'call-outs' that are in a different language.
Then we're just left with the text that still should not be
translated ("I am not a crook" for example, picking another
politician).
To me, speaking as a rank amateur, overloading lang seems
dangerous...I am always wary of overloading.
Language codes for computer languages (so that they can, shudder, be
read aloud etc.) would also seem a good idea.
--
David Singer
Apple/QuickTime
Received on Friday, 1 August 2008 01:19:11 UTC