Primary Language definition revisited

Hi, 

Re:
http://www.w3.org/International/geo/html-tech/tech-lang.html#ri20040808.
100519373, it seems to me that one of the links Andrew sent is very
illustrative. 
 
http://www.immigration.gov.au/search_for/multilingual/italian.htm is a
perfect example of our definition's third paragraph re: the possibility
of content in one (the primary) language and everything else in a second
language. I think some authors of a page like this one might be inclined
to declare the primary language as the one in which the preponderance of
the page is written, rather than the language of the page's readers. 

If that assumption is valid, could I propose a rewrite of the start of
the first paragraph of the Primary Language definition to bring the idea
to the fore, as it seems to apply whether the bulk of the
content/navigation is in the primary or non-primary language. 

Current version:

The primary language represents the main language of the page. Many
documents on the Web contain embedded fragments of content in a
different language than the overall content. Generally speaking,
however, the page is still aimed at speakers of one particular language.

Suggested change: 

Generally, a page is aimed at speakers of one particular language. This
is the page's primary language, even though the page may contain
embedded content fragments in a different language.  


Susan K. Miller
The Boeing Company
Companywide Web Team
ph 206.544.1417

contact info:
http://www.w3.org/People/Ishida/ 

W3C Internationalization:
http://www.w3.org/International/ 

Publication blog:
http://people.w3.org/rishida/blog/
 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Cunningham [mailto:andrewc@vicnet.net.au]
> Sent: 04 August 2004 19:06
> To: Richard Ishida
> Subject: 
> 
> Andrew Cunningham
> e-Diversity
> Public Libraries Unit, Vicnet
> State Library of Victoria
> Australia
> 
>

Received on Tuesday, 10 August 2004 19:44:53 UTC