RDFa Core 1.1 spec clarification for root element "automatic @about"

Hello,

In the spec under 6: Sequence, step 6 (the @rev/@rel case), there is the text <https://www.w3.org/TR/rdfa-core/#T-new-subject:~:text=if%20the%20element%20is%20the%20root%20element%20of%20the%20document%20then%20act%20as%20if%20there%20is%20an%20empty%20%40about%20present%2C%20and%20process%20it%20according%20to%20the%20rule%20for%20%40about%2C%20above%3B>:

> new subject is set to the resource obtained from the first match from the following rules:
>  • by using the resource from @about, if present, obtained according to the section on CURIE and IRI Processing;
> if the @typeof attribute is present, set typed resource to new subject.
> 
> If no resource is provided then the first match from the following rules will apply:
>  • if the element is the root element of the document then act as if there is an empty @about present, and process it according to the rule for @about, above;
>  • otherwise, if parent object is present, new subject is set to that.

It is unclear whether the highlighted text for the root element means that the clause after the semicolon "if the @typeof attribute is present, set typed resource to new subject" should also be included or not — on the one hand, it follows immediately after a semicolon, on the other hand, it is outdented relative to the rest of the list.

As a concrete example, should this input:

    <html typeof="foaf:Person" rel="foaf:knows">
    <body>
        <span property="http://example.test/val">123</span>
    </body>
    </html>

Produce this graph, where an immediate bnode is generated:

    @base <http://example.test/> .
    @prefix rdf: <//www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#> .
    @prefix foaf: <//xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/> .
    <> foaf:knows _:c14n0 .
    _:c14n0 a foaf:Person ;
        <val> "123" .

Or this graph, as if it had about="" explicitly on the <html> element:

    @base <http://example.test/> .
    @prefix rdf: <//www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#> .
    @prefix foaf: <//xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/> .
    <> a foaf:Person ;
        foaf:knows _:c14n0 .
    _:c14n0 <val> "123" .


The current test suite does not indicate either way (from what I can see).

Regards,
George

Received on Tuesday, 24 February 2026 13:47:31 UTC