<block> and aural (was: RE: XHTML 2.0: Suggestion for <addr/> and <blockaddr/> to replace <address/>)

Jukka K. Korpela wrote:
> On Sat, 6 Dec 2003, Lachlan Hunt wrote:

> >   I have to disagree with this idea that a block element is
> > fundamentally presentational.
 
> As so often, it is illustrating to answer: how does that work in aural
> presentation? That is, is there any natural presentation of that
> distinction in speech? I would answer "no".

Based on reading to children, I would say:

There is a slight pause both before and after the block, and the 
voice is changed.  This doesn't mean another voice "font",
(though that can happen if the quote is from a different character); 
it is usually just a slight tightening of the throat muscles.

These details are certainly presentational (and may depend on how
tired the reader is), but there is some indication that the author 
was setting this out as "special".  (Which often causes the kids
to ask to see the picture, and to be very disappointed if that page
doesn't have an illustration.)

That said, I think <em><quote> would say the same thing, if 
<em> contents weren't limited to inline.  I suppose it could 
also be done with <div>, if <div> were allowed inside a 
paragraph.  If we eliminate the block/inline distinction, either 
of these solutions should work.

If we keep the distinction, then I think it would be "better" 
(though less practical?) to make block/inline an attribute 
rather than part of the element name.  (In practice, that is
what the display attribute already does, except that it is
not supposed to have meaning.)

-jJ

Received on Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:07:05 UTC