lang attribute
The lang attribute on a page's html element, which names the language the page is written in so screen readers pronounce it correctly and engines know which searchers it serves. CrawlCheck reads it as part of its language check and compares it with the words on the page and the Content-Language header.
What lang attribute does not show
A correct lang attribute declares the language; it does not show that each translation exists or is linked.
Where lang attribute comes up on this site
- Hreflang audit: fixing return-link and x-default errorsAn answer engine reads the page it fetched, so a correct lang attribute is what makes that page's language unambiguous to it.
Terms this definition uses
Content-Language header · Age header
Definitions that name lang attribute
accessibility structure · Content-Language header
Related terms in Content architecture and SEO
How pages, links and intent are organised so an entity is findable, and what a link or a structure can and cannot transfer.
x-default · Search intent · Query class · Navigational query · Informational query · Transactional query · Commercial investigation · Entity-first content · Information architecture · Taxonomy · Ontology · Topic cluster · Pillar page · Content hub · Semantic HTML · Heading hierarchy · Internal link · Anchor text · Link context · Deep link · Broken link · Redirected internal link · Link equity · PageRank · Dofollow · Nofollow · Sponsored link · User-generated link · External link · Inbound link · Referring domain · Link neighborhood · Orphaned entity · Content decay · Content refresh · Historical optimization · answer block · apex domain · alias domain · parked domain · local pack · Google Business Profile · data aggregator · Data Axle
Questions about lang attribute
What is lang attribute?
The lang attribute on a page's html element, which names the language the page is written in so screen readers pronounce it correctly and engines know which searchers it serves. CrawlCheck reads it as part of its language check and compares it with the words on the page and the Content-Language header.
What does lang attribute not show or guarantee?
A correct lang attribute declares the language; it does not show that each translation exists or is linked.
Which area of the glossary does lang attribute belong to?
Content architecture and SEO: How pages, links and intent are organised so an entity is findable, and what a link or a structure can and cannot transfer.
See it in the full glossary · 772 terms across 19 areas.
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