dita-translation message

Subject: Changes to documentation of xml:lang and translate attributes

From: "Gershon L Joseph" <gershon@tech-tav.com>
To: <dita-translation@lists.oasis-open.org>,<mambrose@sdl.com>,<pcarey@lexmark.com>,<rfletcher@sdl.com>,<bhertz@sdl.com>,"'Richard Ishida'" <ishida@w3.org>,<tony.jewtushenko@productinnovator.com>,<patrickk@scriptware.nl>,"'Lieske, Christian'" <christian.lieske@sap.com>,"'Jennifer Linton'" <jennifer.linton@comtech-serv.com>,<Sukumar.Munshi@lionbridge.com>,<charles_pau@us.ibm.com>,<dpooley@sdl.com>,<Peter.Reynolds@lionbridge.com>,"'Felix Sasaki'" <fsasaki@w3.org>,"'Yves Savourel'" <ysavourel@translate.com>,<dschell@us.ibm.com>,"'Bryan Schnabel'" <bryan.s.schnabel@tek.com>
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 21:22:50 +0200

Hi all,

In light of feedback we received from Felix, I'd like to propose the
following documentation changes for the translate and xml:lang attributes,
to keep the DITA spec synchronized with the W3C ITC spec on the use of these
attributes.

Name: translate

Description: Indicates whether the content of the element should be
translated or not. The translate attribute setting applies to the element on
which it is set, and is inherited by all child elements that do not specify
the translate attribute. The translate attribute does not indicate whether
attribute values of the element and its children should be translated;
attribute values should never be translated.

Data Type: yes | no

Default Value: boolean: no  

Required: #IMPLIED


Name: xml:lang

Description: Specifies the language of the element content. When no xml:lang
value is supplied, the default value of English is assumed. For example, if
there is a note element with the attribute xml:lang set to the value
"es-es," then the label on the note, which is normally output as "Note" is
now output in Spanish as "Nota." A list of supported values is given in
xml:lang values. The xml:lang attribute setting applies to the element on
which it is set, and is inherited by all child elements that do not specify
the xml:lang attribute. The xml:lang attribute does not indicate a language
for attribute values of the element and its children; attribute values
should never be translated. [Question: Does this mean that DITA attribute
values can only be English? Or if the document element specifies xml:lang,
should attribute values then use that setting and not English?]

Data Type: NMTOKEN

Default Value: boolean: no

Required: #IMPLIED

Feedback anyone? I'd like us to approve our changes to the documentation of
these attributes at the Monday meeting, so we can deliver our documentation
change request to the DITA TC next week.

Best Regards,
Gershon

---
Gershon L Joseph
Member, OASIS DITA and DocBook Technical Committees
Director of Technology and Single Sourcing
Tech-Tav Documentation Ltd.
office: +972-8-974-1569
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