3.2. Use the lang attribute to indicate a change of language
If some of the content is in a language other than the primary language of the page, it must be identified using the lang attribute.
For example, on an English page:
<a href="…" lang="fr" hreflang="fr">Version française</a>
Tip
If the foreign language content is not tagged directly, use a <span> or <div> tag and populate the lang attribute.
Note
It is not necessary to announce a change of language for:
- Proper names.
- Foreign words that have been incorporated into the dictionary of the primary language.
- Foreign words that are pronounced and understood with the accent of the main language (i.e. “RSVP”, if the primary language is English).