Valid Lang

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Valid Lang means the language declarations on your content use recognized language codes with correct formatting. Invalid codes can cause problems with pronunciation in screen readers, automatic translation, and search engine indexing. Correct language tagging supports accessibility and international reach.

Valid Lang

Valid lang refers to correctly formatted language codes used anywhere in your HTML — not just on the root <html> element but also on individual elements that contain content in a different language. The lang attribute can appear on any HTML element to indicate that its content is in a specific language. This is essential for pages that mix languages: an English page with a French quotation, a Spanish article with a Portuguese idiom, or a multilingual navigation with labels in several languages. Each language section needs its own valid lang attribute so assistive technology and browsers can handle each one correctly.

Why It Matters

Screen readers switch pronunciation engines. When a screen reader encounters a lang attribute on an element, it switches to the appropriate language voice for that section. A French phrase read with English pronunciation rules is unintelligible. Proper lang attributes trigger the correct voice.
It enables accurate text processing. Spell checkers, search indexers, and text-to-speech engines all behave differently depending on the declared language. Invalid codes cause them to apply the wrong rules, producing incorrect results.
It supports multilingual content properly. Many websites include content in multiple languages — quotations, product names, legal disclaimers, or navigation for international audiences. Without per-element lang attributes, everything is treated as the page's primary language.
It helps typographic rendering. Different languages have different rules for line breaking, hyphenation, and character spacing. The lang attribute helps browsers apply the right typographic conventions for each section of content.

How to Use It

Set the page-level language on the html element. Start with <html lang="en"> (or whatever your primary language is) to establish the default language for the entire page.
Mark sections in other languages. When content appears in a language different from the page default, wrap it in an element with the appropriate lang attribute. For example, <span lang="fr">Bonjour</span> on an English page.
Use valid BCP 47 codes only. Every lang attribute must use a recognized code: en, fr, de, ja, zh-Hans, etc. Full language names, made-up abbreviations, and country-only codes are all invalid.
Be specific when it matters. Use subtags for regional variants when pronunciation or rendering differs: pt-BR for Brazilian Portuguese versus pt-PT for European Portuguese, or zh-Hans for simplified Chinese.
Validate all lang attributes. Run accessibility validation tools to check that every lang attribute on your page uses a recognized, correctly formatted code. Invalid codes scattered throughout a page are easy to miss manually.

Common Mistakes

Using invalid subtag combinations. Codes like en-UK are wrong — the correct code is en-GB (Great Britain). Similarly, zh-CN is valid for Chinese as used in China, but zh-China is not.
Not marking mixed-language content. Embedding a French or German phrase in an English page without a lang attribute forces screen readers to mangle the pronunciation using English rules. Even short phrases benefit from correct language tagging.
Applying lang to the wrong scope. Setting lang="fr" on a parent div that contains both French and English content marks everything inside as French. Apply lang only to the specific elements containing the different-language content.
Confusing language codes with country codes. The lang attribute takes a language code, not a country code. us is not a valid language. en-US is valid because it specifies English as used in the United States.

Bottom Line: Set a valid page-level lang attribute, mark inline content in other languages with element-level lang attributes, use only recognized BCP 47 codes, and validate everything. Correct language tagging is invisible when it works and painfully obvious when it does not — especially for users who hear your content read aloud.

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Synonyms: Language Declaration, Lang Code

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noun | / LIK-wid PUR-pul /

(biochemistry) Also known as visual purple or rhodopsin — a light-sensitive receptor protein found in the rods of the retina. It enables vision in dim light by transforming invisible darkness into visible form. Derived from the Greek rhódon (rose) and ópsis (sight), its name reflects its delicate pink hue and vital role in perception.
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Rooted in Southern California, Serving the World.
For over 20 years, Liquid Purple has been headquartered in the heart of Southern California, serving clients across Irvine, Newport Beach, Anaheim, and the greater Los Angeles area. While we are proud of our local roots, our digital reach extends far beyond our local area. We support businesses in major hubs like Denver, Dallas, New York, and Miami, as well as international clients. Our ability to operate across time zones means you can often wake up to completed tasks and progress updates—keeping your business moving while you sleep.

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Valid Lang

Valid Lang

Why It Matters

How to Use It

Common Mistakes

What Does "Liquid Purple" mean?

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