`text/html` page with mismatching `lang` and `xml:lang` on the `html` element Screen reader compatibility

HTML WCAG

Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: works in a screen reader

Actual Result: works in all tested screen readers

In English 'active table' is pronounced 'act-if tay-bill'. In French 'active table' is pronounced 'act-eef tab-le'. In English 'radio' is pronounced 'ray-day-oh'. In French 'radio' is pronounced 'rad-yoh'. In German 'radio' is pronounced 'rah-di-oh'. In English 'dame' is pronounced 'daim'. In French 'dame' is pronounced 'damm'. In German 'dame' is pronounced 'dam-he'.

By default NVDA uses Windows OneCore voices, which only support language switching if the appropriate Windows language pack is installed. Changing NVDA settings to use the eSpeak voice allows language switching without additional language packs.

WCAG Technique: WCAG 3.1.1 WCAG 3.1.2

Code used for this test:


		<html lang='fr' xml:lang='de'>
		<head> 
			<title>Test for mismatching lang and xml:lang</title>
			<meta charset='utf-8'>
			<link rel='stylesheet' href='SR-content-lang.css'>
			<style>
				div:lang(fr)::before { content: "Un, deux, trois"; } 
				div:lang(de)::before { content: "Eins, zwei, drei"; } 
			</style>
		</head>
		<body>
			<h1 lang='en'>Following elements inherit page language - hover to view CSS :lang()</h1>

			<p>garage</p>
			<p>double</p>
			<p>dame</p>
			<div></div>
		</body>
		</html>

Reliability Trend

This graph shows reliability over time for this code in NVDA, JAWS and Voiceover. Other screen readers don't have enough historical data yet to plot trends.

Change History

Last updated: November 26, 2024

NVDA with Chrome Stable - OK from NVDA 2022.2 to NVDA 2024.4
NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2022.2 to NVDA 2024.4
JAWS with Chrome Stable - OK from JAWS 2022.2207.25 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
JAWS with FF Stable - OK from JAWS 2022.2207.25 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 12.5 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 15.6 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7

Screen reader	Browser	Mode	Notes	What the user hears
NVDA 2024.4	Chrome 131	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2024.4	FF 128	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2024.4	Edge 131	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2023.3	Chrome 120	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2023.3	FF 115	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2023.3	Edge 120	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2022.2	Chrome 105	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2022.2	FF 102	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
NVDA 2022.2	Edge 105	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2024.2409.2	Chrome 131	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2024.2409.2	FF 128	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2024.2409.2	Edge 131	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2023.2311.34	Chrome 120	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2023.2311.34	FF 115	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2023.2311.34	Edge 120	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Chrome 105	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	FF 102	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Edge 105	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver macOS 14.6	Safari 17.6	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver macOS 13.6	Safari 16.6	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver macOS 12.5	Safari 15.6	Reading	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver iOS 17.7	Safari iOS 17.7	Touch	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver iOS 16.6	Safari iOS 16.6	Touch	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.
VoiceOver iOS 15.6	Safari iOS 15.6	Touch	Speech pronounced as lang=fr, and CSS matches :lang(fr).	Ga-raj. Doo-ble. Damm. Un, deux, trois.

SortSite rules: AccPageLangMissing AccPhraseLangMissing

Test notes

All tests were carried out with screen reader factory settings. JAWS in particular has a wide variety of settings controlling exactly what gets spoken.

Screen readers allow users to interact in different modes, and can produce very different results in each mode. The modes used in these tests are:

Reading Content read using the “read next” command in a screen reader
Tabbing Content read using the “tab” key in a screen reader
Heading Content read using the “next heading” key in a screen reader
Touch Content read when touching an area of screen on a mobile device

In the “What the user hears” column:

Commas represent short pauses in screen reader voicing
Full Stops represent places where voicing stops, and the “read next” or “tab” or “next heading” command is pressed again
Ellipsis … represent a long pause in voicing
(Brackets) represent voicing that requires a keystroke to hear

text/html page with mismatching lang and xml:lang on the html element Screen reader compatibility

Reliability Trend

Change History

Test notes

`text/html` page with mismatching `lang` and `xml:lang` on the `html` element Screen reader compatibility