Must I insert langusge tags?

**vad111** · Dec 15, 2008, 14:03

I have 2 landing pages in Russian and Hebrew in the blog that is totally in English.
Should I insert some language tags in to the HTML page?
If yes, what tags and where?
Thanks,
Vadim

**fredda** · Dec 15, 2008, 14:30

I usually use the html lang attribute.

Code:

<html lang="en">

**vad111** · Dec 15, 2008, 15:08

My page starts like this:

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head profile="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>שירות, תיקונים ותחזוקת מחשבים בתל אביב, ישראל</title>

Should I insert it into the first line like that:
<html lang="he" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The page is here:
http://repairpcguide.com/pc-repair-service/he/

Thanks,
Vadim

**fredda** · Dec 15, 2008, 15:14

Yep correct. If the whole page is in Hebrew, otherwise you can use the lang attribute on other elements as well.

More info: http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/struct/dirlang.html

**Dan Schulz** · Dec 15, 2008, 23:23

In your case, you should use both the lang and xmllang attributes in your HTML opening tag along with the META content language tag.

HTML Code:

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="iw" xml:lang="iw">

HTML Code:

<meta http-equiv="content-language" content="iw" />

For the sections of the page that have English (like your search form), add the lang="en" attribute. I also recommend you remove the Wordpress generator tag from your header.php file as well - you don't want scripts sniffing to see what version of WordPress you're using and then hacking into it.

**vad111** · Dec 16, 2008, 01:50

Originally Posted by Dan Schulz

In your case, you should use both the lang and xmllang attributes in your HTML opening tag along with the META content language tag.

HTML Code:

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="iw" xml:lang="iw">

HTML Code:

<meta http-equiv="content-language" content="iw" />

Dan thanks a lot, it was of great help!
But isn't "IW" obsolete?
Nowadays Hebrew language use "HE" attribute, isn't it?

For the sections of the page that have English (like your search form), add the lang="en" attribute. I also recommend you remove the Wordpress generator tag from your header.php file as well - you don't want scripts sniffing to see what version of WordPress you're using and then hacking into it.

Regarding contact form where exactly should I insert it? Should it be like this:
<a lang="en" href="/contact-us/" target="_blank">או שלח אי-מייל </a>

Thanks again
Vadim

**Dan Schulz** · Dec 16, 2008, 02:02

The SitePoint Reference has IW as the current listing. If HE is now being used, then by all means go ahead and use it.

The attribute would be put in the the tag that has the English content on it.