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Re: hreflang underestimated?

for

From: wolfgang.berndorfer@zweiterblick.at
Date: Feb 21, 2022 9:43AM

Hi Patrick,
I stumbled over the attribute in a .css, which was something like:
a[hreflang="en"] {
background-image: url('english_icon.png');
padding-left: 30px;
…
}

Then I tested with SR and wondered, why the attribute was ignored.
So, the oddness was the other way round.

A visual hint might be a choice for browsers.
But an interpretation for SR-users is a duty of the SR. “Link *German* Oh wie schön ist Panama”
Compare *required*: It is announced by SR but needs a work around for sighted people.
That's no argument against SR interpretation.

Wolfgang

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Patrick H. Lauke
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2022 4:53 PM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] hreflang underestimated?

On 21/02/2022 15:01, <EMAIL REMOVED> wrote:
> SR seem to ignore the html attribute *hreflang*. (Tested JAWS and
> NVDA)
>
>
>
> hreflang gives a hint to the language of the resource in a link.
>
> https://html.spec.whatwg.org/#attr-hyperlink-hreflang
>
>
>
> IMO this hint would be small and fine for SR too:
>
> * Get immediate info, not frustration after clicking. (--> link
> purpose)
> * Get globally the same info, not depending on work arounds.

Note that it would be odd in this case to have SR users get more useful info than non-SR users, as this could potentially benefit all users in general, users with cognitive disabilities, etc.

> What do UAAG require from AT? Support each html attribute?

No, not really. See https://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG20/

Also, anecdotally, browser/AT companies don't really care much about UAAG (and as there's no legal or legal-adjacent mandate for them to follow it per se, the same way that WCAG has been included/referenced by various pieces of legislation, they have little incentive to)

> What do you think about the relevance for users?

I think it would be a nice little piece of information for the browser to surface to all users (not just SR users). But its real-world usage is so low that I doubt they'll invest much time in implementing anything.
Chicken and egg. Might be relegated to something like a browser extension.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

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