Add xml:lang to ePub

abraum · 06-23-2021, 10:58 AM

Hi,

since a few days i use reasily instead of moon+reader. Reasily support "custom css" where i can add my own css code. here is an example for breaking words: https://reasily.blogspot.com/2018/10...h-hyphens.html

But this doesn't work for my perhaps because of wrong or missing "xml:lang"? where can i add this to the epub? The first line in all xhtml files is

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

can i add it in this line?

KevinH · 06-23-2021, 11:06 AM

Typically you add it to the html tag

abraum · 06-23-2021, 11:20 AM

In each HTML file?

Can you give an example?

KevinH · 06-23-2021, 01:21 PM

Yes on each html file. Add it as an attribute to the html tag.

Code:

xml:lang="en"

See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB

for a specific example.

It also pays to set your dc:language metadata to the primary language of your epub.

hobnail · 06-23-2021, 02:58 PM

My suggestion would be to use sigil to edit your epubs. There's a forum here for it that also has instructions for downloading it. Sigil has a plugin called access-aide; one click with it and adds the xml:lang line to all of your book's files that need it.

Tex2002ans · 06-23-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraum

But this doesn't work for my perhaps because of wrong or missing "xml:lang"? where can i add this to the epub?

1. Which language is your book?

You use this information to figure out which codes to use. For example:

en = English
de = German
fr = French
es = Spanish

2. You go into your chapters and add a:

Code:

lang="en" xml:lang="en"

to your <html>. So, if this is the original:

Code:

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

you change it to:

Code:

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

This now says: "Hey, all the HTML inside of here is English."

3. Go into your EPUB's metadata and make sure the language is correct too.

In Sigil, you get there by Tools > Metadata Editor.

You should see a Language or dc:language column:

Code:

Language   |   en

This is saying: "Hey, this entire book is English"!

4. To double-check the languages are all applied correctly, you can also use Sigil's/Calibre's Spellcheck Lists.

In Sigil, press Tools > Spellcheck > Spellcheck.

In Calibre, press Tools > Check Spelling.

This will pop up a list of all Words + # of Times Used + Language.

abraum · 06-23-2021, 04:14 PM

OK, this works when i use 'de' but not with 'de-DE'. This is what a user wrote in the reasily faq.

Thanks.

KevinH · 06-23-2021, 04:14 PM

Aside:
Technically for epub2, according to the official spec only xml:lang is a legal attribute of the html tag as lang was not enabled until epub3/html5. If both are present xml:lang takes precedence.

abraum · 06-24-2021, 05:13 AM

is it possible to add more then one language so that breaking words works for english and german?

DNSB · 06-24-2021, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraum

is it possible to add more then one language so that breaking words works for english and german?

You can't set two languages at the html level ( <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops" xml:lang="de" xml:lang="en" lang="de" lang="en"> ) since this will trigger an already specified error. What you can do is to wrap the minority language segments in <span>s with the language tags though if that will help with hyphenation is outside my knowledge.

Tex2002ans · 06-24-2021, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraum

is it possible to add more then one language so that breaking words works for english and german?

Yes. You just have to mark the languages properly:

Code:

<p>An English phrase is: Thank you for the tacos.</p>

<p>A German phrase is: <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Danke für die tacos</span>.</p>

<p>A Spanish phrase is: <span lang="es" xml:lang="es">Gracias por los tacos</span>.</p>

For more information/tips, I recently wrote a detailed tutorial here:

"Japanese characters not showing up on some devices"

If you mark your code properly, Multi-Language Hyphenation should work in a properly designed reader.

But actual ereader support? Unsure.

I know that Kobo allows multiple hyphenation dictionaries... but I don't know if it does hyphenation at the book- or word-level.

Note: I know Multi-Language Hyphenation definitely works in LaTeX + Word/LibreOffice.

Other Advantages of Language Markup

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

TTS will know how to speak certain words. For example:

"tacos" in English =/= the way "tacos" is spoken in Spanish.

Again, unsure of actual ereaders that support multi-language TTS... but on the computer, there's actual screen readers where it works: JAWS + NVDA.

Multi-Language Spellchecking

The little red squigglies will be correct.

Here's a little trick I use to help mass mark "foreign words":

"Is there a way to use the selection in a Saved Search?" (Post #29)

Sigil recently added Multi-Language Spellchecking, so the same methods can now apply.

Auto-Translation

Think Google Translate. If it knows "Danke für die tacos" is German, it may be able to auto-translate that on the fly.

I know that PocketBook Reader (Android) has support for this. (Although I haven't tested it out in-depth yet.)

Dictionary

You know how you can press+hold a word to get a definition?

"die" in English =/= "die" (the) in German.

so this sentence:

"Danke für die tacos"

would need a German->English dictionary!

Tex2002ans · 06-25-2021, 06:06 PM

Notjohn brought up Welsh hyphenation in another thread. I answered that there.

06-23-2021, 10:58 AM	#1
abraum Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Tablet	Add xml:lang to ePub Hi, since a few days i use reasily instead of moon+reader. Reasily support "custom css" where i can add my own css code. here is an example for breaking words: https://reasily.blogspot.com/2018/10...h-hyphens.html But this doesn't work for my perhaps because of wrong or missing "xml:lang"? where can i add this to the epub? The first line in all xhtml files is Code: <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?> can i add it in this line?

06-23-2021, 01:21 PM	#4
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,871 Karma: 5449552 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Yes on each html file. Add it as an attribute to the html tag. Code: xml:lang="en" See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB for a specific example. It also pays to set your dc:language metadata to the primary language of your epub. Last edited by KevinH; 06-23-2021 at 01:27 PM.

06-25-2021, 06:06 PM	#12
Tex2002ans Wizard Posts: 2,297 Karma: 12126329 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Kobo Forma, Nook	Notjohn brought up Welsh hyphenation in another thread. I answered that there. Last edited by Tex2002ans; 06-25-2021 at 06:06 PM. Reason: Whoops. Wrong thread.

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06-23-2021, 11:06 AM	#2
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,871 Karma: 5449552 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	Typically you add it to the html tag

06-23-2021, 11:20 AM	#3
abraum Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Tablet	In each HTML file? Can you give an example?

06-23-2021, 02:58 PM	#5
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,552 Karma: 14325282 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	My suggestion would be to use sigil to edit your epubs. There's a forum here for it that also has instructions for downloading it. Sigil has a plugin called access-aide; one click with it and adds the xml:lang line to all of your book's files that need it.

06-23-2021, 04:14 PM	#7
abraum Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Tablet	OK, this works when i use 'de' but not with 'de-DE'. This is what a user wrote in the reasily faq. Thanks.

06-24-2021, 05:13 AM	#9
abraum Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2020 Device: Tablet	is it possible to add more then one language so that breaking words works for english and german?

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