Re: [EXTERNAL] [jats-list] Title language in multilingual documents

["Lizzi, Vincent vincent.lizzi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Chiara,

Welcome to JATS-List!

What version of JATS are you using? In JATS version 1.4 several new features
were added to support multilingual documents.  Here are links to documents
that describe these features:


  *
JATS Tag Library: Multiple Languages/scripts
https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/archiving/tag-library/1.4/chapter/tag-multi-lang-art
icles.html
  *
Tagging multi-lingual documents in JATS 1.4: Some Examples
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611124/
  *
What's New in JATS 1.4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK611601/
  *
Improving JATS for multilingual articles
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK579699/

These features are not yet available in BITS. I can't say for certain, but
it's possible that similar features will be added to the next version of
BITS.

The language code "mul" is available to indicate "multiple languages".
However, browsers and other systems may treat "mul" the same as a missing
language tag so using "mul" is discouraged by some accessibility guides. It's
better to choose one language code to use in the xml:lang on the root element
of a document and then add xml:lang attributes within the document to identify
where the language changes.

For example, in BITS 2.1, you can set the language code value on the root
element <book xml:lang="..."> to identify the language primarily used in the
metadata and content, and then use <trans-title-group xml:lang="..."> for each
title that is in a different language.

Kind regards,
Vincent


_____________________________________________

Vincent M. Lizzi

Head of Information Standards | Taylor & Francis Group

vincent.lizzi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:vincent.lizzi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Time zone: US Eastern

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________________________________
From: Chandi Perera cperera@xxxxxxxxxx
<jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2025 10:09 AM
To: jats-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <jats-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] [jats-list] Title language in multilingual documents


Hi Chiara,

  For the translated titles have you considered using the <trans-title-group>
and <trans-title>  see
https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/extensions/bits/tag-library/2.0/element/trans-title.
html<https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/extensions/bits/tag-library/2.0/element/trans-t
itle.html>



This way your primary publication language will be the <title> and
translations will be in <trans-title>.  If it is a multi-lingual publication,
it is an editorial policy decision on what becomes the <title> vs. the
<trans-title>



Chandi



From: Chiara Del Vescovo
chiara.delvescovo@xxxxxxx<mailto:chiara.delvescovo@xxxxxxx>
<jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxx
errytech.com>>
Sent: Tuesday, 16 September 2025 3:59 PM
To: jats-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:jats-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [jats-list] Title language in multilingual documents



Hi all,

I'm a first-time poster, relatively new to JATS and BITS. I searched in the
archive, but the most relevant result is
https://www.biglist.com/lists/lists.mulberrytech.com/jats-list/archives/20220
5/msg00009.html<https://www.biglist.com/lists/lists.mulberrytech.com/jats-lis
t/archives/202205/msg00009.html> which doesn't completely address my
concerns.

At OUP, we're implementing multilingual documents to comply with the European
Accessibility Act, that aims to remove barriers and ensure equal access to
people with disabilities. One of the requirements is to allow screen readers
to use the correct pronunciation for words in any languages. However, in BITS
2.1 there are elements that don't allow for an xml:lang attribute (e.g.
<title> and related elements), and that in theory inherit the original
language of the document (see
https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/extensions/bits/tag-library/2.1/element/title.html<h
ttps://jats.nlm.nih.gov/extensions/bits/tag-library/2.1/element/title.html>).
The question here is: how can we determine the language of a title when the
language attribute is "mul"?