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Error - Language missing or invalid

  • WAVE Category: Error
  • WAVE Error: Language missing or invalid

Page Content Status

  • WAVE Error guidance text
  • Example of a DOM Snippet Generated From WAVE Tool
  • Project Team Error guidance
    • Project Team Page Details
    • Project Team Issue and PR details
    • Project Team Solution
  • Credits/Authors

WAVE Guidance

WAVE Tool's Reference material on Language missing or invalid may not specifically address your problem. We provide it here for optional reading.

Click to see WAVE Tool Reference

This content added 2026-04-09. Check for updated guidance at: https://wave.webaim.org/api/docs?format=html#language_missing

WAVE Category

Errors

WAVE Error

Language missing or invalid

What It Means

The language of the document is not identified or a lang attribute value is invalid.

Why It Matters

Identifying the language of the page or page elements allows screen readers to read the content in the appropriate language. It also facilitates automatic translation of content.

What To Do

Identify the document language using the <html lang> attribute with a valid value (e.g., <html lang="en">). Ensure that all lang attribute values are valid.

The Algorithm... in English

The <html lang> attribute is missing or is empty, or a lang attribute value is not a valid language identifier.

Standards and Guidelines

Example of a DOM Snippet Generated From WAVE Tool

[HTML snippet showing the problematic code structure that WAVE detected]

Project Team Error guidance

The following material covers how the Project Team has provided a solution to the Language missing or invalid WAVE Error.

Project Page Details

  • Project Page name: [INSERT PAGE NAME or "ALL"]
  • Project Dev URL: [INSERT URL or "N/A"]
  • Requires sign in: [TRUE OR FALSE]
    • Required User Role: [INSERT ONE OF: Visitor, Logged in user, Admin, Security Admin]
    • Can access page directly from URL: [TRUE OR FALSE]
    • Accepts URL parameters: [TRUE OR FALSE]

Project Team Issue and PR details

  • Related GitHub Issue(s):
    • [INSERT ISSUE URL]
  • Related Pull Request(s):
    • [INSERT PR URL]
  • React Component(s)
    • [INSERT PATH: e.g. path/to/Component.jsx]

Project Team Solution

What is the specific problem that was occurring?

[INSERT CONTENT]

What is the proposed solution to this problem?

[INSERT CONTENT]

Step-By-Step Guide

Click to see step-by-step guide

[ADD DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS HERE]

Other Technical Details

Click to see other technical details

[INSERT OTHER DETAILS e.g. Prop References, Return Value ]

Code Snippet With Solution

Click to see code snippets

[INSERT PATH file/path/to/Snippet.jsx]

[Code example showing the fix/solution]

Why the Fix Works

[INSERT CONTENT]

Where this solution is applicable

  • [INSERT SCENARIO 1]
  • [INSERT SCENARIO 2]
  • [INSERT SCENARIO N]

Screenshots of WAVE Error

1. Descriptive Title for Screenshot Set 1

Description/text for image

[INSERT IMAGE HERE]

Credits/Authors

  • @MissBrandyLea
  • [INCLUDE Contributor 2]
  • [INCLUDE Contributor N]