# Using the “meta” element to specify the document-wide default language is obsolete. Consider specifying the language on the root element instead.
> Canonical HTML version: https://rocketvalidator.com/html-validation/using-the-meta-element-to-specify-the-document-wide-default-language-is-obsolete-consider-specifying-the-language-on-the-root-element-instead
> Attribution: Rocket Validator (https://rocketvalidator.com)
> License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
In older HTML practices, developers sometimes used `` inside the `` to declare the document's primary language. The HTML living standard now marks this as obsolete because it was an unreliable and indirect way to communicate language information. It attempted to mirror an HTTP header rather than being a true part of the document structure, and its behavior was inconsistently implemented across browsers.
The `lang` attribute on the `` element is the correct modern approach. It directly associates the language with the document's DOM tree, which has several important benefits:
- **Accessibility:** Screen readers rely on the `lang` attribute to select the correct pronunciation rules and voice profile. Without it, assistive technology may mispronounce content or fall back to a default language that doesn't match the text.
- **Browser behavior:** Browsers use the `lang` attribute to make decisions about hyphenation, font selection, quotation mark styling, spell-checking, and other language-sensitive rendering.
- **Search engines:** Declaring the language helps search engines index and serve content to the appropriate audience.
- **CSS targeting:** The `:lang()` pseudo-class selector works based on the `lang` attribute, enabling language-specific styling.
The `lang` attribute also supports granular, element-level language declarations. If your page is primarily in English but contains a French quote, you can set `lang="fr"` on that specific element — something the `` approach could never do.
## Examples
### Incorrect: using the obsolete meta tag
This triggers the W3C validation warning because `` is obsolete for specifying the document language.
```html
My Page
Hello, world!
```
### Correct: using the `lang` attribute on ``
Remove the `` tag and add the `lang` attribute to the `` element instead.
```html
My Page
Hello, world!
```
### Correct: mixed-language content
Use the `lang` attribute on the root element for the primary language, then override it on specific elements as needed.
```html
Multilingual Page
The French word for hello is bonjour.
Die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt.
```
## Common language codes
Use a valid [BCP 47 language tag](https://www.iana.org/assignments/language-subtag-registry/language-subtag-registry) as the value of the `lang` attribute. Here are some frequently used codes:
| Code | Language |
|------|----------|
| `en` | English |
| `fr` | French |
| `de` | German |
| `es` | Spanish |
| `pt-BR` | Brazilian Portuguese |
| `zh-Hans` | Simplified Chinese |
| `ja` | Japanese |
The fix is straightforward: remove any `` tags from your `` and ensure your `` element includes a `lang` attribute with the appropriate language code. This single change resolves the validation warning while improving your document's accessibility, rendering, and standards compliance.