Element-by-element recommendations for translators: Base edition

Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) Version 1.3 Part 2: Technical Content Edition

Document
Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) Version 1.3 Part 2: Technical Content Edition
Version
1.3
Author
OASIS DITA Technical Committee

This topic contains a list of all OASIS DITA elements that are available in the edition. It includes recommendations on how to present the element type to translators, whether the element contents are likely to be suitable for translation, and whether the element has attributes whose values are likely to be suitable for translation. Examples of content that is not suitable for translation include code fragments and mailing addresses.

Since the distinction between block and inline elements is ultimately controlled by the container of the element and the processing associated with it, the same element might be a block in one context and an inline element in another. Specializing document types might vary this behavior according to the needs of the document type being created, and the distinctions given below are provided only as a guide to known behavior with the base DITA document types.

Notes on the tables below

  • For specializations, the second column gives the ancestor element, and the third column gives a quick yes/no guide to indicate whether all behavior is inherited. If something is not inherited, the change will appear in bold.
  • For any specialization not listed below, the suggested default is to fall back to the closest listed ancestor.
  • The block/inline presentation column indicates whether the element is formatted as a single block.
  • The block/inline translation column indicates whether the element represents a complete translatable segment. For example, the element cmd is presented inline with other elements, but represents a complete translation segment.
  • Items marked as block*** are blocks on their own, but might appear in the middle of a segment. They should not break the flow of the current segment. These are considered "subflow" elements for translation. We recommend that, when possible, these elements should only be placed at sentence boundaries to aid in translation.
  • For all elements, the translate attribute will override the suggested default translation setting. So, a translation setting of "yes" or "no" in the table below does not guarantee that an element will always, or never, be translated.
  • If an element has translatable attributes, they are listed in the last column. Note that the spectitle and specentry attributes are described with a footnote.
  • The keyword element (as well as specializations of keyword) is an inline, phrase-like element when it appears in the body of a document. It can also appear in the keywords element in topicmeta (for maps) or in the prolog (for topic). When it appears in the keywords element, each keyword represents an individual segment, and is not part of a larger segment; in that location, keyword can be considered a "subflow" element.

topic elements

Element name Specialized from Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
abstract N/A block block yes  
alt 5 N/A block***1 block yes  
audience N/A block (metadata) block yes  
author N/A block (metadata) block yes  
body N/A block block yes  
bodydiv (new in DITA 1.2) N/A block block yes  
boolean N/A inline inline n/a  
brand N/A block (metadata) block yes  
category N/A block (metadata) block yes  
cite N/A inline inline yes  
colspec N/A n/a n/a n/a  
component N/A block (metadata) block yes  
copyrholder N/A block (metadata) block yes  
copyright N/A block (metadata) block yes  
copyryear N/A block (metadata) block yes  
created N/A block (metadata) block yes  
critdates N/A block (metadata) block yes  
data N/A N/A (metadata) block no (likely to change for some specializations)  
data-about N/A N/A (metadata) block no  
dd N/A block block yes  
ddhd N/A block block yes  
desc N/A block block yes  
div (new in DITA 1.3) N/A block block yes  
dl N/A block block yes spectitle2
dlentry N/A block block yes  
dlhead N/A block block yes  
draft-comment N/A block***1 block no  
dt N/A block block yes  
dthd N/A block block yes  
entry N/A block block yes  
example N/A block block yes spectitle2
featnum N/A block (metadata) block yes  
fig N/A block block yes spectitle2
figgroup N/A block block yes  
fn N/A block***1 block yes  
foreign 7 N/A block3 block3 no4  
image N/A block when placement= break, otherwise inline block when placement= break, otherwise inline yes alt5
index-base N/A block***1 block yes  
index-sort-as (new in DITA 1.2) N/A block***1 block yes  
indexterm N/A block***1 block yes  
indextermref N/A inline n/a n/a  
itemgroup N/A inline inline yes  
keyword N/A inline inline (except when within keywords – see note above the table) yes  
keywords N/A block block yes  
li N/A block block yes  
lines N/A block block yes spectitle2
link N/A block block yes  
linkinfo N/A block block yes  
linklist N/A block block yes spectitle2
linkpool N/A block block yes  
linktext N/A block block yes  
lq N/A block block yes reftitle
metadata N/A block (metadata) block yes  
navtitle N/A block block yes  
no-topic-nesting N/A n/a n/a n/a  
note N/A block block yes othertype, spectitle2
object N/A block block yes standby
ol N/A block block yes spectitle2
othermeta N/A block (metadata) block yes content
p N/A block block yes  
param N/A block block n/a  
permissions N/A block (metadata) block yes  
ph N/A inline inline yes  
platform N/A block (metadata) block yes  
pre N/A block block yes spectitle2
prodinfo N/A block (metadata) block yes  
prodname N/A block (metadata) block yes  
prognum N/A block (metadata) block yes  
prolog N/A block (metadata) block yes  
publisher N/A block (metadata) block yes  
q N/A inline inline yes  
related-links N/A block block yes  
required-cleanup N/A block***1 block no  
resourceid N/A block (metadata) block yes  
revised N/A block (metadata) block yes  
row N/A block block yes  
searchtitle N/A block block yes  
section N/A block block yes spectitle2
sectiondiv (new in DITA 1.2) N/A block block yes  
series N/A block (metadata) block yes  
shortdesc N/A block block yes  
simpletable N/A block block yes spectitle2
sl N/A block block yes spectitle2
sli N/A block block yes  
source N/A block (metadata) block yes  
state N/A inline inline yes value
stentry N/A block block yes specentry2
sthead N/A block block yes  
strow N/A block block yes  
table N/A block block yes  
tbody N/A block block yes  
term N/A inline inline yes  
text (new in DITA 1.2) N/A inline inline yes  
tgroup N/A block block yes  
thead N/A block block yes  
title N/A block block yes  
titlealts N/A block block yes  
tm N/A inline inline yes  
topic N/A block block yes  
ul N/A block block yes spectitle2
unknown (new in DITA 1.1) N/A block block no  
vrm N/A block (metadata) block yes  
vrmlist N/A block (metadata) block yes  
xref N/A inline inline yes  

map elements

As of DITA 1.2, the navtitle attribute is deprecated, for translation purposes, in favor of the new navtitle element. The navtitle element is also available in topics, and is included in the topic table above.

Element name Specialized from Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
anchor N/A n/a n/a n/a  
linktext N/A block block yes  
map N/A block block yes title 8
navref N/A n/a n/a n/a  
relcell N/A block block yes  
relcolspec N/A block block yes  
relheader N/A block block yes  
relrow N/A block block yes  
reltable N/A block block yes  
searchtitle N/A block block yes  
shortdesc N/A block block yes  
topicmeta N/A block block yes  
topicref N/A block block yes navtitle
ux-window N/A N/A (empty) N/A (empty) no  

hi-d elements (highlight domain)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
b ph yes inline inline yes  
line-through (new in DITA 1.3) yes inline inline yes  
i ph yes inline inline yes  
overline (new in DITA 1.3) ph yes inline inline yes  
sub ph yes inline inline yes  
sup ph yes inline inline yes  
tt ph yes inline inline yes  
u ph yes inline inline yes  

indexing-d elements (indexing domain) (new in DITA 1.1)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
index-see index-base yes block***1 block yes  
index-see-also index-base yes block***1 block yes  
index-sort-as index-base yes block***1 block yes  

ut-d elements (Utilities domain)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
area figgroup yes block block yes  
coords ph NO inline inline no  
imagemap fig yes block block yes (can contain translatable alternate text) spectitle2
shape keyword NO inline inline no  
sort-as (new in DITA 1.3) data NO block***1 block yes  

mapgroup-d elements (mapgroup domain)

As of DITA 1.2, the navtitle attribute is deprecated, for translation purposes, in favor of the new navtitle element.

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
anchorref (new in DITA 1.2) topicref yes block block yes navtitle
keydef (new in DITA 1.2) topicref yes block block yes navtitle
mapref (new in DITA 1.2) topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicgroup topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topichead topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicset (new in DITA 1.2) topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicsetref (new in DITA 1.2) topicref yes block block yes navtitle

ditavalref-d elements (ditavalref domain) (new in DITA 1.3)

The navtitle attribute is deprecated, for translation purposes, in favor of the navtitle element.

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
ditavalmeta topicmeta yes block block yes  
ditavalref topicref yes block block yes navtitle
dvrKeyscopePrefix data yes N/A (metadata) block no  
dvrKeyscopeSuffix data yes N/A (metadata) block no  
dvrResourcePrefix data yes N/A (metadata) block no  
dvrResourceSuffix data yes N/A (metadata) block no  

Delayed Conref Resolution domain elements (new in DITA 1.2)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
anchorid keyword no N/A (metadata) n/a no  
anchorkey keyword no N/A (metadata) n/a no  
exportanchors keywords no N/A (metadata) n/a no  

Hazard Statement Domain (new in DITA 1.2)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
consequence li yes block block yes  
hazardstatement note yes block block yes othertype, spectitle2
hazardsymbol image yes block when placement= break, otherwise inline block when placement= break, otherwise inline yes removes alt
howtoavoid li yes block block yes  
messagepanel ul yes block block yes spectitle2
typeofhazard li yes block block yes  

classification domain elements (new in DITA 1.2)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
subjectCell relcell yes block block yes  
subjectref topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicapply topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicCell relcell yes block block yes  
topicsubject topicref yes block block yes navtitle
topicSubjectHeader relrow yes block block yes  
topicSubjectRow relrow yes block block yes  
topicSubjectTable reltable yes block block yes  

subject scheme elements (new in DITA 1.2)

Element name Specialized from Inherits everything from ancestor? Block/Inline (presentation) Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content? Translatable attributes?
attributedef data yes N/A (metadata block no  
defaultSubject topicref yes block block yes navtitle
elementdef data yes N/A (metadata) block no  
enumerationdef topicref yes block block yes navtitle
hasInstance topicref yes block block yes navtitle
hasKind topicref yes block block yes navtitle
hasNarrower topicref yes block block yes navtitle
hasPart topicref yes block block yes navtitle
hasRelated topicref yes block block yes navtitle
relatedSubjects topicref yes block block yes navtitle
subjectdef topicref yes block block yes navtitle
subjectHead topicref yes block block yes navtitle
subjectHeadMeta topicmeta yes block block yes  
schemeref topicref yes block block yes navtitle
subjectRel relrow yes block block yes  
subjectRelHeader relrow yes block block yes  
subjectRelTable reltable yes block block yes  
subjectRole relcell yes block block yes  
subjectScheme map yes block block yes removes title

DITAVAL elements

The DITAVAL elements are not specialized, and are not rendered on their own, so related columns are dropped from this table. There are no translatable attributes in the DITAVAL element set.

As of DITA 1.2, the only element that directly contains text for translation is alt-text.

Element name Block/Inline (translation) Translatable content?
alt-text block yes
endflag block yes (inside nested elements)
prop block yes (inside nested elements)
revprop block yes (inside nested elements)
startflag block yes (inside nested elements)
style-conflict block N/A (empty element)
val block yes (inside nested elements)
1 This element is considered a "subflow" element for translation. If it is located in the middle of a translation segment, it should not be translated as part of that segment. For example, indexterm, fn, and draft-comment might divide a sentence in two, but should be treated as blocks, and should not interrupt the sentence.
2 The spectitle and specentry attributes can contain translatable text. The direct use of fixed-in-the-DTD text by tools is discouraged, in favor of using the value as a lookup string to find the translation outside of the file, using accepted localization methods for generated text.
3 The block vs. inline designation for the foreign element is likely to change for some specializations.
4 The desc, object, and image elements inside foreign should still be translatable; they provide an alternative display if the foreign content cannot be processed.
5 The use of the alt attribute is deprecated in favor of the alt element.
6 The desc, object, and image elements inside foreign should still be translatable; they provide an alternative display if the foreign content cannot be processed.
7 The block vs. inline designation for the foreign element is likely to change for some specializations.
8 (deprecated as of DITA 1.2 for translation purposes)