B.6 Element-by-element recommendations for translators: Base edition

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

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)

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