Top-level Element: <language>
| Element | <language> |
|---|---|
| Definition | The language in which the content of a resource is expressed. |
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Linking: ID; IDREF; altRepGroup Miscellaneous: displayLabel; usage Specific: objectPart |
| Subelements | <languageTerm> <scriptTerm> |
| Examples | EXAMPLES |
| Mappings | MAPPINGS |
Guidelines for Use
<language> is a container element; the actual language values are recorded in the subelement <languageTerm>.
<language> should not be confused with the subelement <languageOfCataloging> under <recordInfo> used for describing the language of the metadata. These guidelines for <language> (including attribute and subelement descriptions) pertain also to <languageOfCataloging> except where noted.
If the content of the resource is in more than one language, the <language> element is repeated. In that case the objectPart attribute for <language> may be used in one or more instances to indicate a particular part of the resource to which the language pertains. (Not applicable to <languageOfCataloging>.)
(<language> should not be confused with the xml:lang and/or lang attributes which may be used with any MODS element to designate the language of the value of the element; see the section on language in Common Attributes Used Throughout the MODS Schema for more information.)
Resources such as textual resources, as well as audio and video resources with spoken word components should include <language>. The <language> element is optional for resources in which language may be important for understanding the resource, but is not primary. For example, the caption of a photograph may in some instances be important to understanding the photograph, but not primary. Whether to include a <language> element based on the language's importance or primacy is left to the cataloger's discretion.
Specific Attribute Information
objectPart
Subelement: <languageTerm>
| Definition | Contains the textual or coded form for the language of the content of the resource (or of the cataloging, in the case of <languageOfCataloging>). |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Authority: authority; authorityURI; valueURI Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Internal Linking: altRepGroup Specific: type |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
If expressed in coded form, the source of the code is contained in the value of the authority attribute. If no authority is given, it is assumed that the content is textual.
If there is more than one representation of the same language, e.g. using different forms of the same language (code or text) or from different authorities, <languageTerm> is repeated within the <language> container.
Specific Attribute Information
type
- text – This value is used to express language in a textual form.
- code – This value is used to express language in a coded form.
Subelement <scriptTerm>
| Definition | Contains the script(s) of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Authority: authority; authorityURI; valueURI Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Specific: type |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<scriptTerm> may be expressed in textual or coded form.
If in coded form, the source of the code is contained in the value of the authority attribute. If no authority is given, it is assumed that the element content is textual.
If in coded form, the source of the code is the value of the authority or authorityURI attribute. Record the name or URI of the authoritative list used, if applicable, e.g. authority="iso15924", or authorityURI=”http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/mscript”. The Library of Congress maintains an online listing: Script Code and Term Source Codes.
<language> (or <languageOfCataloging>) is a wrapper for both <languageTerm> and <scriptTerm>. Multiple <languageTerm> instances within a single <language> (or <languageOfCataloging>) instance is interpreted to indicate the same language using different terms; to supply multiple languages, multiple <language> (or <languageOfCataloging>) instances are supplied. A similar mechanism is used for scripts and script terms: Multiple <scriptTerm> instances within a single <language> (or <languageOfCataloging>) instance is interpreted to indicate the same script using different terms; to supply multiple scripts, multiple <language> (or <languageOfCataloging>) instances are supplied, one for each script, and each repeating the language terms applicable for that script.
Specific Attribute Information
type
- text – This value is used to express script in a textual form.
- code – This value is used to express script in a coded form.
EXAMPLES
<languageTerm type="code" authority="iso639-2b">fre</languageTerm>
An XSLT stylesheet could be applied to transform this code to:
Language: French
<languageTerm type="code" objectPart="caption" authority="iso639-2b">eng</languageTerm>
This resource is a Persian/English dictionary:
This resource contains both English and French text:
<language>
This resource contains text in Egyptian Arabic, which is coded as an individual language in ISO 639-3:
<language>
This resource contains text in Navajo:
This record gives the language of the resource in two languages and a code and also indicates the script of the resource:
MAPPINGS
MARC Mapping (Bibliographic)
See MARC Mapping to MODS for the <language> element.
Dublin Core Mapping
See MODS to Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Mapping.
Last Updated: October 31, 2022