Accessibility Testing Lab home
Accessibility Testing LabA hands-on environment for practising accessibility testing

Testing language changes with a screen reader

Check whether content in another language triggers appropriate pronunciation without redundant language markup.

What this method tests

This method checks whether changes in the human language of content are exposed so assistive technology can apply suitable pronunciation rules.

What you need

Use a screen reader with a voice installed for every language in the test content. Confirm that automatic language switching is enabled when the product provides that setting.

How to perform the test

  1. Confirm the page’s default language and listen to content in that language.
  2. Navigate to a passage written in another language.
  3. Listen for a change in voice or pronunciation rules at the language boundary.
  4. Continue into nested elements such as links and confirm that they inherit the surrounding language.
  5. Inspect the markup if pronunciation does not change.
  6. Before reporting a markup failure, verify the installed voices, screen-reader settings, and browser support.

What to observe

Listen for pronunciation that follows the wrong language, switches too early or too late, or changes unexpectedly inside nested content.

Demonstration

Language inherited by a nested link

The paragraph declares French. The link inherits the language from its parent, so a configured screen reader should pronounce both using its French voice.

Voici un exemple en français avec un lien vers une ressource utile.

Language repeated on a nested element

This also works, but the link's language declaration is redundant because it already inherits French from the paragraph.

Voici un autre exemple en français avec un lien vers une ressource utile.

Interpreting the results

  • Correctly marked content should use the pronunciation rules for its declared language when the necessary voice is available.
  • Descendants inherit the language of their parent unless another language is declared.
  • Repeating the same language on every nested element is normally redundant rather than harmful.

Limitations

  • Screen readers may require language voices or packs to be installed separately.
  • Automatic voice switching and supported languages vary by screen reader, browser, and operating system.