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Accessible Word (implementation guide)

2. Document

2.1. Main language

The main language of the document corresponds to the language set for the spell checker.

What is meant by this? 

It is important that the language set for the spell checker in Word matches the language that is primarily used in the document. In this Word document, for example, the main language is set to German, which means that the spell checker automatically works in German because Word recognises the language used. If several languages are used in a document, the language for certain sections or words can be changed manually to ensure that the spell checker works correctly (see 3.1).

Why is it important?

It is important that the main language of the document matches the language of the spell checker to ensure that the document is read out correctly in terms of pronunciation using speech output programmes. Otherwise, a document may be difficult to understand for recipients with limited reading ability, learning difficulties or visual impairments who have documents read to them with the support of a screen reader. If the actual language does not comply with the spell checker, this can lead to incorrect pronunciation by the screen reader and voice output, so that the content of the document is misunderstood or distorted in its meaning.

How can I implement/check it?

To customise the main language in a document, there are different procedures for Mac and Windows operating systems:

For Mac:

The main language in Mac cannot be customised. The main language applies during installation.

For Windows:

  1. Click on "Check" in the menu bar.
  2. Select the "Language" button.
  3. Click on "Set language for the correction aids".
  4. If you have frequently used languages, you can create a style sheet to save time.
  5. Run the spell check in the "Check" ribbon in the "Language" tab.
  6. If no spelling errors are displayed and the language is correct, the main language of the document matches the language of the spell checker.

It is advisable to create a style sheet for frequently used languages to save time. To check the set main language, run the spell checker in the "Check" ribbon in the "Language" tab.