[whatwg] rp is a styling tag and has no semantic function

[Futomi Hatano]

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:27:21 +0100 Nikita Popov <privat at ni-po.com> wrote:

> In the spec the use of the rp-tag is shown like this:
> 
> <ruby>
>  漢 <rp>(</rp><rt>かん</rt><rp>)</rp>
>  字 <rp>(</rp><rt>じ</rt><rp>)</rp>
> </ruby>
> 
> What semantic function has the rp-tag? No. It is only styling for 
> browsers not supporting ruby-text.

I don't think that the rp element is only for styling.
It has important semantics which represents *parentheses* for ruby anotations.
I know that the element is for legacy browsers.
But, if we would like to use ruby annotations, we have to use parentheses to separate the main text and the ruby annotations  for legacy browsers.

> So I think this element musn't be in the HTML5 spec. You can add the 
> brackets before and after the ruby text using CSS pseudoclasses (:after, 
> :before).

I think this element is necessary in the HTML5 spec.
If ATs(e.g. screen reader)  know the rp element, it can remove the content of the rp element.
So, we can get only true annotations from ATs, without parentheses.
I don't want hear parentheses from a screen reader.

I hope that all browsers (including ATs) support the ruby element.
If so, I think the rp element is not necessary.

Thank you.

--
Futomi Hatano
www.html5.jp