# :lang() Selector

## lang ( language ) version added: 1.9

- language
  Type: String
  A language code.

Description: Selects all elements of the specified language.

The `:lang()` selector matches elements that have a language value equal to the supplied language code or that start with the supplied language code immediately followed by "-". For example, the selector `$("div:lang(en)")`will match `<div lang="en">` and `<div lang="en-us">` (and any of their descendant `<div>`s), but not `<div lang="fr">`

For HTML elements, the language value is determined by the `lang` attribute and possibly information from `meta` elements or HTTP headers.

Further discussion of this usage can be found in the W3C CSS specification.

## Examples:

#### Example: Color div elements according to their language.

    <!doctype html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
      <meta charset="utf-8">
      <title>css demo</title>

      <style>

      body {
        background-color: #ccc;
      }
      h3 {
        margin: .25em 0;
      }
      div {
        line-height: 1.5em
      }
      .usa {
        background-color: #f00;
        color: #fff;
      }
      .usa .usa {
        background-color: #fff;
        color: #000;
      }
      .usa .usa .usa {
        background-color: #00f;
        color: #fff;
      }
      .spain {
        background-color: #f00;
        color: #ff0;
      }
      .spain .spain {
        background-color: #ff0;
        color: #f00;
        line-height: 3em;
      }
      .spain .spain .spain {
        background-color: #f00;
        color: #ff0;
        line-height: 1.5em;
      }

      </style>

      <script src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-1.10.2.js"></script>
    </head>
    <body>

    <h3>USA</h3>
    <div lang="en-us">red
      <div>white
        <div>and blue</div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <h3>España</h3>
    <div lang="es-es">rojo
      <div>amarillo
        <div>y rojo</div>
      </div>
    </div>

    <script>

    $( "div:lang(en-us)" ).addClass( "usa" );
    $( "div:lang(es-es)" ).addClass( "spain" );

    </script>

    </body>
    </html>

#### Demo: