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2. HTML Specification

2.9 Overview of Character-Level Elements

Level 2 (all elements)

Character-level elements are used to specify either the logical meaning or the physical appearance of marked text without causing a paragraph break. Like most other elements, character-level elements include both opening and closing tags. Only the characters between the tags are affected:

This is <EM>emphasized</EM> text.
Character-level tags may be ignored by minimal HTML applications.

Character-level tags are interpreted from left to right as they appear in the flow of text. Level 1 HTML user agents must render highlighted text distinctly from plain text. Additionally, EM content must be rendered as distinct from STRONG content, and B content must rendered as distinct from I content.

Character-level elements may be nested within the content of other character-level elements; however, HTML user agents are not required to render nested character-level elements distinctly from non-nested elements:

plain <B>bold <I>italic</I></B>
may the rendered the same as

plain <B>bold </B><I>italic</I>
Note that typical renderings for information type elements vary between applications. If a specific rendering is necessary, for example, when referring to a specific text attribute as in "The italic parts are mandatory", a formating element can be used to ensure that the intended rendered is used where possible.


HTML 2.0 Specification (Internet Draft) - 29 NOV 94
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