Template talk:Languages/Lang

Analysis of the code

The code

{{#ifexist: 
  {{#if: {{{2|}}}
  | {{{2}}}
  | {{#if: {{NAMESPACE}} | {{NAMESPACE}}:}} {{BASEPAGENAME}} }}/{{{1}}}
| &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<span lang="{{{1}}}">
  {{#if: {{{2|}}} 
  | {{#if:{{{3|}}} 
    | {{#ifexist:
        {{{1}}}:{{{3}}}
      | [[ {{{1}}}:{{{3}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
      | [[ {{{2}}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
      }} 
    | [[ {{{2}}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
    }}
  | [[ :{{NAMESPACE}}:{{BASEPAGENAME}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
  }} </span>
| <span></span>
}}

Interpretation

IF the following page exists:
  IF there is a 2nd parameter
  THEN
    {{{2}}}
  ELSE
    IF {{NAMESPACE}} is not the Main space
    THEN {{NAMESPACE}}:
    {{BASEPAGENAME}}
THEN
  Produce &nbsp;&bull;&nbsp; and a span: <span lang="{{{1}}}">
  IF there is a 2nd parameter
  THEN
    IF there is a 3rd parameter
    THEN
      IF the page exists: {{{1}}}:{{{3}}}
      THEN [[ {{{1}}}:{{{3}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
      ELSE [[ {{{2}}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
    ELSE
      [[ {{{2}}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
  ELSE
    [[ :{{NAMESPACE}}:{{BASEPAGENAME}}/{{{1}}} | {{#language:{{{1}}} }} ]]
  Close span: </span>
ELSE
  Produce an empty span: <span></span>

What it does

Parameters:

1. The country code (CC)
2. (optional) An alternative page name (AN)
3. (optional) A translated alternative page name (TAN)

Checks if a country-specific page exists

• By default (NAMESPACE:)BASENAME/CC, so based on the page where the template is called. (NAMESPACE is only added if it is not the Main (i.e. empty) namespace.)

Example: My great page/nl

Example: User:Me/My great page/fr

• If AN is given, then test for the existence of a page called AN

If a country-specific page exists, then construct an entry for the table that is built by Template:Languages

• start with a bullet: " • "
• Open a span, with an anchor 'lang': <span lang="CC">
• Create a link to the country-specific page
  • By default [[ :{{NAMESPACE}}:{{BASEPAGENAME}}/CC | {{#language:CC }} ]]

  Example: [[::My great page/nl | Nederlands ]]

  Example: [[:User:Me/My great page/fr| Français ]]

  • If an AN but no TAN was given,

  then [[AN/CC | {{#language:CC }} ]]

  Example: [[Alternative name/nl | Nederlands ]]

  Example: [[Alternative name/fr | Français ]]

  • If an AN and a TAN was given,
    • and page CC:TAN exists,

    then [[CC:TAN | {{#language:CC }} ]]

    Example: [[nl:Alternatieve naam | Nederlands ]]

    Example: [[fr:Nom alternative | Français ]]

    • but page CC:TAN does not exist,

    then fall back to [[AN/CC | {{#language:CC }} ]]

• Close the span: </span>

If the page given by the parameters does not exist, then issue an empty span:

<span></span>

Note: {{#language:CC}} Converts the country code into the name for that CC's language, written in that language. So 'en' becomes 'English', 'nl' becomes 'Nederlands', 'fr' becomes 'Français', etcetera.

--DomoViridi (talk) 08:54, 8 March 2026 (UTC)