Choose the right language policy
Make a language-sensitive finding understandable before deciding that punctuation, quotes or numbers are wrong.
- Goal
- A documented language basis for each editorial decision.
- Starting profile
- Profile appropriate to the job
- Include
- Typography
Prepare a representative pass
Make a language-sensitive finding understandable before deciding that punctuation, quotes or numbers are wrong. Use a saved working copy, identify the intended active document, and check the inspection scope before interpreting a result. A profile is an inspection brief, not a command to repair the document.
Follow the workflow
- Check InDesign paragraph-language attributes on representative text, including headings, captions and pasted material.
- Use automatic resolution when those attributes describe the intended language. Choose an explicit supported locale only when its convention should govern the inspected text.
- Inspect and open Language & rules. Read the resolved language evidence and coverage instead of inferring policy from the panel interface language.
- Compare quotes, punctuation and numeric examples against the actual publication convention. Open the relevant language guide for differences to review.
- If the team standard is protected, use an authorized custom copy or edit the named standard through Settings; do not assume that a quick-control change replaced it.
- Apply intended changes and rescan. Retain source values and quotations whose meaning would be altered by a blanket replacement.
Read Typography advice before editing
Select a finding and read Found, Suggested when offered, and Text locale. Review in context gives guidance without a guessed replacement. Advice itself edits no text. Verify meaning, make a deliberate edit in InDesign if justified, then inspect again. Read the full recommendation workflow →
How to recognize a finished pass
- The selected or resolved policy matches the intended text.
- Regional differences are reviewed deliberately.
- Comparable runs use the intended active policy.
Where judgement matters
- Choosing a locale does not translate text or change InDesign language attributes.
- Language-neutral fallback is not editorial certification.
- Forty-four registry choices do not imply equal coverage of all conventions.
Does a finding mean I must change the document?
No. Check intent, scope, current evidence and available actions. Retaining an intentional occurrence can be the correct decision. Record the supported review status when useful; it does not edit the source text.