# The Idiomatic Text element

The HTML `i` element is named [the Idiomatic Text element](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/i) on [MDN Web Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/).

The [HTML specifications](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/text-level-semantics.html#the-i-element) defines the `i` element as:

> The `i` element represents a span of text in an alternate voice or mood, or otherwise offset from the normal prose in a manner indicating a different quality of text, such as a taxonomic designation, a technical term, an idiomatic phrase from another language, transliteration, a thought, or a ship name in Western texts.

Historically, the `i` element was used for presentation and browsers display it in italics. However, even though some browsers continue to display it in italics as a fallback, the `i` element should not be used for presentational purposes as it does not necessarily mean the text will be in italics.  

The `i` element has semantic meaning and the usage depends on the situation and the surrounding text. [MDN Web Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/em#i_vs._em) has a great example:

> An example for `<i>` could be: "The _Queen Mary_ sailed last night". Here, there is no added emphasis or importance on the word "Queen Mary". It is merely indicated that the object in question is not a queen named Mary, but a ship named _Queen Mary_.