Fact · Languages and accents
The Unicode standard says that when right-to-left scripts use digits written from left to right, the text is actually bidirectional, a mixture of right-to-left and left-to-right text.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Whenever right-to-left scripts, for example, use digits that are written from left to right, the text is actually bidirectional”
Unicode Standard Annex #9: Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm, Unicode Consortium, Unicode Consortium, 2026, Section 1 Introduction.
Open the original- What it measures
- Dictated Arabic or Hebrew that includes numbers or English words therefore depends on the editor applying the bidirectional algorithm correctly.
- What it does not show
- The standard describes the algorithm. How an individual app displays the result depends on its implementation.