alt
Short for "alternative." People use it to mean a different version of something, or a second option. It can also mean a key on a keyboard, or a description of an image for people who cannot see it.
What a model may hear
- HTML alt attribute web development and accessibility
- insert or expect image description text, or refuse to generate images without alt text
- Alt key modifier keyboard shortcuts and user interfaces
- interpret as a command modifier or expect keyboard combinations
- Alt text / alt tag content creation and SEO
- generate or require image descriptions, or optimize for screen readers
- Alternative hypothesis statistics and scientific method
- frame responses around hypothesis testing or statistical significance
- ALT (alanine transaminase) medicine and blood tests
- respond with medical information about liver enzymes or diagnostics
Where people and models part ways
“Add alt to this image”
Meant: Write a description so blind people know what is in the picture
May be taken as: Insert raw HTML code with alt="" or refuse because no image was provided
Say instead: “Write a text description of this image for screen readers”
“Press alt and click”
Meant: Hold down the alt key while clicking the mouse
May be taken as: Interpret as a command to execute or simulate a keyboard shortcut in code
Say instead: “Hold the alt key and click with the mouse”
“What does my alt level mean”
Meant: Explain my blood test result for liver function
May be taken as: Explain keyboard shortcuts or HTML attributes instead of medical values
Say instead: “Explain my ALT liver enzyme blood test result”
“Give me the alt version”
Meant: Show me a different or backup option
May be taken as: Generate HTML markup or statistical hypotheses instead of alternatives
Say instead: “Show me an alternative version or option”
Tips
- Say "text description" or "screen reader description" instead of just "alt" for images
- Say "alt key" explicitly when you mean the keyboard key, not just "alt"
- In medical contexts, say "ALT liver enzyme" or "alanine transaminase" to avoid confusion
- If you mean "alternative," say the full word or "alternative option"
- Specify "HTML alt attribute" only when you actually want code
Often confused with
- option
- general choice without technical markup meaning
- ctrl
- another keyboard modifier, not a description
- title
- HTML tooltip text, not image description
- caption
- visible text near image, not hidden description
- variant
- alternative form without web or keyboard associations
- AST
- another liver enzyme, different medical test