diff --git a/src/words/literal.js b/src/words/literal.js
index 5e1b12b..cada065 100644
--- a/src/words/literal.js
+++ b/src/words/literal.js
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
-import createGlossLine from '../utilities/createGlossLine.js'
+import addEmphasis from '../utilities/addEmphasis.js'
 
-const cssClass = `wlt`
-
-export default function createLiteral(data, options) {
+export default function createLiteral(data, { analysisLang }) {
 
   if (!data) return ``
 
   if (typeof data === `string`) {
-    return createGlossLine(data, options.analysisLang, cssClass, options)
+    const lang = analysisLang ? `lang='${ analysisLang }'` : ``
+    return `<span class=wlt ${ lang }>${ addEmphasis(data) }</span>`
   }
 
   let html = ``
 
   for (const lang in data) {
-    html += createGlossLine(data[lang], lang, cssClass, options)
+    const tln = data[lang]
+    html += `<span class=wlt lang='${ lang }'>${ addEmphasis(tln) }</span>`
   }
 
   return html
diff --git a/test/words.test.js b/test/words.test.js
index c5112b0..86a54fa 100644
--- a/test/words.test.js
+++ b/test/words.test.js
@@ -152,11 +152,11 @@ describe(`words`, function() {
 
     })
 
-    it(`supports glosses`, async function() {
+    it(`supports (manual) glosses`, async function() {
 
       const scription = `
       \\w qasi hix cuyi
-      \\wlt man ERG he.went
+      \\wlt man <abbr>erg</abbr> he.went
       `
 
       const { dom } = await parse(scription, { glosses: true })