diff --git a/patacrep/content/song.py b/patacrep/content/song.py
index b44fc7f1..e4aec3ad 100755
--- a/patacrep/content/song.py
+++ b/patacrep/content/song.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def parse(keyword, argument, contentlist, config):
                         config,
                         ))
                     songlist.append(renderer)
-                    config["_languages"].update(renderer.song.languages)
+                    config["_languages"].update(renderer.song.language)
             if len(songlist) > before:
                 break
         if len(songlist) == before:
diff --git a/patacrep/latex/ast.py b/patacrep/latex/ast.py
index c4763ddf..ecfa1a4b 100644
--- a/patacrep/latex/ast.py
+++ b/patacrep/latex/ast.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
 
+DEFAULT_LANGUAGE = "english"
+
 class AST:
     """Base class for the tree."""
     # pylint: disable=no-init
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ class AST:
         parsing.
         """
         cls.metadata = {
-            '@languages': set(),
+            '@language': DEFAULT_LANGUAGE,
             }
 
 class Expression(AST):
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ class Command(AST):
         self.optional = optional
 
         if name == r'\selectlanguage':
-            self.metadata['@languages'] |= set(self.mandatory)
+            self.metadata['@language'] = self.mandatory
 
     def __str__(self):
         if self.name in [r'\emph']:
diff --git a/patacrep/songs/__init__.py b/patacrep/songs/__init__.py
index 297a993e..08205aaa 100644
--- a/patacrep/songs/__init__.py
+++ b/patacrep/songs/__init__.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Song:
         "cached",
         "data",
         "subpath",
-        "languages",
+        "language",
         "authors",
         "_filehash",
         "_version",
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@ class Song:
 
         - titles: the list of (raw) titles. This list will be processed to
           remove prefixes.
-        - languages: the list of languages used in the song, as languages
-          recognized by the LaTeX babel package.
+        - language: the main language of the song, as language recognized by
+          the LaTeX babel package.
         - authors: the list of (raw) authors. This list will be processed to
           'clean' it (see function :func:`patacrep.authors.processauthors`).
         - data: song metadata. Used (among others) to sort the songs.
diff --git a/patacrep/songs/chordpro/__init__.py b/patacrep/songs/chordpro/__init__.py
index 5df4a7b9..591a7354 100644
--- a/patacrep/songs/chordpro/__init__.py
+++ b/patacrep/songs/chordpro/__init__.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class ChordproSong(Song):
             song = parse_song(song.read(), self.fullpath)
         self.authors = song.authors
         self.titles = song.titles
-        self.languages = song.get_data_argument('language', [self.config['lang']])
+        self.language = song.get_data_argument('language', self.config['lang'])
         self.data = song.meta
         self.cached = {
             'song': song,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class ChordproSong(Song):
             templatedirs = []
 
         context = {
-            'language': self.languages[0],
+            'language': self.language,
             "titles": self.titles,
             "authors": self.authors,
             "metadata": self.data,
diff --git a/patacrep/songs/chordpro/ast.py b/patacrep/songs/chordpro/ast.py
index 18805e9b..526f7d93 100644
--- a/patacrep/songs/chordpro/ast.py
+++ b/patacrep/songs/chordpro/ast.py
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ class Song(AST):
         "artist": "add_author",
         "key": "add_key",
         "define": "add_cumulative",
-        "language": "add_cumulative",
         }
 
     def __init__(self, filename):
diff --git a/patacrep/songs/latex/__init__.py b/patacrep/songs/latex/__init__.py
index 6ac54c81..2371c7d9 100644
--- a/patacrep/songs/latex/__init__.py
+++ b/patacrep/songs/latex/__init__.py
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ class LatexSong(Song):
             self.data = parse_song(song.read(), self.fullpath)
         self.titles = self.data['@titles']
         del self.data['@titles']
-        self.languages = self.data['@languages']
-        del self.data['@languages']
+        self.language = self.data['@language']
+        del self.data['@language']
         if "by" in self.data:
             self.authors = [self.data['by']]
             del self.data['by']
diff --git a/test/test_chordpro/metadata.source b/test/test_chordpro/metadata.source
index 65a2359a..514ac2c0 100644
--- a/test/test_chordpro/metadata.source
+++ b/test/test_chordpro/metadata.source
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 {subtitle: Subtitle4}
 {t: Subtitle2}
 {st: Subtitle5}
-{language: french}
 {language: english}
+{language: french}
 {by: Author1}
 {artist: Author2}
 {album: Album}