<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
function alertAbbr()
{
alert(document.getElementById('td1').abbr);
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Firstname</th>
<th>Lastname</th>
</tr>
<td id="td1" abbr="Some text">Peter</td>
<td id="td2">Griffin</td>
</table>
<br />
<input type="button" onclick="alertAbbr()" value="Alert abbr" />
</body>
</html>