I am reading in an XML file and I want all the values to be read in as object
properties and associated values. I have read in the XML file and now wish to
assign an attribute of my XML as an object property and the value to be its
value. languagedata =
{language_xml.firstChild.childNodes[counter].attributes.variable :
language_xml.firstChild.childNodes[counter].firstChild.nodeValue}; }
languagedata is my object, the first value is the property name and the second
value I want to be my value of the property. any ideas what I have done wrong?

You'll have to use array syntax. someObj["someProperty"] = someValue; which is
equivalent to: someObj.someProperty = someValue. So something like this:

languagedata = new Object();

languagedata[language_xml.firstChild.childNodes[counter].attributes.variable]=la
nguage_xml.firstChild.childNodes[counter].firstChild.nodeValue