Goal
Ensure ambiguous pronunciation can be determined.
Success Criterion · WCAG 3.1.6
Pronunciation
A mechanism is available for identifying specific pronunciation of words where meaning of the words, in context, is ambiguous without knowing the pronunciation.
Level AAAWCAG 2.0Understandable3.1 · Readable
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What to do
Provide a mechanism to determine pronunciation when meaning depends on it (e.g., heteronyms).
Why it matters
Screen readers may mispronounce words whose meaning depends on pronunciation, confusing users.
Success criterion
What WCAG 3.1.6 requires
Summarized directly from the official Understanding document so teams can quote the requirement accurately.
A mechanism is available for identifying specific pronunciation of words where meaning of the words, in context, is ambiguous without knowing the pronunciation.
Intent
Why WCAG created this requirement
- Some words are ambiguous without pronunciation information.
- Speech output can mislead users if pronunciation is wrong.
- Mechanisms can include phonetic spelling, audio clips, or context-specific markup.
Benefits
Who gains when you pass
- Screen reader users can understand intended meaning when pronunciation is clarified.
- Language learners benefit from correct pronunciation guidance.
- All users benefit where meaning depends on pronunciation.
Why it matters
User impact when this criterion fails
Summaries drawn from the Understanding document help you socialize impact statements with product stakeholders.
Users may misunderstand critical content (instructions, labels) due to ambiguous pronunciation.
Automated speech may convey the wrong meaning.
Overview
For words where pronunciation changes meaning (like “lead” metal vs “lead” verb), provide a mechanism to clarify pronunciation when it affects understanding.
- Use context to avoid ambiguity when possible (rewrite to disambiguate).
- Provide phonetic hints or pronunciation guides when needed.
- This is rarely required, but important in educational/language contexts.
Reference: All summaries and highlights originate from Understanding WCAG 3.1.6 and the W3C quick reference.
Fast facts
- Conformance level
- Level AAA
- WCAG version introduced
- WCAG 2.0
- Principle
- Understandable
- Guideline
- 3.1 · Readable
Examples
Make success tangible for teams
Share pass/fail snapshots to coach designers, engineers, QA, and content authors.
Heteronym
Pass
Content disambiguates: “lead (the metal)” vs “lead (to guide)”.
Fail
Ambiguous “lead” used where meaning depends on pronunciation, with no clarification.
Pronunciation guide
Pass
Provides phonetic spelling or an audio pronunciation for ambiguous term.
Fail
No mechanism exists to determine the intended pronunciation.
Evidence to keep
Document conformance decisions
Capture artifacts for VPATs, procurement reviews, and regression testing.
- Document guidelines for disambiguating pronunciation-dependent terms in content.
- Maintain a list of terms requiring pronunciation guidance.
Official resources
Deep dives and supporting material
Keep these links handy when writing acceptance criteria or responding to audits.
Implementation checklist
Capture progress and blockers
- Identify content where meaning depends on pronunciation (heteronyms, specialized terms).
- Rewrite to avoid ambiguous terms where feasible.
- Provide pronunciation guidance when ambiguity remains (phonetic text, glossary, audio).
- Ensure guidance is accessible to screen readers and keyboard users.
Testing ideas
Prove conformance with evidence
- Review content for heteronyms or pronunciation-dependent meaning.
- Use screen readers to confirm how terms are pronounced.
- Verify a mechanism exists to clarify pronunciation where needed.
Related success criteria