WCAG 3.1.6 Pronunciation
AAA only: a way is available to determine the pronunciation of words where meaning is ambiguous without it, such as homographs like "read" or "lead".
Table of contents
What WCAG 3.1.6 Requires
AAA only: a way is available to determine the pronunciation of words where meaning is ambiguous without it, such as homographs like "read" or "lead".
How to Test It by Hand
Check whether ambiguous words that change meaning based on pronunciation have their pronunciation indicated.
Common Failures
- A homograph central to the content's meaning has no pronunciation guide.
Testing WCAG 3.1.6 With AccessBell
This criterion depends on meaning or context, so it needs a person to judge. AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail automatically, so it is not missed.
Run a free scan to spot issues on your own pages.
Related Criteria in Readable
- 3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
- 3.1.2 Language of Parts (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
- 3.1.3 Unusual Words (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 3.1.4 Abbreviations (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 3.1.5 Reading Level (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does WCAG 3.1.6 require?
AAA only: a way is available to determine the pronunciation of words where meaning is ambiguous without it, such as homographs like "read" or "lead".
Can AccessBell test WCAG 3.1.6 automatically?
Not fully. This criterion needs a person to judge, so AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail on its own.
What level is WCAG 3.1.6?
Level AAA, added in WCAG 2.0. Level AAA is the highest, most demanding conformance level in WCAG.
Sources
- W3C: Understanding 3.1.6 Pronunciation (opens in a new tab)
- W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (opens in a new tab)
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