Wikipedia:Pronunciation (simple guide to markup, American)

Some feel that Wikipedia needs a SIMPLE guide to indicate the pronunciation of English words. This article is a proposed response to that perception. Please see the  talk page for discussion of need and design philosophy.

Pronunciation refers to the sound of how words are spoken.

Introduction
Pronunciation can change over time. Dictionaries may list the most commonly used forms of words, but as language changes, dictionaries change as well. At best, any guide to suggested pronunciation can reflect the preponderance of usage. A word like immediately, for example, is variously pronounced by Americans as:
 * ihMEEdeeuhtlee
 * uhMEEdeeuhtlee
 * eeMEEdeeuhtlee

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary suggests the first pronunciation.

Similarly, this pronunciation markup guide will choose the most widely used form.

NOTE: This guide is designed to be simple and easy to use. This can only be achieved by giving up scope and freedom from occasional ambiguity. For a more extensive guide to indicating pronunciation, see below.

Guide to simple American pronunciation markup
Rev. 0.91 Reference: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary