How To Pronounce Controversy

In British English, controversy is pronounced /kənˈtrɒv.ə.si/ or /ˈkɒn.trə.vɜː.si/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [kə̃nˈtr̥ʷɒv.əʴ.si]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈkɑːn.trə.vɜːr.si/.

Controversy has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second syllable. The British and American pronunciations are different, so listen to both.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.