How Do You Spell PROTOSTROPHIS?
Pronunciation: [pɹˌə͡ʊtə͡ʊstɹˈɒfɪz] (IPA) 
The word protostrophis is spelled with a silent "o" in its second syllable, despite it being pronounced as "pro-tuh-stroh-fis". The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /proʊtəstroʊfɪs/. The "o" in the middle of the word is there to break up the consonant cluster between "t" and "s", creating a more fluid pronunciation. This kind of spelling can often trip up learners of English, but understanding the phonetic transcription can help to clarify and make sense of it.
