The spelling of the word "AKIE" is unique and can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription. The initial "A" is pronounced as /ə/ which is a schwa sound, followed by a short "K" sound /k/. The "IE" at the end of the word is pronounced as /i/, pronounced just like the letter "e". Together, the word is pronounced as uh-kee. While this spelling may seem irregular, it is important to remember the rules of phonetics and pronunciation when encountering new words.