The spelling of the phrase "brought knees" may seem confusing as it's spelled differently from how it sounds phonetically. In IPA transcription, it would be written as /brɔːt niːz/. "Brought" is pronounced with an "o" sound like "bought," while "knees" is pronounced with a long "e" sound like "needs." The irregularity in the spelling of this phrase can be attributed to a variety of factors including historical changes in language, regional dialects, and idiosyncratic spellings.