The spelling of the word "CNOWS" may seem odd, but it can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The letters "CN" represent a voiceless velar nasal sound, which is similar to the "ng" sound in "sing." The letters "OW" represent a diphthong, which is a combination of two vowel sounds. In this case, it is a combination of the "oh" sound and the "w" sound. Finally, the letter "S" represents a voiceless alveolar sibilant sound. Therefore, the correct pronunciation of "CNOWS" would be /knoʊz/.