The spelling of the word "EALDORBURG" can be confusing for those unfamiliar with Old English phonetic rules. The word is pronounced /ˈældərbɜːrɡ/ with stress on the first syllable. The initial "e" is silent, while the combination of letters "a" and "l" is pronounced as a diphthong /æ/. The letter "d" is pronounced as a voiced dental fricative /ð/, and "burg" is pronounced with a hard "g" sound /bɜːrɡ/. Despite its complicated spelling, "EALDORBURG" simply means "old fortified town".