The spelling of the word "eelback" can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "eel" is pronounced as /iːl/, which represents the long "ee" sound and the "l" sound. The second syllable "back" is pronounced as /bæk/, which represents the "b" sound and the short "a" sound. Therefore, "eelback" is spelled as e-e-l-b-a-c-k and pronounced as /iːlˌbæk/. It is important to use phonetic transcription to accurately represent the pronunciation of words, especially in cases where the spelling may be confusing.