The spelling of the word "ernests" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable "er" is pronounced as /ɜː/, which is a mid-central unrounded vowel sound. The second syllable "nest" is pronounced as /nɛst/, with the "n" sound followed by the "eh" sound and ending with the "st" sound. Together, these syllables form the word "ernests" which is the plural form of the name Ernest. In English, a silent "s" is added to the end of some names when the name is pluralized.