The phrase "gat cracking" refers to the sound of a gun being fired. In IPA phonetic transcription, it would be written as /ɡæt ˈkrækɪŋ/. The "g" sound is voiced and produced by vibrating the vocal cords while the tongue makes contact with the soft palate at the back of the mouth. The "a" sound is a short vowel produced by lowering the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. The "t" sound is voiceless and produced by stopping the airflow with the tongue and then releasing it rapidly. Finally, the "k" sound is also voiceless and produced in the back of the mouth by stopping the airflow with the back of the tongue and then releasing it.