The spelling of the word "gat lather" can be a bit tricky as it sounds like a compound word, but it isn't. The correct spelling is actually "gad lather". Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the pronunciation of "gad lather" is /ɡæd ˈlæðər/. The "a" in "gad" is pronounced like the "a" in "cat" while the "a" in "lather" is pronounced like the "a" in "father". The "d" sound in "gad" is followed by the "l" sound in "lather" to form the word.