The word "gnatling" is spelled with a silent "g" at the beginning, which can be confusing for English language learners. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈnat.lɪŋ/, which shows that the pronounced sound begins with "nat" and ends with "ling". The "g" in "gnatling" is silent, and is used to indicate that the "n" is pronounced as a nasal sound, similar to the "n" in "sing". Overall, the spelling of "gnatling" may seem odd, but it has roots in the Old English language.