The spelling of the word "haltom" is quite unusual, as it deviates from the typical English orthography. However, its phonetic transcription sheds some light on its pronunciation. The word is pronounced as /hæltəm/ and can be broken down into two syllables: "hal" and "tom." The "h" is silent, while the "a" and the "o" are pronounced distinctly. The stress in the word falls on the first syllable, making it "HAL-tom." Overall, the spelling and pronunciation of "haltom" can be perplexing to English speakers, but its phonetic breakdown helps make sense of it.