The spelling of the word "higginbottom" may seem confusing at first, but it follows the principles of English phonetics. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈhɪɡɪnbɒtəm/. The "igg" sound is represented by the letter "i", while the "bottom" part is spelled as expected. The "h" at the beginning of the word is silent, which is common in many English words. Overall, the spelling of "higginbottom" may appear eccentric, but it can be understood through its phonetic sounds.