The spelling of the word "hobaugh" can be a bit tricky to understand, as it doesn't follow traditional English spelling patterns. In terms of pronunciation, the word is commonly pronounced as /hoʊbɔː/ in IPA phonetic transcription. Despite the presence of the 'b' and 'a' in the word, the stress is placed on the 'o' sound as the first syllable. This peculiar spelling is likely due to its origins as a surname, which may have been influenced by multiple languages or dialects over time.