The word "kottke" is a challenging word to spell because of its unique pronunciation. In IPA phonetic transcription, "kottke" is written as /ˈkɑtki/. The first syllable, "kot," is pronounced with a short "o" sound, followed by a hard "t" sound. The second syllable, "ke," is pronounced with a stress on the "e," giving it a long "ee" sound. Remembering the stress on the second syllable and the hard "t" sound can help ensure the correct spelling of "kottke."