The spelling of the word "magnan" may seem confusing to some, but it actually follows a consistent pattern in English spelling. The "g" is silent in this word, resulting in the pronunciation /mænən/. The use of the letter "g" in this word is not for its sound, but rather to indicate that the vowel "a" is a short vowel. This follows the general rule that when followed by a single consonant and another vowel, the first vowel is typically short. Therefore, "magnan" is spelled the way it is to indicate its proper pronunciation.