The spelling of the word "MERANNUM" may seem confusing at first glance, but it can be easily explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "ME" is pronounced as /miː/, the second syllable "RAN" is pronounced as /ræn/, and the third syllable "NUM" is pronounced as /nʌm/. Therefore, the correct pronunciation of the word "MERANNUM" is /miːræn.nʌm/. This illustrates how understanding phonetic transcription can help in identifying the correct spelling and pronunciation of words that may otherwise seem difficult to decipher.