The spelling of the word "Oktawja" may seem unusual, but its pronunciation can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The initial sound "o" is pronounced as the vowel sound in "go", followed by a "k" sound that is pronounced with aspiration or a puff of air. The "t" sound is pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, while the "a" sound is a schwa or unstressed vowel sound. The final sound "ja" is pronounced with the consonant sound "y" and the vowel sound as in "ah".