The spelling of the word "Polhemus" can be a bit tricky, as its pronunciation is not necessarily intuitive. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced as /pɒlhiːməs/. The "o" in the first syllable is pronounced like "ah," and the "e" in the second syllable is pronounced like "ee." The "u" in the final syllable is pronounced like "uh," and the stress is placed on the second syllable. Overall, the spelling of Polhemus reflects its origins as a surname rather than an obvious spelling based on pronunciation.