The correct spelling of the fish commonly referred to as "polly fish" is actually "pollyfish." This spelling reflects the word's origin from the Old English word "polwigle," meaning "eel-like." The pronunciation of "pollyfish" can be represented using the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɒliˌfɪʃ/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "o" sound and the stress falls on the second syllable. The final sound is a voiceless "sh" sound.