The spelling of the word Severian can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /sɛˈvɪərɪən/. It starts with the /s/ sound, followed by the /ɛ/ vowel sound. Then, the consonant blend /vɪər/ is pronounced with a short /ɪ/ sound and a long /ər/ sound. Finally, it ends with the unstressed /ɪən/ sound. The spelling of the word stays true to its pronunciation, making it easy for readers to correctly pronounce and understand the word.