"Shiffer" is a peculiar word with an unconventional spelling. It is pronounced /ˈʃɪfər/. The first letter "s" is pronounced as the voiceless alveolar fricative /ʃ/, while the following two letters "hi" are pronounced as the short vowel /ɪ/. The second "f" represents the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ and the final letter "er" is pronounced as the unstressed vowel sound /ə/. The spelling of "Shiffer" may cause confusion for those unfamiliar with the word.