The spelling of the word SLUGCU FT may seem bizarre at first glance, but it actually follows the rules of English phonetics. The first two letters, SL, represent the /sl/ consonant blend. The next three letters, UGC, form the sound /ʌg/ followed by the letter U which is pronounced like /ʌ/. The last two letters, FT, represent the /ft/ consonant blend. Using IPA phonetic transcription, we can understand the distinct sounds that make up this peculiarly spelled word.