The spelling of "sub fixes" may seem confusing due to the presence of the prefix "sub," meaning "under." However, it is actually spelled phonetically as /ˈsʌb ˌfɪksɪz/. The first syllable is pronounced /sʌb/ and the second syllable is pronounced /ˌfɪksɪz/. The stress falls on the second syllable, indicated by the apostrophe in the phonetic transcription. The word "sub fixes" refers to a set of affixes that are attached to the beginning of a root word to alter its meaning or create a new word.