The spelling of "talks top head" can be confusing because it uses a combination of vocal sounds. The first word, "talks," is spelled with an /ɔ/ sound as in "cot", followed by a /k/ and /s/ sound. The second part, "top head," combines the /t/ and /ɑ/ sounds as in "caught", and includes the silent "p" and "h". When spoken aloud, this phrase sounds like "tawks top hed". This unique spelling can often trip up those who are not familiar with English phonetics.