The spelling of the word "Tangwhaup" can be explained with the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable, "tang", is pronounced with a velar nasal, voiced alveolar nasal, and velar plosive, respectively. The second syllable, "whaup", is pronounced with a voiceless labiodental fricative, high back rounded vowel, and voiceless bilabial stop, respectively. The word "Tangwhaup" refers to a Eurasian curlew, a bird species found in the wetland regions of Asia and Europe.