The spelling of the word "tefft" can be attributed to the complexities of the English language. The four-letter word is pronounced as /tɛft/, which indicates that the letter "e" is pronounced with an "eh" sound. The double "f" at the end of the word helps denote that the preceding vowel sound is short. This illustrates how even a simple four-letter word such as "tefft" can have a sophisticated spelling system that depends on phonetics and the peculiarities of English.