The spelling of the phrase "the top heap" follows the traditional rules of English orthography. The initial consonant sound "th" is represented by the digraph "th," followed by the vowel sounds in "ah" and "oh." The "t" and "p" sounds are pronounced separately, creating a clear boundary between the two words. In IPA phonetic transcription, the pronunciation would be /ði tɒp hiːp/, with emphasis on the "top" syllable. This phrase can be used to describe the highest point of a pile or stack of objects.