The spelling of the word "theth state" can seem confusing at first glance. However, it is actually a common example of the use of the dental fricative sound in English. The first "th" is pronounced with the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ sound, as in the word "thought." The second "th" is pronounced with the voiced dental fricative /ð/ sound, as in the word "this." Together, they create the correct phonetic pronunciation of "theth."