The spelling of the word "wast frank" may seem confusing, but it can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription. The word is pronounced /wɑst fræŋk/, with the "a" in "wast" sounding like the "a" in "father" and the "æ" in "frank" sounding like the "a" in "cat." The "w" sound is followed by a long "a" sound, making the "wa" combination. "Frank" is spelled with a "ph" instead of an "f," but pronounced the same.