The spelling of the phrase "were edge" is a result of the English language's irregular pronunciation rules. The word "were" is pronounced as /wɜːr/, with a silent "e" at the end, while the word "edge" is pronounced as /ɛdʒ/, with a silent "e" in the middle. When the two words are combined, the silent "e" in "were" is retained, resulting in the unexpected spelling of "were edge." This is just one example of the quirks and challenges of English spelling.