The phrase "wert in offing" may confuse people due to its unconventional spelling. However, it is actually an archaic contraction of the phrase "were it in offing." The IPA phonetic transcription of "wert" would be /wɜrt/, which indicates that the "e" and "r" are both pronounced. The word "offing" refers to the horizon, specifically the place where the sea and sky meet. So, this phrase essentially means "if something were on the horizon." While not commonly used today, it is still occasionally found in literature and historical documents.