The correct spelling of the phrase "wert published" is "were published." The word "were" is the past tense of "be," and it is pronounced /wɜr/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The incorrect spelling "wert" is a common mistake due to its use in Shakespearean English, where "wert" is a contraction of "thou wert" or "you were." It's important to use the correct spelling in everyday writing to avoid confusion or mistakes in communication.