The spelling of the word Zelek, /ziːlɛk/, is based on the phonetic transcription of its pronunciation. The first syllable, pronounced with a long "e" sound, is represented by the letter "e". The second syllable, pronounced with a short "e" sound, is represented by the letter "l". The final syllable, pronounced with a "k" sound, is represented by the letter "k". The IPA phonetic transcription provides a useful tool for understanding the relation between sounds and letters in the English language.