Few are taught phonics these days. If people were taught phonics, they would know it’s “nil”, just as they would know “nuclear” is pronounced new-klee-er. Nukular is so messed up.
We can thank Jimmy Carter for Nukular.....imagine a former nuclear submarine officer still saying it that way. Admiral Rickover is probably turning over in his grave.
I agree about phonics.
However, medical drugs are a unique language.
Drug brand names are one full step past language - they are usually the nonsense combination of three or four random syllables.