The spelling of the word "Birkeley" may seem unusual, but it can be explained through its IPA phonetic transcription (/bərkli/). The first syllable is pronounced with a schwa sound, followed by the /r/ sound. The second syllable has a long /e/ sound and ends with the /k/ sound. This reflects the word's origin as a surname, as it is commonly used as a variation of the name Berkeley. While the spelling may catch some off guard, its pronunciation remains the same.