"Dernly" is spelled as /ˈdɜːnli/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable of the word is pronounced with an open-mid back unrounded vowel sound /ɜː/. The second syllable is pronounced with an elongated /n/ sound /n/ followed by a short /l/ sound /l/. The word is not commonly used in modern speech and is considered an archaic form of the word "darn", meaning to mend or repair. Its spelling is unique and may only be encountered in old texts or literature.