The spelling of the word "McGuirk" may seem confusing, but it's actually quite simple when broken down phonetically. The word is pronounced /məˈɡɜrk/, with the stress on the second syllable. The initial "Mc" is pronounced /mək/, as in "McDonald's". The "u" makes the sound /ɜr/, as in "hurt". The final "irk" is pronounced /ɜrk/, with the same "ur" sound as before followed by the letter "k". When written out phonetically, the spelling of "McGuirk" becomes much clearer.
The word "McGuirk" is a surname of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac a ghuirc", which means "son of the dwarf" or "son of the small one". The term "mc" in Gaelic means "son of", while "a ghuirc" refers to "the dwarf" or "the small one". Over time, "Mac a ghuirc" transformed into "McGuirk" through Anglicization. It is common for Irish surnames to be formed by combining "Mac" or "Mc" with a descriptive term, such as "a ghurc" in this case.