The spelling of the word "meyjes" is rather unusual and may cause confusion among English speakers. However, the IPA phonetic transcription sheds light on its pronunciation, which is /ˈmaɪjəz/. This word is actually the Dutch plural form of "meisje," meaning "girl." The spelling reflects the Dutch pronunciation, which features a long "ij" sound that is similar to the English "eye." So, don't be puzzled by the spelling of "meyjes," it's just the Dutch way of writing "girls."
The etymology of the word "meyjes" is rooted in Dutch. Specifically, "meyjes" is the plural form of the Dutch word "meisje", which means "girl" or "young woman". The word "meisje" itself has an interesting etymology. It is derived from Middle Dutch "magetse", which means "maiden" or "virgin". Over time, the term evolved into "meisje" to refer more generally to young women.