The word "polinski" may seem confusing at first glance due to its unique spelling. However, understanding the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) can shed some light on its pronunciation. "Polinski" can be transcribed as /pəˈlɪnski/ in IPA, with the stress falling on the second syllable. The "o" is pronounced as a schwa sound and the "i" is pronounced with a short "i" sound. The final "ski" ending is a common Polish surname suffix, often pronounced as "skee" in English.