# Correct pronunciation of "bespoke"



## Capt Ron (Dec 28, 2007)

I was always under the presumtion that "bespoke" was pronounced 
"bih-spoke" 
But I have heard several people pronounce is "bee-spoke" I thought it rude to correct or verify the pronunciation due in part that it just may be a southern accent.

My dictionary is along the lines of bih-poke.

Any help???


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

I have heard it pronounced beh-SPOKE and bee-SPOKE.


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## mambo (Dec 29, 2007)

beh spoke


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## appolyon (Oct 4, 2007)

beh-spoke


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

I've heard the phrase, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." before - - -


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

Marginal difference here but it tends to be bih'spoke in the UK and Ireland. Which I think is more correct - rather than "beh" or "bee"


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Capt Ron said:


> I was always under the presumtion that "bespoke" was pronounced
> "bih-spoke"
> But I have heard several people pronounce is "bee-spoke" I thought it rude to correct or verify the pronunciation due in part that it just may be a southern accent.
> 
> ...


English pronounciation is the first above.

It is fairly common for Americans to stress the first syllable in words or phrases. This may differ from English practice.

For Example :-

American :-HONG kong 
British :-hong KONG

American :- ROBin hood
British :- robin HOOD


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

^ An even better answer!


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## Franko (Nov 11, 2007)

*Further to this,*

It's right the original question should come from a nautical source, Long John Silver would have pronounced it _Bee spoke,_ God knows he would have needed special order trousers, arr.

The emphasis on the first word may also explain London cockney rhyming slang 'rules'

Barnet fair = hair, we just say "barnet"
Butchers hook = look, we just say "butchers" etc, etc.

I have a quiery of my own, (if Capt Ron has no objection to my climbing aboard his vessel ) 
'Shoemaker', is it;
Clever - Lee ?
or
Cleaver - Lee ?

What say ? mee hearties !


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## Capt Ron (Dec 28, 2007)

*I'm all ears.*



forsbergacct2000 said:


> I've heard the phrase, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." before - - -


 Oh Yes. I most certainly have but, never from anybody with real money, just poor mannered car salesmen.

Every purchase has an opportunity cost. The wealthiest men in the world ask the cost so that they may measure the opportunity.


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## yachtie (May 11, 2006)

*Correct pronunciation of "bespoke"* :

ek-spen'-siv.


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## Trenditional (Feb 15, 2006)

If you're paying for it, call it what ever you'd like. If you had a bespoke suit, most people wouldn't know what you meant (using that word) no matter how you pronounced it. Most are going to be more impressed with "Custom Made."


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## super k (Feb 12, 2004)

You can listen to a video clip of Simon Cundey of Henry Poole. I would defer to his pronunciation:

https://sleevehead.blogspot.com/2007/10/henry-poole-on-youtubecom.html


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## Trimmer (Nov 2, 2005)

There is a stress issue as well as a pronunciation one. I think most English people nowadays would say bu-spoke (bu as in but) with some stress on the second syllable: bu-SPOKE. I have heard older chaps giving more equal value to each syllable and pronouncing the vowel sounds more clearly: be-spoke (be as in better).

Cleverley is prounced clev-er-lee with equal stress on each syllable.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

yachtie said:


> *Correct pronunciation of "bespoke"* :
> 
> ek-spen'-siv.


Good one. :icon_smile_big:


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## Rich (Jul 10, 2005)

b'spoke.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

Rich said:


> b'spoke.


Pretty close, Rich.

Here's a pronouncing dictionary link where you click on the speaker symbol and get the correct (as far as they are concerned) pronunciation:

https://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/bespoke


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