{{Short description|Scripps National Spelling Bee pronouncer}} {{Infobox person | name = Jacques A. Bailly | image = UVM Faculty Feature Jacques Bailly (square).jpg | caption = Bailly in 2017 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|01|28}} | education = {{unbulleted list|[[Brown University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])|[[Cornell University]] ([[PhD]])}} | employer = [[University of Vermont]] | organization = [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]] | television = [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]] | spouse = Leslyn Hall | children = 2 }}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}'''Jacques A. Bailly''' (born January 28, 1966) is an American professor. He was the 1980 [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]] champion and has served as the Scripps National Spelling Bee's official pronouncer since 2003.<ref name=book>James Maguire. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=OIsZ0t6LhfAC&dq=%22alex+cameron%22+spelling&pg=PA124 American Bee: the National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds]''. Rodale, 2006. 121-124.</ref>
== Biography == Bailly was born in 1966 and grew up in the [[Denver, Colorado]], area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=Meet the spelling bee's P-R-O-N-O-U-N-C-E-R |url=https://www.cpr.org/2024/05/28/spelling-bee-pronouncer-jacques-bailly/ |access-date=2026-04-21 |website=Colorado Public Radio |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Can you spell like a champ? The national bee’s pronouncer tests your skills. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2025/spelling-bee-quiz-dr-bailly-head-pronouncer/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250527114914/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2025/spelling-bee-quiz-dr-bailly-head-pronouncer/ |archive-date=2025-05-27 |access-date=2026-04-21 |work=The Washington Post |language=en}}</ref> He began participating in spelling bees in sixth grade, training with a nun at his Catholic school.<ref name=book/> He reached the National Spelling Bee as an eighth grader and won with the word ''elucubrate''.<ref>"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l84SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IfsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5738,5675521&dq=jacques-bailly+elucubrate Denver boy wins spelling bee]". ''The Ledger''. May 30, 1980. 5.</ref> Bailly studied Ancient Greek and Latin, receiving his bachelor's degree from [[Brown University]] in [[classics]] and his Ph.D. from [[Cornell University]].<ref name="CV">{{cite web |url=https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/JABcv2014_1.pdf |access-date=2021-07-09 |title=Jacques A. Bailly CV |website=uvm.edu |date=January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020120347/http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JacquesBaillyResume_Aug2010.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-20 |url-status=live}} </ref> He learned German in Switzerland with the help of a [[Fulbright scholarship]].<ref name="book" />
In 1990, he wrote a letter to the National Spelling Bee organizers offering his services and was hired as an associate pronouncer.<ref>M.J. Stephey. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130614035910/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1900587,00.html Q&A: Spelling Bee Pronouncer Jacques Bailly]". ''Time''. May 26, 2009. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.</ref> Bailly became the Bee's chief pronouncer after [[Alex Cameron (academic)|Alex Cameron]]'s death in 2003.<ref name="book" /> Bailly works full-time as an associate professor of classics at the [[University of Vermont]], specializing in Greek and Roman philosophy, particularly [[Plato]].<ref name="book" /><ref name="uvmCLASSICS">{{cite web |url=http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/?Page=bailly.php |website=uvm.edu/~classics/ |publisher=[[University of Vermont]] |title=Jacques A. Bailly, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228084139/http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/?Page=bailly.php |archive-date=2018-02-28 |url-status=dead}} </ref> Bailly portrayed himself in the 2006 film ''[[Akeelah and the Bee]]'', which focuses on a girl who competes in the National Spelling Bee.<ref name="book" />
Bailly is married to Leslyn Hall. They have two children and a dog.<ref>[https://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JABcv2014.pdf JABcv2014]. JABcv2014. Retrieved on May 31, 2017. {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601195420/https://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JABcv2014.pdf|date=2015-06-01}}</ref>
==See also== *[[List of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions]]
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.believermag.com/issues/200504/?read=interview_bailly The Believer - Interview with Jacques Bailly] June/July 2006 *[https://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/the-official-pronouncer-of-the-scripps-national-spelling-bee?playall=376 The Man Who Pronounced It All] *{{IMDb name|1120171}} *[https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a20748354/scripps-national-spelling-bee-espn/ The Kids Are A-L-R-I-G-H-T] {{s-start}} {{succession box | before = [[Katie Kerwin McCrimmon]] | title = [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]] winner | years = 1980 | after = Paige Pipkin}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailly, Jacques}} [[Category:American spellers]] [[Category:Spelling bee champions]] [[Category:American classical scholars]] [[Category:Classical scholars of the University of Vermont]] [[Category:Cornell University alumni]] [[Category:Brown University alumni]] [[Category:1966 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Scripps National Spelling Bee]] [[Category:Scripps National Spelling Bee participants]] [[Category:American scholars of ancient Greek philosophy]] [[Category:Academics from Denver]]