# Jacques Bailly

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Scripps National Spelling Bee pronouncer

Jacques A. Bailly Bailly in 2017 Born (1966-01-28) January 28, 1966 (age 60) Education Brown University (BA) Cornell University (PhD) Employer University of Vermont Organization Scripps National Spelling Bee Television Scripps National Spelling Bee Spouse Leslyn Hall Children 2

**Jacques A. Bailly** (born January 28, 1966) is an American professor. He was the 1980 [Scripps National Spelling Bee](/source/Scripps_National_Spelling_Bee) champion and has served as the Scripps National Spelling Bee's official pronouncer since 2003.[1]

## Biography

Bailly was born in 1966 and grew up in the [Denver, Colorado](/source/Denver%2C_Colorado), area.[2][3] He began participating in spelling bees in sixth grade, training with a nun at his Catholic school.[1] He reached the National Spelling Bee as an eighth grader and won with the word *elucubrate*.[4] Bailly studied Ancient Greek and Latin, receiving his bachelor's degree from [Brown University](/source/Brown_University) in [classics](/source/Classics) and his Ph.D. from [Cornell University](/source/Cornell_University).[5] He learned German in Switzerland with the help of a [Fulbright scholarship](/source/Fulbright_scholarship).[1]

In 1990, he wrote a letter to the National Spelling Bee organizers offering his services and was hired as an associate pronouncer.[6] Bailly became the Bee's chief pronouncer after [Alex Cameron](/source/Alex_Cameron_(academic))'s death in 2003.[1] Bailly works full-time as an associate professor of classics at the [University of Vermont](/source/University_of_Vermont), specializing in Greek and Roman philosophy, particularly [Plato](/source/Plato).[1][7] Bailly portrayed himself in the 2006 film *[Akeelah and the Bee](/source/Akeelah_and_the_Bee)*, which focuses on a girl who competes in the National Spelling Bee.[1]

Bailly is married to Leslyn Hall. They have two children and a dog.[8]

## See also

- [List of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions](/source/List_of_Scripps_National_Spelling_Bee_champions)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-book_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-book_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-book_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-book_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-book_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-book_1-5) James Maguire. *[American Bee: the National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds](https://books.google.com/books?id=OIsZ0t6LhfAC&dq=%22alex+cameron%22+spelling&pg=PA124)*. Rodale, 2006. 121-124.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Meet the spelling bee's P-R-O-N-O-U-N-C-E-R"](https://www.cpr.org/2024/05/28/spelling-bee-pronouncer-jacques-bailly/). *Colorado Public Radio*. May 28, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Can you spell like a champ? The national bee's pronouncer tests your skills"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250527114914/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2025/spelling-bee-quiz-dr-bailly-head-pronouncer/). *The Washington Post*. Archived from [the original](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2025/spelling-bee-quiz-dr-bailly-head-pronouncer/) on May 27, 2025. Retrieved April 21, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "[Denver boy wins spelling bee](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l84SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IfsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5738,5675521&dq=jacques-bailly+elucubrate)". *The Ledger*. May 30, 1980. 5.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CV_5-0)** ["Jacques A. Bailly CV"](https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/JABcv2014_1.pdf) (PDF). *uvm.edu*. January 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121020120347/http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JacquesBaillyResume_Aug2010.pdf) (PDF) from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** M.J. Stephey. "[Q&A: Spelling Bee Pronouncer Jacques Bailly](https://web.archive.org/web/20130614035910/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1900587,00.html)". *Time*. May 26, 2009. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-uvmCLASSICS_7-0)** ["Jacques A. Bailly, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180228084139/http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/?Page=bailly.php). *uvm.edu/~classics/*. [University of Vermont](/source/University_of_Vermont). Archived from [the original](http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/?Page=bailly.php) on February 28, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [JABcv2014](https://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JABcv2014.pdf). JABcv2014. Retrieved on May 31, 2017. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150601195420/https://www.uvm.edu/~classics/documents/JABcv2014.pdf) 2015-06-01 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

## External links

- [The Believer - Interview with Jacques Bailly](http://www.believermag.com/issues/200504/?read=interview_bailly) June/July 2006

- [The Man Who Pronounced It All](https://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/the-official-pronouncer-of-the-scripps-national-spelling-bee?playall=376)

- [Jacques Bailly](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1120171/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [The Kids Are A-L-R-I-G-H-T](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a20748354/scripps-national-spelling-bee-espn/)

Preceded by Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Scripps National Spelling Bee winner 1980 Succeeded by Paige Pipkin

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND National United States France BnF data Netherlands Israel Academics CiNii Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jacques Bailly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Bailly) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Bailly?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.