# How do you pronounce Joel Beeke's last name?



## Pilgrim72 (Jan 11, 2009)

Is it like this? ---> Beeke pronunciation: How to pronounce Beeke in Dutch (Nederlands)


----------



## Guido's Brother (Jan 11, 2009)

Pilgrim72 said:


> Is it like this? ---> Beeke pronunciation: How to pronounce Beeke in Dutch (Nederlands)



I've heard it pronounced Beek-ee.


----------



## toddpedlar (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm pretty sure Wes is right. Beaky, like a bird with a big nose.


----------



## kvanlaan (Jan 11, 2009)

Actually, I thought that the linked-to guy sounded right. In any case, more Baekee than Bee-kee (but Bae-keh sounds more native to me). "Beekee" sounds rather anglicized, but that happened to us all. We are not "fan-daer-Laaaaan" as we should be, we are "Van-der-Lan" and have been since ~1970.


----------



## JonathanHunt (Jan 11, 2009)

He pronounces his own name Bee-kee (like beaky). I have heard him say his own name so I hope that counts!


----------



## DMcFadden (Jan 11, 2009)

I agree with both Jonathan and Kevin. In November I met him and he introduced himself to me as Joel Bee-Kee. However, that does sound a bit Americanized to suit the needs of us language challenged Americans.


----------



## Pilgrim72 (Jan 11, 2009)

Thank you all for your responses. I am now confident on the truth of this matter.


----------



## Herald (Jan 11, 2009)

Just to clear up any confusion, I pronounce my last name, Brown, as...well....Brown. Brow-un. Brown. I know many of you have been worried sick as how to pronounce my last name. Hopefully this helps.


----------



## Pilgrim72 (Jan 11, 2009)

> Just to clear up any confusion, I pronounce my last name, Brown, as...well....Brown. Brow-un. Brown. I know many of you have been worried sick as how to pronounce my last name. Hopefully this helps.



Just so I get it right, is it kinda like this? ---> brown pronunciation: How to pronounce brown in English


----------



## Presbyterian Deacon (Jan 11, 2009)

JonathanHunt said:


> He pronounces his own name Bee-kee (like beaky). I have heard him say his own name so I hope that counts!



He was the speaker at a past Connecticut Valley Conference on Reformed Theology which is held at my church.

He says, "Bee-kee."


----------



## DMcFadden (Jan 11, 2009)

Herald said:


> Just to clear up any confusion, I pronounce my last name, Brown, as...well....Brown. Brow-un. Brown. I know many of you have been worried sick as how to pronounce my last name. Hopefully this helps.



I sure have been getting sick reading your posts. Thanks for explaining the etiology of it.


----------



## toddpedlar (Jan 11, 2009)

Herald said:


> Just to clear up any confusion, I pronounce my last name, Brown, as...well....Brown. Brow-un. Brown. I know many of you have been worried sick as how to pronounce my last name. Hopefully this helps.



I've always thought of it as rhyming with moon!


----------



## kvanlaan (Jan 11, 2009)

> He pronounces his own name Bee-kee (like beaky). I have heard him say his own name so I hope that counts!



Nope. Doesn't count. No matter how often it is said "VanderLan" (even by me) it SHOULD still be "fan-daer-Laaan", and I still think Beeke should not quite be "Beaky". I'm not sure _why_ I'm so concerned about it, I'm fairly certain my opinion on the matter won't keep him up at night (though if it did, in a weird way, that'd be cool!)


----------



## Rocketeer (Jan 12, 2009)

kvanlaan said:


> > He pronounces his own name Bee-kee (like beaky). I have heard him say his own name so I hope that counts!
> 
> 
> Nope. Doesn't count. No matter how often it is said "VanderLan" (even by me) it SHOULD still be "fan-daer-Laaan", and I still think Beeke should not quite be "Beaky". I'm not sure _why_ I'm so concerned about it, I'm fairly certain my opinion on the matter won't keep him up at night (though if it did, in a weird way, that'd be cool!)



You are right; just like, however often you pronounce _Caesar_ 'Sesar', it still should be pronounced Kaaisar, for example. The Dutch pronunciation of Beeke is indeed what the man in the sound sample said; but I think it is no more than logical to Americanize your name when in the US; if you don't, weird things (can/will) happen. One caveat, though, kvanlaan, that v in _Van der Laan_ is definetily not an f, and do not forget to roll your r...


----------



## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Jan 12, 2009)

On any given day I can go from being Fraser, Fraz-a, Frase, Frasier, Frey-da or Fray-sier.

I have come to accept that names are very fluid things.

Pardon my ignorance, but why isn't it Bee-ke with a soft "e" sound? For some reason that was what I always thought it was but I don't know anything about European languages.


----------



## PresbyDane (Jan 12, 2009)

This is a very strange thread But my last name is Mar as in the first part of Martin and then sh as if you are asking children to keep it down sshh.


----------



## kvanlaan (Jan 12, 2009)

> that v in Van der Laan is definetily not an f



Not in Fryslan it's not! It's a heavy "f" there and a very drawn out "Laaaaaaaan" (though it's a Groningense name)


----------



## jawyman (Jan 12, 2009)

I am a student of Dr. Beeke's at PRTS and he does indeed pronounce his name Bee Kee, but if you are looking for the Dutch pronunciation then it would be pronounced Baykā. I hope this helps.


----------



## LawrenceU (Jan 12, 2009)

While we are on the topic, my surname is pronounced Underwood. That is 'Unduh-wood' unless you are in Maine, then it is 'Undah-woud', or Michigan, then it is 'UndER-wood'.

Seriously, though, you might be surprised how often I am asked how to spell Underwood. Weird.


----------



## jawyman (Jan 12, 2009)

LawrenceU said:


> While we are on the topic, my surname is pronounced Underwood. That is 'Unduh-wood' unless you are in Maine, then it is 'Undah-woud', or Michigan, then it is 'UndER-wood'.
> 
> Seriously, though, you might be surprised how often I am asked how to spell Underwood. Weird.



I am a native of Michigan and I would pronounce your last name as UndER-wood.


----------



## Semper Fidelis (Jan 12, 2009)

JonathanHunt said:


> He pronounces his own name Bee-kee (like beaky). I have heard him say his own name so I hope that counts!


But what good is that to a conversation where everybody gets to tell him how to pronounce it?

BTW, my name is pronounced Lee-no but the proper Finnish pronunciation is Lay-no, which just goes to show you what good looking up a Dutch pronunciation does for Beeke.


----------



## bookslover (Jan 12, 2009)

toddpedlar said:


> Herald said:
> 
> 
> > Just to clear up any confusion, I pronounce my last name, Brown, as...well....Brown. Brow-un. Brown. I know many of you have been worried sick as how to pronounce my last name. Hopefully this helps.
> ...



I've always thought Bill's last name rhymed with "smith." Huh....


----------



## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Jan 12, 2009)

jawyman said:


> I am a student of Dr. Beeke's at PRTS and he does indeed pronounce his name Bee Kee, but if you are looking for the Dutch pronunciation then it would be pronounced Baykā. I hope this helps.


Ah that was what I thought.


----------

