Readers, performers, and fans of Shakespeare: how do you pronounce the name Jaques from As You Like It?

Jay-kweez. That’s how I was taught when I took a Shakespeare for English Majors class.

Geez, I just looked it up on Google and there are about 7 different ways!

I was also taught Jay-kweez, and I’ve had the same question about its pronunciation.

This online short article says his name is pronounced Jay-kweez and means toilet! Interesting.

This article also concludes that Jaques means privy, latrine, or toilet, and states that it could be pronounced like my name with an /s/ added: Jakes.

I found a Wikipedia article(writer) backing up the notion that jakes is old slang for toilet.

I prounce it as the French name Jacques.

It’s my second favorite speech in all of Shakespeare next to the opening of Richard III

Jawk, but with a much softer J sound.

In my senior high school literature class, we pronounced it jay-queez as well. I just thought the teacher didn’t know how to pronounce french names but maybe I was wrong.