>>>>Hola.
>>>>
>>>>He leído en algunos blogs de españoles usando la palabra “chapeau” en frases como siguientes:
>>>>"Chapaeu para José" (si José hizo algo bueno o impresionante).
>>>>
>>>>Me dijeron que tal vez esa palabra (Chapaeu) viene de francés.
>>>>
>>>>¿Alguien sabe más de esa palabra?
>>>
>>>I take off my hat to José (well done)!
>>
>>This is what I guessed too. But I am wondering if this is broadly accepted term or just used in a few rare blogs that I read.
>>
>>Did you guess what the word means or you knew it or looked it up?
>
>Unless it is different in some places (entirely possible), I heard this now and then when I was in some countries (and here - a friend/ex-co-worker of mine uses that phrase) :o) It always surprises me in a Spanish phrase because it's French . Only I think you spelled it wrong... (Plus I took French in high school so I knew the word the first time I heard it in a Spanish sentence and asked about it)
>
>Note: I have to admit that the first time I heard it used that way I thought they might mean a dunce cap or "you dummy." :o)

Do they pronounce it just as it is spelled?

UPDATE: I spelled it just like they spell it in the blog where I read it.