A well-spoken person speaks clearly, politely, and in a way that other people judge to be correct — good grammar, a careful choice of words, an accent that sounds educated. You hear it in a job reference, in a description of someone's grown-up child, in a news report about a witness: a quiet, well-spoken young man.

A well-spoken person一個 well-spoken 的人 speaks說話 clearly清楚、 politely客氣， and in a way而且用一種 that other people judge to be correct別人評斷起來「正確」的方式 — good grammar好的文法、 a careful choice of words用字講究、 that sounds educated聽起來受過教育的 an accent口音。 You你會 in a job reference在工作推薦信裡、 in a description of someone's grown-up child在對某人成年孩子的描述裡、 in a news report about a witness在關於目擊者的新聞報導裡 hear it聽到它： a quiet, well-spoken young man「一位安靜、談吐得體的年輕人」。

Now the part your dictionary may not tell you. Read those words again — 'in a way that is considered correct'. Considered by whom? This word carries a class judgement inside it, especially in Britain.

Now現在來講 your dictionary你的字典 may not tell you可能不會告訴你 the part的那一塊。 Read those words again把那幾個字再讀一次 — 'in a way that is considered correct'「用一種被認為正確的方式」。 Considered by whom被誰認為？ This word這個字 inside it裡面 carries帶著 a class judgement一個階級判斷， especially in Britain尤其在英國。

To call someone well-spoken is very often to say that they sound middle-class or upper-class; that they do not have a strong regional or working-class accent. So it praises the speaker while quietly measuring them against one particular way of speaking. Plenty of British people now find it a slightly uncomfortable word for exactly that reason, and some use it with a raised eyebrow.

To call someone well-spoken說一個人 well-spoken， is very often to say常常就是在說 they他們 sound middle-class or upper-class聽起來像中產或上層階級； that they do not have說他們沒有 strong很重的 regional or working-class地方腔或勞工階級 accent口音。 So所以 it它 praises the speaker一邊稱讚說話的人， while quietly一邊悄悄 against one particular way of speaking拿某一種特定的說話方式 measuring them量他們。 Plenty of British people不少英國人 now現在 for exactly that reason正因為這個原因 find it覺得它是 a slightly uncomfortable word一個讓人有點不舒服的字， and some有些人 with a raised eyebrow挑著眉 use it用它。

You will also notice where it tends to appear. It is used a lot about someone whom the speaker did not expect to speak that way — a young person, a poor person, a foreigner, someone recently arrested. 'He was very well-spoken' after a crime story is doing real work: it means he did not sound like the sort of person we expected. That is worth seeing clearly.

You你 also還會 notice注意到 where it tends to appear它常出現在哪裡。 It它 is used a lot about很常被拿來說 whom the speaker did not expect to speak that way說話的人沒料到會那樣講話的 someone對象 — a young person年輕人、 a poor person窮人、 a foreigner外國人、 someone recently arrested剛被逮捕的人。 after a crime story在犯罪新聞後面的 'He was very well-spoken'「他談吐很得體」 is doing real work是在做實際的工作： it means它的意思是 he他 did not sound like聽起來不像 we expected我們預期的 the sort of person那種人。 That那一點 is worth seeing clearly值得看清楚。

As a compliment to someone's face it is warm and safe enough: your daughter is so well-spoken. In American English it is used more loosely, closer to 'articulate' — good at expressing themselves — with less of the accent question attached, though 'articulate' has its own troubles there.

As a compliment to someone's face當作當面的稱讚 it它 is warm and safe enough夠溫暖也夠安全： your daughter is so well-spoken「你女兒談吐真好」。 In American English在美式英文裡 it它 is used more loosely用得比較鬆， closer to比較接近 'articulate'「articulate」 — good at expressing themselves很會表達自己 — with less of the accent question attached口音那個問題掛得少一些， though不過 'articulate'「articulate」 there在那邊 has its own troubles有它自己的麻煩。