My answer is that in the US, the "crepe" in crepe fabric, crepe paper and crepe rubber is always pronounced /kreɪp/, but that the name of the thin pancake is is pronounced both /kreɪp/ and /krep/, and both pronunciations are common. In the case of English words borrowed from French, in the United States it is very common to hear two different pronunciations--one Anglicized, and one approximating the French pronunciation. For example, the "en" in words like "envelope" and "envoy" may be pronounced to rhyme with "hen" (Anglicized), or like the word "on" (approximating French). People who have studied culinary arts, people who have studied French, or people who write it with the diacritical mark as crêpe would likely approximate the French pronunciation and say "/krep/." But many pronounce it the same way as in crepe fabric, crepe paper, and crepe rubber, and pronounce it "/kreɪp/." The American Heritage dictionary gives the pronunciation as /kreɪp/ for crepe fabric, crepe rubber, crepe paper, and but adds the note "also /krep/" for the pancake. My wife and I are both native US speakers. I would say /krep/ for the pancake, but I just asked my wife what she says, and she says /kreɪp/. I think the Anglicized pronunciations are becoming more and more common.

You're correct that the word "crêpe" has different pronunciations depending on its meaning, and these can vary by region and speaker. Pronunciations: 1. For the fabric and rubber meanings: /kreɪp/ 2. For the thin pancake: /krep/ Regional Variations: * US: In American English, people might use both /krep/ and /kreɪp/ to refer to the thin pancake, but /krep/ is more commonly considered the correct pronunciation for this meaning. * UK: In British English, /krep/ is more commonly used for the thin pancake, but some people may still say /kreɪp/. Summary: * Dictionary Pronunciations: The dictionary gives the standard pronunciations correctly. * Real-World Usage: Variations like /kreɪp/ for the thin pancake can occur in both the US and the UK, but /krep/ is generally preferred. In casual conversation, you might hear both pronunciations, but /krep/ is more widely accepted for referring to the thin pancake.

It's actually a French word, pronounced /krep/ with the 'r' aspirated French-style from the throat. English speakers here [London, England] pronounce the /r/ as in English, lips closed, and usually retaining the /e/ as in French if talking about pancakes. However when referring to crêpe paper*, or fabric, most people here do say /kreɪp/. *Another common use of the word is for a type of paper used for decoration, with a rough surface that mimics the properties of the fabric.

I think in English it would generally be pronounced to rhyme with "grape". Especially when talking about pancakes, since it is a word borrowed from French, some people (especially those who like the French language or know a bit as is the case with most Canadians) might pronounce it as the French do, which roughly rhymes with "prep". Does that help?

P.S. As a cultural detail, there is no official authority for English. We consult dictionaries, but the dictionaries are based on the judgement of the lexicographers and publishers. In English, the tradition is that they are compiled on "historical principles" and record the language as it is, using written historical examples as English dictionaries often list several pronunciations. The one listed first is not the "correct" one, or the "preferred" on, only the "most frequent." UNofficially, the authority for English in the UK is the Oxford English Dictionary. In the United States, it is the Merriam-Webster dictionary.