How do you pronounce "tarot" aloud? (simplified poll)

Which of these most closely represents how pronounce the word "tarot" when speaking?

  • Emphasis on FIRST syllable, with SILENT T (something like TA-ro)

    Votes: 69 72.6%

  • Emphasis on FIRST syllable, with a T sound at the end (something like TA-rot)

    Votes: 6 6.3%

  • Emphasis on SECOND syllable, with SILENT T (something like ta-RO)

    Votes: 18 18.9%

  • Emphasis on SECOND syllable, with a T sound at the end (something like ta-ROT)

    Votes: 2 2.1%
  • Total voters
    95

JackofWands

As someone said in the other thread, "Tarot" rhymes with "sparrow" in my usage, unless I'm speaking French, in which case it's tah-RO.

As for pluralization, although I can't actually think of an instance in which I would need to talk about multiple Tarots, it would rhyme with "sparrows" if I were to try to construct it.
 

Serenia

I'm from Germany and I say "ta-RO", which (I think) is closest to the French pronunciation.

(I like this simplified poll - it makes things so much easier to understand! :) )
 

SarahJoy

I use both #1 and #3. Generally, I think I say TAro when it's an adjective, and taRO when it's a noun. But it's a subtle emphasis either way.
 

gregory

No 1. And if plural - No 1 with an s on the end :)

UK - and also Canada - where most people I know also say it that way, except for the Francophones and a German friend, all of whom are solidly no 3 - but I shall have to listen for plurals as that I can't remember..

Serenia said:
(I like this simplified poll - it makes things so much easier to understand! )
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Yes indeed. The vowel sounds are what vary so much regionally as part of the local accent.
 

Adde

It seems I am the only one who voted no. 2 until now. I am from Romania and I definitely pronounce the last "T", but I always assumed in English it's the same. I just don't see why the final consonant shouldn't be pronounced. It is true that English natives have a softer way of saying "t" and "d" consonants...

Since I'm here, I've never known how to say Rider in RWS? "rider" or more like "raider"? The second variant I assume.
 

gregory

Adde said:
It seems I am the only one who voted no. 2 until now. I am from Romania and I definitely pronounce the last "T", but I always assumed in English it's the same. I just don't see why the final consonant shouldn't be pronounced. It is true that English natives have a softer way of saying "t" and "d" consonants...

Since I'm here, I've never known how to say Rider in RWS? "rider" or more like "raider"? The second variant I assume.
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No - the first. It's the name of an English publishing company, and is pronounced excactly the same way as the man on a horse rider. At the risk of Issues - R-EYE-der.

But thanks - that explains why so many people here seem to SPELL it Raider, which drives me nuts :D
 

Barleywine

Adde said:
It seems I am the only one who voted no. 2 until now. I am from Romania and I definitely pronounce the last "T", but I always assumed in English it's the same. I just don't see why the final consonant shouldn't be pronounced. It is true that English natives have a softer way of saying "t" and "d" consonants...
Click to expand...

If I remember my high-school French, the final "t" in a French word is usually silent (like "chalet"). I couldn't find any examples in my French-English dictionary of a hard "t" unless there is an "e" after it.
 

kalliope

Adde said:
I am from Romania and I definitely pronounce the last "T", but I always assumed in English it's the same. I just don't see why the final consonant shouldn't be pronounced. It is true that English natives have a softer way of saying "t" and "d" consonants...
Click to expand...

Adde, I think Barleywine has it right -- it's because of the French origin of the word, and their way of dropping the T at the end was preserved when English speakers adopted it. Like Merlot wine, pronounced mer-LO; or the French snail dish escargot, es-car-GO. ETA: This is just a guess, but maybe since many French words have crept into English, we may have a closer link to the language than Romanians (for example) do, so the silent T stuck for us when it wouldn't have for speakers of other languages. Who knows!

Many English speakers have switched the emphasis to the first syllable, a rhythm that may be more familiar to us, but we at least still give a nod to the French with most of us dropping the T. :laugh:
 

Amanda

Barleywine said:
If I remember my high-school French, the final "t" in a French word is usually silent (like "chalet"). I couldn't find any examples in my French-English dictionary of a hard "t" unless there is an "e" after it.
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I'm going from high school French as well, and I think if an 's' or a 't' is on the end of a word it is only pronounced if the following letter or word starts with a vowel.

Le chat est noir. -- so there would be some 't' sound on chat.
Les filles lisent tarot. -- no 's' sound on Les or filles.

French speakers, correct me if I'm wrong!
 

Adde

kalliope said:
Adde, I think Barleywine has it right -- it's because of the French origin of the word, and their way of dropping the T at the end was preserved when English speakers adopted it. Like Merlot wine, pronounced mer-LO; or the French snail dish escargot, es-car-GO. ETA: This is just a guess, but maybe since many French words have crept into English, we may have a closer link to the language than Romanians (for example) do, so the silent T stuck for us when it wouldn't have for speakers of other languages. Who knows!

Many English speakers have switched the emphasis to the first syllable, a rhythm that may be more familiar to us, but we at least still give a nod to the French with most of us dropping the T. :laugh:
Click to expand...

Thank you for explaining so clearly. I know French, I just didn't make the connection with English, them being two different languages with different rules, which I learned way back in school. That's nice to have kept the silent T, I'll keep that in mind.

As for the confusion between Rider and Raider, these are common mistakes for a non-native. I still write from time to time White instead of Waite...
 
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