How do you pronnounce Tarot?

[Zephyros]

I would guess that "officially" it is ta-RO as per its French origin, but that may not matter, like it doesn't in "overture" (ou-ver-TURE). The stressing of the first syllable in English may even have been influenced by Italian. In Israel for some reason it is pronounced TA-rott which is, of course, an abomination, but I'm sure every country has its own way.

Still, although there is a "correct" way and there is the "popular" way, I was somewhat distressed to read people here say there is no right or wrong way as if this was a subjective question about card interpretation. Grammar is serious stuff!

 

[PathWalker]

"Sachet" is my contribution - another silent T.

 

[Richard]

I would guess that "officially" it is ta-RO as per its French origin, but that may not matter, like it doesn't in "overture" (ou-ver-TURE). The stressing of the first syllable in English may even have been influenced by Italian. In Israel for some reason it is pronounced TA-rott which is, of course, an abomination, but I'm sure every country has its own way.

Yes, but it should be noted that stressed syllables in French are not significantly longer than those which are unstressed. Tarot is indeed pronounced ta-RO but not t'RO. It's more like tah-RO.

Still, although there is a "correct" way and there is the "popular" way, I was somewhat distressed to read people here say there is no right or wrong way as if this was a subjective question about card interpretation. Grammar is serious stuff!

You are forgetting where you are. This is AT, where everyone's opinion is correct, no matter how bizarre, and no one is wrong (unless they glob all sorts of astrology and Kabbalah stuff onto tarot).

 

[canid]

The only people I know who pronounce it with the stress on the second syllable are native French and German speakers....

Erm, HOW would you know that? Do people place more emphasis, in lip reading, on syllables that is visible to the hearing impaired?

I like what Nisaba said, 'rhymes with arrow'. Only with a 't' in front. That's how I say it anyway, right or wrong. I'll just never forget that woman in the store...she lowered her voice, opened her eyes wider, 'Tuh-rooohh' like, I don't know, she was talking to God or something.

 

[tigerlilybug]

How about ballet? I've never heard it with the final t pronounced.

Oh then I should introduce you to my boyfriend! He only refers to the ballet as BalLET but is well aware it is not pronounced that way. It makes me laugh a lot though that's probably why he does it oh and to keep on topic I say tarot like turrow and I started saying it that way after I watched a lady I liked on YouTube.

 

[Rosanne]

Still, although there is a "correct" way and there is the "popular" way, I was somewhat distressed to read people here say there is no right or wrong way as if this was a subjective question about card interpretation. Grammar is serious stuff!

Aye, but English is a living language, not a dead one like Latin.
How often do you hear 'Personality Trait' - Trait pronounced 'tray' the correct way?
Everyone seems to say trait, pronounced as in 'Straight'.
I get mad with grammer when it is things like "I've got nothing to say " if you have 'got' something- it is not 'nothing'.
Anyway Tarot is transliteration of the French word Taraux which does not end with OX. I ends with au=O.
There is nothing further to say. That is my Virgoan Tray. :devil:
~Rosanne

 

[Starshower]

I haven't read this whole thread. It's about pronunciation - not grammar btw.

Here in England, tarot has the emphasis on the 1st syllable, and the 't' is not sounded.

It rhymes exactly with:
arrow
barrow
harrow
marrow
narrow.

 

[ivanna]

Here in Spain we pronounce tarot with our typical accent The last T has sound.
It sounds something similar to "carrot" but the strong accent is on the last part of the word..
not CARRot, but carROT = taROT

 

[AJ]

there is a funny thread here on how we pronounce Thoth..

I pronounce tarot like Starshower a few posts back

 

[nisaba]

I would guess that "officially" it is ta-RO as per its French origin, but that may not matter, like it doesn't in "overture" (ou-ver-TURE). The stressing of the first syllable in English may even have been influenced by Italian.

I thought its origin was the Italian word Tarocchi? Didn't the cards originate in Italy and move to France later? In the Italian word Tarocchi, the emphasis is on the second syllable.

I was somewhat distressed to read people here say there is no right or wrong way as if this was a subjective question about card interpretation. Grammar is serious stuff!

<grin> As is pronunciation, a whole different thing.

Signed, Nisaba,
Grammar Nazi,
Pronunciation Nazi,
Vocabulary Nazi.