Tanto Pronunciation?

M

Mr Sig

Joined
Oct 18, 1999
Messages
6
I'm hoping this board can help settle a dispute with a friend. We disagree on the correct pronunciation of "Tanto" as in the Japanese knife.

Is it "tOnto" as in the Lone Ranger's best bud?

Or is it "tAnto" pronounced like "ant" as in the annoying little insects.

I apologize for the triviality here, but thanks for your input and help!
 
Closer to the first, but less "O" sound.. somewhere in-between. More like t-AH-nto (as in "quantum") than "pronto".
 
I see that my buddy and I aren't the only ones in dispute on this issue.
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For the record, I think it's pronounced "t-ahn-toe," as Longden and KenN have suggested. At least I have the Senior Members here on my side, huh?

Any other opinions?
 
Lone Ranger says Tonto.

Did you ever see the Far Side commic with the Lone Ranger in his older years, sitting by himself in his easy chair, looking up a word in an "Indian Dictionary".
"Lets see now...'Keemosawbee'....Oh, here it is! "Keemosawbee: Horses hind en*", Hey what the....!!!!"
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"But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword let him sell his garment and buy one." --Jesus Christ (Luke 22:36) See John 3:15- 18


 
If we were to say that the proper way to pronounce the word would be how the Japanese pronounce it, then you're pronouncing it right, Mr Sig.

-Greg
 
The Sensei who founded the dojo where I study Judo speaks Japanese fluently, lived in Japan to study at the Kodokan, and can even write in kanji. I have not heard him pronounce this particular word, but the vast majority of words with the A in them that I have heard have the sound MrSig and the others are describing (Kodokahn, rahndori, mahki-komi) None of those words has the h in it, but all sound as iff they do.
 
Thanks for all of the responses guys!

I have noticed a difference between the Japanese pronunciation of words and the Americanized counterparts. Take "Japan" or "Samurai" for instance. The Japanese pronounce each of these, Ja-pahn and S-ahmurai respectively. Maybe the alternate pronunciation of T-an-to is just the Americanization of the Japanese word, t-ahn-to.

In any event, thanks again for the help.
 
Since the tanto point that Americans are familiar with is not the same as the one on real Japanese tantos, perhaps it's fitting that we mispronounce the name.
 
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