Here’s somewhat random question. How do you lot (English/Irish/Scottish/etc.-ish) pronounce “taco”? I would guess “tack-oh” whereas we say “tah-koh”–because I know you rhyme the second syllable in “kebab” with “lab” whereas we say “ke-bahb.” And why is that?
When I lived in Canada, I noticed that Mazda ads had been re-dubbed to make the first syllable rhyme with “lab,” and also that “pasta” was pronounced that way, which always sounded very Long Island to me, not more British (but that reflects my NY upbringing). I don’t recall ever hearing them say “taco” differently than I would.
English here (southern). I’d say tack-oh and kebab to rhyme with lab.
To be honest taco is not a word I’d use regularly, and I’m sure I say it that way because that is how it looks written down. I couldn’t even swear that this is normal British pronunciation – tacos aren’t really that common, at least in my world.
Kebabs on the other hand is thoroughly anglicised – donner kebab is typical post-pub food and has been for decades. The typical consumer of a kebab in Britain probably inclines towards being working class and inebriated, which might explain the pronunciation being how an English person would read the word.
Seriously? Well my mother was Candian and father was Australian. I live in Devon married to a Scottish woman. It’s Tack-oh here… I have been ridiculed for using the other pronunciation. I now say Tack-oh too to avoid being made fun off. Similarly kebab.
As first representative of us lot to step up to the plate on this one (to borrow a useful phrase from you lot), just to say that it is indeed an intriguing contradiction: US usage generally tends toward the short ‘a’, but in words of non-US derivation – “pasta”, “kebab”, “taco” etc. – it seems you favour a long ‘a’, whereas for us it is precisely vice-versa. Mind you, I wince if I hear “tack-oh”, having first heard the word in the US, pronounced as “tah-koh”…
I’d say tacko (Wacko Jacko)as opposed to tahko, if I ever had to say it. I say pasta (basta! basta!) and Picasso unlike you lot over there with your pahsta and Picahsso.
notoneoffbritishisms.com 
Fancy a Taco? Yes please !
You want vinegar on it?
Here’s somewhat random question. How do you lot (English/Irish/Scottish/etc.-ish) pronounce “taco”? I would guess “tack-oh” whereas we say “tah-koh”–because I know you rhyme the second syllable in “kebab” with “lab” whereas we say “ke-bahb.” And why is that?
When I lived in Canada, I noticed that Mazda ads had been re-dubbed to make the first syllable rhyme with “lab,” and also that “pasta” was pronounced that way, which always sounded very Long Island to me, not more British (but that reflects my NY upbringing). I don’t recall ever hearing them say “taco” differently than I would.
English here (southern). I’d say tack-oh and kebab to rhyme with lab.
To be honest taco is not a word I’d use regularly, and I’m sure I say it that way because that is how it looks written down. I couldn’t even swear that this is normal British pronunciation – tacos aren’t really that common, at least in my world.
Kebabs on the other hand is thoroughly anglicised – donner kebab is typical post-pub food and has been for decades. The typical consumer of a kebab in Britain probably inclines towards being working class and inebriated, which might explain the pronunciation being how an English person would read the word.
Seriously? Well my mother was Candian and father was Australian. I live in Devon married to a Scottish woman. It’s Tack-oh here… I have been ridiculed for using the other pronunciation. I now say Tack-oh too to avoid being made fun off. Similarly kebab.
That’s Canadian…… Sorry
As first representative of us lot to step up to the plate on this one (to borrow a useful phrase from you lot), just to say that it is indeed an intriguing contradiction: US usage generally tends toward the short ‘a’, but in words of non-US derivation – “pasta”, “kebab”, “taco” etc. – it seems you favour a long ‘a’, whereas for us it is precisely vice-versa. Mind you, I wince if I hear “tack-oh”, having first heard the word in the US, pronounced as “tah-koh”…
GOOD SHOW!!
I’d say tacko (Wacko Jacko)as opposed to tahko, if I ever had to say it. I say pasta (basta! basta!) and Picasso unlike you lot over there with your pahsta and Picahsso.
Picasso/Picahsso , what about Van Gogh, that sounds really wierd