In the same way that you've probably not been saying "gib" or "Scadutree" in the way their original creators properly intended, it's more than likely you've not been using the correct intonation when pronouncing "Balatro", the name given to the wildly successful poker-like from indie game dev, Localthunk.
Stephen Totilo continues to do proper video game journalism over at Game File and got the answer to a question we didn't know literally anyone had ever asked. As it turns out, every single time we've ever heard the game mentioned or said it ourselves, it's been with the wrong emphasis, or at least an intonation that the creator himself doesn't use.
You see, while we've all been raving about how great "ba-LAH-tro" is, it turns out, Localthunk, perhaps drunk on his newfound power and wealth, has been calling it "BAH-luh-trow" all along, and probably laughing at you to boot.
Totillo spoke to Naman Budhwar, head of video marketing at Balatro publisher, Playstack, and revealed that, actually: "He doesn’t really mind how people say it." Seriously, Game File has a recording of the conversation, and the pronunciation is honestly more nightmarish (and British) than mere words could ever explain.
Will you be using the correct pronunciation of Balatro moving forward? More deliciously, will you mercilessly correct those who say it wrong and thus gain a measure of power over them? Let us know in the comments section below.
Comments 29
Turns out I've been pronouncing it right the entire time even tho I thought I was pronouncing it wrong lol
I did hear this a while back. I think MinnMax kinda reported on it and variously used that pronunciation during their GOTY talk. But the popular pronunciation is just much easier on the mouth (and ears), and LocalThunk doesn't care, so... I'll probably keep saying it with the emphasis on the middle syllable.
OK, now do Gradius, Darius, and Ninja Gaiden
I’ll keep calling it bah LAH tro, methinks.
I've been saying BALTRO this whole time..
It’s not something one mentions in everyday conversation, I’ll probably stick to the Ba-LUH-tro pronounciation
So I pronounce it BAL AH tro - is that wrong or right? And just because it’s British doesn’t make it nightmareish!
Nah I think they’ve been saying it wrong 😂
Thank you Poosh Squaw
I've been pronouncing it Joker-Poker but I guess I was wrong
I've been saying "BAAAAH-LAAAAAHH- TROOOOOOOOOOH" with the emphasis on sounding like Brian Blessed.
@Balie3000 Yeah same, basically no emphasis on anything.
@JJtheTexan Grahdyoos, Darryoos unt Ninya Gaydin
I’ll just continue to call it Solitaire 2
Interesting. I've always heard the English language is one of the most complex and difficult languages to learn because the emphasis changes the meaning of the sentence or word, as opposed to say Japanese or Arabic where you don't emphasize any syllables, you just pronounce it as it's written.
Fans have been arguing how to pronounce 'Suikoden' correctly for years. I pronounced it SHIH-KOH-DEN growing up but since it's Japanese it's actually pronounced precisely how it's written - so SOOH-EEH-KOH-DIN, with no emphasis on any syllable. Blew my mind.
Language is interesting.
Erm, have we all collectively lost the memo that Balatro is an actual Latin word or what?
Cause the article doesn't mention it and treats the word as if it could be pronounced as one sees fit, but it's not a neologism so no, it has its own correct way of being pronounced.
I see Push Square is always on the cutting edge of reporting smh
@UnlimitedSevens English is incredibly easy actually. Grammar is super simple and intuitive, it's just the non-transparency that makes it pronouncing correctly difficult for most non natives. But believe me, languages like Italian, Spanish or German are way more complex grammatically.
@clvr one of my friends tried to learn mandarin years ago,they gave up after a couple of months, they said it was like trying to learn xylophone 😂 now there's a word..xylophone, whats that about 😂
I listen to This Nintendo Life podcast and one of the Playstack guys is the host, so I've known the correct way to say it since it launched. Drives me nuts listening to almost everyone else saying it the wrong way 😂
I don't care how you pronounce it; get that clown/banana picture out of there lol.
Thanks to Northernlion turns out I've been pronouncing it right all along
Given that the creator of the GIF pronounces his own creation wrong, I'll not be losing any sleep.
Yeah I'm not calling it that. Sticking to BAH-LAA-TROH
I was gona throw a tomahawk out there but thought a boomerang would at least come back at me bro
@PocketHotDogs Why don't you like it?
@JJtheTexan How do you pronounce them? Ninja Gaiden is "guy-den," right?
@Lanmanna I was half-joking there, but serious answers:
Gradius = I always thought it was "GRAH-dee-us", but the Nintendo Direct announcer today pronounced it "GRAY-dee-us."
Darius = Most people say "DARE-ee-us" but game history researcher and author Jeremy Parrish says it's supposed to be "dah-RYE-us" as per the original Japanese. The name comes from a historic Persian Empire ruler so idk
Gaiden = I think it's supposed to be "GUY-den" but I have heard many say it as "GAY-den."
Of course most British people's pronunciation of "Mario" and "Yoshi" sounds wrong to me too. lol
The image is highly suggestive, I'm surprised it's even allowed 😮😮
@Lanmanna Just generally creepy looking and a tad phallic.
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