Ever find yourself staring at a word, only to feel your brain go into shutdown mode as you attempt to pronounce it? For me, that troublesome word is "birria," specifically in the context of birria tacos.

This linguistic puzzle took center stage in a lively discussion on Michael and Maddie, part of which you can hear below. After the show, I was confused, caught between Maddie's pronunciation (burr-EE-uh) and listener Jonelle Elizabeth's (beer-ee-UH" (sounds like "Syria").

Uncertain of the correct answer, I consulted the authority: Jorge Valera, manager of Frontera Grill.

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Valera was the go-to person for the task. As soon as I walked through the front entrance, he was the first person I encountered.

"OK, listen closely," he advised.

Here's what he said:

The verdict is in. Although both pronunciations were close, Jonelle's was the closest.

This adventure began when I discussed Frontera's Attleboro location on the show, highlighting their authentic birria tacos. The Fairhaven location does not offer the same menu. Nevertheless, a short road trip is well worth it for those craving delicious tacos paired with a zesty au jus dipping sauce.

Now that the pronunciation debate is settled, who's up for some birria tacos?

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