MovieChat Forums > The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) Discussion > Oh the accents...

Oh the accents...

posted 18 years ago by AWMPerry
20 replies | jump to latest

This Genovia... bloody cosmopolitan country, isn't it? Particularly given that it's supposed to be stuck between France and Spain and - judging by the constant agriculture - populated largely by farmers who've lived there for generations.

So how come the alleged natives have every accent in the book from French, German, Greek, English, Scottish... even to <i>American</i>, for heaven's sake?

It's an amusing enough film, but really... if you're going to set a film in Europe, the characters could at least appear to be from roughly the same area. And at least no American accents from rural Genovia...

(And while I'm on the subject, could people at least get the words right? "Lest she be married"... That should be "unless", you senile buffoon...)

EDIT: More irritations. What's with the constant announcements? "Presenting the princess", thump thump... what nonsense.

And the accents again - princesses "from all around the world", and every bloody one of them sounds American!

It's a nice little film, but tediously yankocentric...

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Non Levitas Tolero Fatui

[–] Sgt_Floyd_Pepper 17 years ago

It's a movie for the the young ones and you had to be the only one nit picking on accents. dude, chill. its a movie. The movie is made by Americans btw. I take it you have an attitude against Americans in general.

I feel its rather sad that you got all hot under the collar over something so trivial as this.

It's Deuteronomy, not do it to me Rodney.

[–] AWMPerry 17 years ago

It's hardly picking nits so much as elephants.

And no, I don't mind Americans in general. I do, however, mind the tendency in American films to constantly assume or suggest that the rest of the world - you know, the 90% or so that's outside America's borders - consists of people who either speak like Americans or want to be Americans.

The fact remains that these "Genovians" all speaking with a mixture of (mostly American) accents is unrealistic and ridiculous.

As for it being trivial, well, it may be. But as an example of a trend it's worrying. The American public is being continuously indoctrinated to think of the world at large as a poor cousin to America, which has resulted in the hideously skewed perspective shown by many of its subjects; a perspective which over time has led to such things as... oh, American foreign policy, for instance.

Sorry about that. It wasn't actually a rant about America until you suggested it could be - so thanks for that.

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Non Levitas Tolero Fatui

[–] Sgt_Floyd_Pepper 17 years ago

yeah, dude I can see your point, but it's for the little boys and girls. maybe it makes a little girl in illinois somewhere feel good that someone like her can be in a place like genovia, just like there is a little girl in coventry who can feel good about seeing someone like herself in the movie as well. It's about marketing to the kids everywhere. The people in genovia had many accents.

dude, you can't let american television shows and the biased media shape your views of america. i don't take what i see on televisoin as the gospel. there are numurous televison shows and movies about different countries, but i don't let that shape my view of a place. that is the main reason why so many people generalize on these boards. and please don't use imdb as your gate into the world because so many people on here....well i don't want to go into a rant. all i'm saying dude is open your mind and don't judge. unless you have been to the states and know every one and have witnessed it first hand(not thought the filtered media) than just be open. dude, i have no beef with you personaly and sorry if i tripped on ya. did not mean to be harsh in my last post.

btw, i'm sure you noticed i didn't use capitals. its late and i just don't feel like pressing the shift button.

It's Deuteronomy, not do it to me Rodney.

[–] catherine2828 17 years ago

those who have problems with the accent should realise that Genovia isn't a real country

[–] Sgt_Floyd_Pepper 17 years ago

I know Genovia is fake. I was just saying that a lot of little kids like to be able to relate to a movie character.

-Not everyone; just maybe 99.999999% of them deserve to be flatheads.

[–] catherine2828 17 years ago

sorry Sgt Floyd Pepper, wasn't targetting you. my phrasing was really bad. have changed it now

[–] Sgt_Floyd_Pepper 17 years ago

My bad. I'm sorry. I hope i didn't come of harsh dude, cause i wasn't.

-Not everyone; just maybe 99.999999% of them deserve to be flatheads.

[–] catherine2828 17 years ago

haha! don't worry, i felt bad for my poor phrasing and making it seem like i was attacking you. all's good between us :D

[–] kunfyooshun 17 years ago

I've only been watching this DVD for the past 15 minutes and, I was wondering the same thing. Almost all of the princes and princesses (sp?) sounded American. I couldn't figure out why that was either.
Furthermore, Julie Andrews and the hall cryer sounded British while the people in the streets upon seeing the arrival of her place spoke with American and Italian accents.
Another thing, at this point, Mia was supposed to have been a princess for 5 years now. So, why is she still without poise and merauding about the castle as if she's never been there before? At the end of the first movie, you see her being flown into the country and to the castle - indicating that she would be moving in. Most college students go home to visit at least once or twice within the 4 to 5 years that they're in school!
It made very little sense.

And before you start to snipe - YES, I AM aware that this is just a movie. I'm just commenting on the lack of continuity - it's kind of essential for a sequel or series of any kind.

[–] Hyphyp 17 years ago

Same reason for most of the crappyness in the movie: mostly made for little kids who don't know the difference. =/ I was expecting a hell of a lot more out of this too.

~*~The Nanny~*~
Did CaCa do a no no in the kitchen?

[–] ddsuperslam 17 years ago

There was like one British sounding princess, and the others did all sound American. I also realized that all the accents were from all over the place. I mean, America and Canada are multicultural, but European countries are WAY less so! I thought that was hilarious, too.

[–] terristarkey 17 years ago

I'm guessing as genovias not a real place they can have whatever accent they want there, think of it that way and it saves alot of pinikiness and bother

[–] jeanieb-1 17 years ago

It's just a movie, so I don't really look into it. And for the guy that posted at first, I think it's a bit harsh to think that all Americans think they're better than everyone else. That's not true. I don't listen to politics too much between my parents and their friends, but I know me and my many friends (both at home and the ones I've met over the Internet) have very high opinions of Europe. It's a beautiful country; I want to tour it and maybe live there, even if it isn't for very long since I am an American who loves her home very much.

Umbridge: You know, I really quite hate children.
Me: We never would've guessed.

[–] millysanne 17 years ago

Europe is not a country..... it is a continent consisting of many different countries - with very different cultures....

[–] jeanieb-1 17 years ago

Ack - you're right. Continent, sorry. Blonde moment there; I wasn't very awake when I wrote that. The sentiment is still the same, however; I want to take a tour of the continent, and maybe one day live somewhere in the British Isles.

Umbridge: You know, I really quite hate children.
Me: We never would've guessed.

[–] erika_gomez 17 years ago

Everyone is waaay overreacting, as it already has been said, it is

1. A *kids* movie for crying out loud,
2. Set in a non-existent country
3. Most people that learn english as a second language, usually learn it with an americanized accent (I'm speaking for the bunchloads of "princesses" people seem to keep referring to)
4. Even if Mia had been to the castle "once or twice a year" for the past 4-5 years, you have to remember she was raised in a whole different atmosphere for 16 years, so it's still understandable that she is still awed by the place, and still clumsy and ungraceful (although admittedly a LOT less so), remember, old habits are hard to shake.
5. There is no 5, I just like nice groups of numbers, and I detest 4s. ;)

[–] sleepykao3 17 years ago

I can understand Julie Andrews having a British accent, because she was queen by marriage.

[–] ArianwenPendragon 16 years ago

'(And while I'm on the subject, could people at least get the words right? "Lest she be married"... That should be "unless", you senile buffoon...)'

Actually, considering we're dealing with proper, slightly archaic English, 'lest' is perfectly correct. Hardly grounds for calling someone a 'senile buffoon'. Go read some Elizabethan literature, especially Shakespeare, or something, and you'll see 'lest' used frequently. 'Unless' is the more modern variation.

Regards,
Arianwen

[–] Harlequin_Girl_251191 15 years ago

I don't get why there is a Scottish tv presenter!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, I know it's for kids and all but that just doesn't make sense.

[–] E_nineteen 9 years ago

I know Genovia isn't a real country and I was trying hard to suspend my disbelief, but this was totally distracting. I think it bothered me more that they laughed about her little idiosyncrasies like 'haha, she's an American' when THEY THEMSELVES WERE SPEAKING IN AMERICAN ACCENTS. It was totally bizarre. I think in my head I tried to justify it by pretending they were all speaking in a made up Genovian language and we were just hearing the translation, as it were (a bit like historical films set in other countries). Didn't quite work.

The Scottish news reporter was funny - but more because they didn't even pass her off as a Genovian like the others, she was wearing tartan at one point!

Worst of all were Mia's maids and their extremely dodgy Cockney accents. Not to mention that those accents (on maids, no less) were pulled straight out of the 1800s.