I don't understand why all the Africans (especially the children) all spoke only English, even when speaking to each other and not Jack or other Americans. Seems kinda messed up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaVQyyQrTiQ
English is the main spoken language in the majority of African countries, especially in the south and Zimbabwe.
shareNot so weird because it's South Africa where the government and media speaks English (to a certain extent) and the children there are exposed to Jack's friend speaking English all the time. Not that far fetched for that part of Africa.
________
"I'm no physician, but there appears to be a dagger through my chest."
-Richard 1:06
It's not set in South Africa.
____________________________
"I kneel only to god. I don't see him here."
And even if it didn't make sense for them to speak English, it is an American TV show. Lot's of movies/TV shows have characters speaking the native language of the people who produce the movie. Sometimes it is because they don't want to have to use subtitles, but some directors feel it is very difficult to direct in a language they don't speak (this is why Steven Spielberg scrapped his plans to direct Schindler's List is German).
But still, where'd the lighter fluid come from?
I don't remember where it said it took place. I had assumed South Africa, for some reason.
________
"I'm no physician, but there appears to be a dagger through my chest."
-Richard 1:06
It was in a fictional country. Sangala or something.
But still, where'd the lighter fluid come from?
Yeah, it's the fictional nation of Sangala.
____________________________
"I kneel only to god. I don't see him here."
Ah, then they can do whatever they want. If they want English speakers in their fake country, then they're more than welcome. Especially since some countries do have a good percentage of English speakers. It's plausible.
________
"I'm no physician, but there appears to be a dagger through my chest."
-Richard 1:06
I agree that in "real life" terms it's pretty plausible - the British colonial legacy left behind a lot of English-speaking people on the continent.
In movie terms, it's assumed that it's either the Africans speaking their native tongue (and Jack understanding what they are saying) or that they have learned English.
That makes sense, too. I watched a British comedy called "'Allo, 'Allo" and it took place in WWII France. Everyone spoke English, but to them they were speaking French. (An English Airman came in and spoke Bad French at one point.) So just because we can understand it, doesn't mean they're speaking English necessarily.
________
"I'm no physician, but there appears to be a dagger through my chest."
-Richard 1:06
vash_stampede60,
That's very true, the writers could have decided that it'd be better for everyone if we could understand what they're saying.
____________________________
"I kneel only to god. I don't see him here."
Most countries colonized by England have English as the official language. And its what children are instructed in at school. So I didn't find it weird that all the kids could speak English.
And even when you travel in Africa, in parts such as Southern Africa and Eastern Africa pretty much everyone you will meet speaks English to a certain degree. And I've lived there so this is based on experience.
Even weirder is the fact that when Carl(Robert Carlyle) asks a woman about the whereabouts of the two children (just before he discovers their corpses) he is using French.
Now I know French and English are languages spoken in Africa but why would the males speak one and the females the other?
Sangala is probably in West Africa, where there were a few British and french colonies, so it's posisble that people in Sangala may speak both.
shareYeah and maybe since it's a fictional country women do speak in french between them and men in english or maybe french is the native tongue and english is used when talking to foreigners (in season 7 everyone from Sangala has a african-french accent)
shareI saw somehwere, maybe on the 24 wiki page or an interview with Cassar, that Sangala's main languages were French and English, it was also on the western part of Africa because when discussing the ways to attack Sangala, they talked about attacking by sea.
shareEven weirder is that the Russian President speaks English(he would rather speak Russian even if he speaks English fluently). Then again I don't really care it's American TV.
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