Why are they always twee and puffy, with British accents in these old age alternative fairy dimensions? Their voices sound like some crispy fiddle-faddle that might break like thin ice, any moment.
And I forget if I'm watching hobbits, or dragon mistresses, or...
In the English speaking world, English and it's regional accents are the only accents that suit classic fantasy. American accents are immediately immersion breaking, just watch the Jeremy Irons Dungeons and Dragons for a good example. Same goes for video games, the VA for the Souls series is head and shoulders above the VA in your generic fantasy like Solasta. It helps if it's a genuine accent too, it's rare to hear a good imitation. That's just the way it goes.
shareWhy are any other accents "immersion breaking"? RP pronunciation English is a modern accent. For me (subjectively), it is immersion breaking.
shareThere are plenty of other accents that aren't immersion breaking, just not English speaking ones. Personally I don't consume media I can't get immersed in so if it's a problem for you, you always have the choice to not engage.
shareI asked why other (English-language) accents are, according to you, immersion breaking?
I don't care what you asked.
shareThat's good to know. Still, it doesn't help your point --the wild, unsubstantiated claim that non-UK-English accents break immersion -- if you don't provide any support.
shareOK how's this -
"American accents are just too rotund and greasy for classic fantasy, the voices sound wet and sloppy as if you might drown in them. I never know if they're going to slay the dragon or order Burger King"
Is that description more to your obviously high standards?
English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish accents when speaking English are "old world". US, Australian, New Zealand or South African accents are "new world".
I am guessing that hearing "new world" accents in fantasies based in settings that are supposed to be "old" is jarring, despite the fact that modern English or even modern "old world" accents didn't even exist until that long ago.
Then again, this show has a black dude with a fade as an elf, so it doesn't really matter. They could put everyone in clown outfits and it wouldn't be much worse.
Um....how do you or anyone else know what accents people were speaking with in medieval times? medieval means roughyl 500-800 years ago, which is a long time after the Norman invasion. The regional accents broadly reflect the influence of whichever people were the last to settle in those regions. Even today you can hear a similarity in Scandinavian accents and northern English ones. Scotland, Ireland and Wales were the regions where the indigenous celts were not purged, which is reflected in their accents and the fact that Gaelic is still spoken in those regions.
Where did I say I knew what accents people were speaking with in Medieval times?
share"modern English or even modern "old world" accents didn't even exist until that long ago."
shareOK, and you think the Medieval period was from 1200 to 1500 and that they speak Gaelic in Wales.
shareThe peroid of Medieval Knights, ie the period in history which Middle Earth is broadly based on is roughly 1200-1500 AD.
I will correct this sentence to be pedantically correct:
Scotland, Ireland and Wales were the regions where the indigenous celts were not purged, which is reflected in their accents and the fact that Gaelic and welsh are still spoken in those regions.
It changes nothing of the meaning or context, or correctness of my point. But you aren't gong to address that anyway.
I know that Jackson's LOTR movies used variations on British accents exclusively and nothing else, but didn't Game of Thrones in its eight seasons ALSO use broadly British accents, except for maybe those by the Unsullied, etc?
On behalf of all English people everywhere, in the words of Chaucer, and I am paraphrasing here, go fuck yourself, you cunt.
shareLet's hear Chaucer's accent then. I didn't know elves were from the BBC.
Keep watching. The lowest, dirtiest character will probably have a Scouse accent. Just replay all the stereotypes of British society on Middle Earth.
Would you prefer San Francisco twinks?
shareI had problems understanding some of the British accents in this show. I don't think I ever had any trouble understanding the accents on Downton Abbey but some of the other British shows were difficult.
share