Comments on: The Power of Convention http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/ A blog on virtual worlds, games, and digital content, from Matt Mihaly Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:31:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Carl http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-46286 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:26:08 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-46286 I think they should have given them Italian accents. I think the comment about British and Roman imperialism matching up is a valid point. It seems like the best movies and shows about Rome have always been from UK. -Carl I think they should have given them Italian accents.

I think the comment about British and Roman imperialism matching up is a valid point. It seems like the best movies and shows about Rome have always been from UK.

-Carl

]]> by: Ryan Shwayder http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-8034 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 03:49:20 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-8034 Whatevah, I do what I want. Whatevah, I do what I want.

]]> by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7952 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:50:23 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7952 English didn't exist in ancient Roman times. ;) --matt English didn’t exist in ancient Roman times. ;)

–matt

]]> by: Ryan Shwayder http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7951 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:42:09 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7951 I've always commented on how it's funny that we believe everyone in Europe who speaks English has a Birtish accent (except Germans and French people). Then again, if anyone in the Roman times knew English, they would have learned from a British person, and therefore would have had a bit of a British accent. Seriously, have you heard the way most Europeans who speak English really well sound (except for the Swedes, who pretty much just watch American TV and have our accents more so than British ones)? I’ve always commented on how it’s funny that we believe everyone in Europe who speaks English has a Birtish accent (except Germans and French people). Then again, if anyone in the Roman times knew English, they would have learned from a British person, and therefore would have had a bit of a British accent.

Seriously, have you heard the way most Europeans who speak English really well sound (except for the Swedes, who pretty much just watch American TV and have our accents more so than British ones)?

]]> by: Cael http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7814 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:21:27 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7814 Alright, i'll accept that everyone has an accent but the day the British Isles have only one accent is probably long after i'm dead - unless the West Country becomes incredibly fashionable, of course. In this case... it's because it's the BBC. Alright, i’ll accept that everyone has an accent but the day the British Isles have only one accent is probably long after i’m dead - unless the West Country becomes incredibly fashionable, of course.

In this case… it’s because it’s the BBC.

]]> by: Marc/Richter http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7813 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:04:04 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7813 You know, I just saw Night at the Museum, and Octavius (the roman general) had a british accent too. It must be a conspiracy. You know, I just saw Night at the Museum, and Octavius (the roman general) had a british accent too. It must be a conspiracy.

]]> by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7798 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:47:41 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7798 If I had to guess, I would guess it has a lot more to do with Shakespeare than anything else. Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Antony and Cleopatra, etc. I'd be willing to bet, on reflection, that if we traced back Romans-with-Brit accents we'd end up at Shakespeare. --matt If I had to guess, I would guess it has a lot more to do with Shakespeare than anything else.

Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Antony and Cleopatra, etc. I’d be willing to bet, on reflection, that if we traced back Romans-with-Brit accents we’d end up at Shakespeare.

–matt

]]> by: Zell http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7796 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:21:50 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7796 I think British culture maps better to Roman culture than US culture does. That may not constitute a 'logical reason' but it's part of the why it makes sense to us. England's been shaped by centuries of being an imperial power, and a millenium of being firmly settled -- whereas the US draws of its archetypal identity from the exploration and conquest of a continent, as a colony that broke free of its imperial chains and stepped into the light of manifest destiny. The USA and Rome have nothing in common. There's a reason the convention remains strong. I think British culture maps better to Roman culture than US culture does. That may not constitute a ‘logical reason’ but it’s part of the why it makes sense to us. England’s been shaped by centuries of being an imperial power, and a millenium of being firmly settled — whereas the US draws of its archetypal identity from the exploration and conquest of a continent, as a colony that broke free of its imperial chains and stepped into the light of manifest destiny. The USA and Rome have nothing in common. There’s a reason the convention remains strong.

]]> by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7791 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:39:45 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7791 Nick wrote: <i> It just doesn’t seem right. It’s an interesting question as to precisely why that should be, other than convention. </i> I don't think there IS a reason it seems right outside of convention. By the way, I will also certainly take issue with the claim a few comments above that there is no "English" accent. Of course there is. Everybody's got an accent, as accents are relative. What the English sound like now is certainly not what the English sounded like 800 years ago for instance. Nick wrote:

It just doesn’t seem right. It’s an interesting question as to precisely why that should be, other than convention.

I don’t think there IS a reason it seems right outside of convention.

By the way, I will also certainly take issue with the claim a few comments above that there is no “English” accent. Of course there is. Everybody’s got an accent, as accents are relative. What the English sound like now is certainly not what the English sounded like 800 years ago for instance.

]]> by: Nick http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7789 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:01:55 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/01/15/the-power-of-convention/#comment-7789 There's already quite a variety of accents on Rome, it sounds diverse already to British ears at least. There's definitely an attempt to map UK accents to equivalent Roman ones, in terms of social position. Most of the senators (particularly Brutus) have very upper class South East accents, with a wider variety of accents associated with UK regions and middle/working classes representing everyone else. Interestingly, there's a huge number of actors in Rome suppressing their normally very distinct regional accents - Ciaran Hinds (Irish) and Kevin McKidd(Scottish) being the obvious examples. Ray Stevenson lets a fair amount of his Geordie through though, which seems almost appropriate to my ears being a lowly legionaire. I do see your point though. There's no logical reason for the mapping of Roman accents to UK rather than US equivalents. I'd find it close to unwatchable, however, if it had been like that. It just doesn't seem right. It's an interesting question as to precisely why that should be, other than convention. There’s already quite a variety of accents on Rome, it sounds diverse already to British ears at least. There’s definitely an attempt to map UK accents to equivalent Roman ones, in terms of social position. Most of the senators (particularly Brutus) have very upper class South East accents, with a wider variety of accents associated with UK regions and middle/working classes representing everyone else.

Interestingly, there’s a huge number of actors in Rome suppressing their normally very distinct regional accents - Ciaran Hinds (Irish) and Kevin McKidd(Scottish) being the obvious examples. Ray Stevenson lets a fair amount of his Geordie through though, which seems almost appropriate to my ears being a lowly legionaire.

I do see your point though. There’s no logical reason for the mapping of Roman accents to UK rather than US equivalents. I’d find it close to unwatchable, however, if it had been like that. It just doesn’t seem right. It’s an interesting question as to precisely why that should be, other than convention.

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