Where is my Operative from? Accent changes randomly?

[TrikkiOne]

I'm confused, she goes between American and British accents at random times. I'm sure an agent has to have different accents but this really breaks the immersion in stories, especially when she changes mid-conversation. Edited March 28, 2012 by TrikkiOne

[sugarnails]

It's not random. There are points in the story where your agent is specifically told to not sound like an Imperial. Hutta and Belsavis are the two notable places where the agent drops the Imperial ("British") accent. It's just a part of maintaining cover.

[Luwak]

I know right? Even though Keeper chastises your agent for not adopting a local accent, you'd think your agent would completely disregard a direct order from the leader of your intelligence organization to avoid breaking immersion!

 

Don't ask stupid questions.

[andabatae]

I think at one or two points along the story, there might have been a fill-in voice actor. Maybe the main chick got sick?

[Kheldras]

Yep. she sounds British (=Imperial) when shes "Herself" and American when under a cover identity, like on Hutta as "Red Blade".

[legionof]

there is even a conversation choice where you can lampshade the voice swap. though i do wonder why the voice swap was needed. one wouldn't expect accents to matter over much in a galaxy's worth of planets dialects and languages.

[Kahzard]

accent is needed because only the elite of the empire have the "Imperial" (British Accents)...so if your character does not disguise it than your cover would be blown.

 

Think of it this way...of all of earth's dialects can't you always pick out the Canadian or even more local someone from Boston.

[SneakyErvin]

accent is needed because only the elite of the empire have the "Imperial" (British Accents)...so if your character does not disguise it than your cover would be blown.

 

Think of it this way...of all of earth's dialects can't you always pick out the Canadian or even more local someone from Boston.

 

Or just look at the UK, scottish, irish, walesish, english.

[HanzoV]

accent is needed because only the elite of the empire have the "Imperial" (British Accents)...so if your character does not disguise it than your cover would be blown.

 

Think of it this way...of all of earth's dialects can't you always pick out the Canadian or even more local someone from Boston.

 

I'm not really sure how it fits in this timeline, but in the time of the movies, the British Accent is the way they speak on the core worlds. So it's not just an Imperial thing, as many Jedis also have the accent. Even Princess Leia, who does not normally have that accent, spoke like that when talking to Tarkin on the Death Star. It's just the "proper" way to speak. So if it applies here, dropping the accent is just a way to disguise yourself as someone from one of the rim sectors.

[Captain_Lurker]

I'm not really sure how it fits in this timeline, but in the time of the movies, the British Accent is the way they speak on the core worlds. So it's not just an Imperial thing, as many Jedis also have the accent. Even Princess Leia, who does not normally have that accent, spoke like that when talking to Tarkin on the Death Star. It's just the "proper" way to speak. So if it applies here, dropping the accent is just a way to disguise yourself as someone from one of the rim sectors.

 

I believe in the time of the Old Republic the "Isles Accents" (British, Scottish, and Irish) were only from Dromund Kass. From there it appears to have spread through out the Republic after the fall of the Sith Empire to become prevelant(?) in core worlds.

 

 

As to why the Imperial Agent seems to switch between the "British" accent and a non-accent. As stated above the Agent drops the accent to be less likely to be viewed as a Imperial (Dromund Kass) citizen and just a generic denzien of the galaxy. You will notice that the Agent uses the accent around other Imperials and typically drops it around non-Imperials (though maybe not perfectly).

[alphasoup]

I'm not really sure how it fits in this timeline, but in the time of the movies, the British Accent is the way they speak on the core worlds. So it's not just an Imperial thing, as many Jedis also have the accent. Even Princess Leia, who does not normally have that accent, spoke like that when talking to Tarkin on the Death Star. It's just the "proper" way to speak.

 

Slightly off-topic: I think this is a real-life phenomenon as well, where one dialect/language/accent is considered 'prestigious' for whatever reason (associated with upper class, used for ceremonial or official purposes, etc), and another is associated with just common everyday speech, speakers of the latter will adopt the former for certain situations.

 

Slightly more on-topic: The reverse applies as well. There are some points where the agent adopts a North American-sounding accent to blend in with the locals, like on Hutta.

 

And there's a rather hilarious scene on some planet (I can't remember where it was, I think it was Belsavis, but I don't think it was a class quest) where,

after defeating your enemy and you have him at your mercy, you can choose to mock his accent... and you adopt this outrageous fake southern accent. It's hilarious after getting used to that posh British accent. I recommend that you choose that option, it's totally worth the possible affection loss!

 

[Gformutorila]

As to why the Imperial Agent seems to switch between the "British" accent and a non-accent.(though maybe not perfectly).

 

Maybe British is the non-accent

[GenXCub]

Your agent is secretly Madonna.

[Canis_Anubis]

Your agent is secretly Madonna.

 

You can blame George Lucas, who chose to have the actors portraying Imperial personnel use received pronunciation, presumably on the undertaking that it would make them seem more sinister. Of course, this does beg the question of why Sir Alec Guiness didn't affect an American accent, since he wasn't meant to be Imperial, just kindly and avuncular.

[chuixupu]

It's funny that people ask this question every few weeks or so....

 

 

I mean, I thought it was really obvious when Keeper tells you to drop the accent in Hutta, but I guess if you missed that somehow you'd be confused, because there isn't any other " you need to change the accent" conversation. Also, I don't play the female agent, but I never have doubts about the male actor being the same.

[Squatdog_nz]

I believe in the time of the Old Republic the "Isles Accents" (British, Scottish, and Irish) were only from Dromund Kass. From there it appears to have spread through out the Republic after the fall of the Sith Empire to become prevelant(?) in core worlds.

 

 

As to why the Imperial Agent seems to switch between the "British" accent and a non-accent. As stated above the Agent drops the accent to be less likely to be viewed as a Imperial (Dromund Kass) citizen and just a generic denzien of the galaxy. You will notice that the Agent uses the accent around other Imperials and typically drops it around non-Imperials (though maybe not perfectly).

 

 

LMAO@a 'non-accent'...

 

The Imperial Agent affects a whiny, nasal American accent to disguise his identity.

[vimm]

It's funny that people ask this question every few weeks or so....

 

 

I mean, I thought it was really obvious when Keeper tells you to drop the accent in Hutta, but I guess if you missed that somehow you'd be confused, because there isn't any other " you need to change the accent" conversation. Also, I don't play the female agent, but I never have doubts about the male actor being the same.

 

I agree, and yes, they are the same voice actors.