Valisthean-English dialects
Originally posted on Dreamwidth, 2023-09-13; thanks to irreversibly @ DW for a contribution that encouraged me to revise some of the original post.
Posh people range from SSBE to more traditional RP. This includes the Rosarian Shields, who don’t have Rosarian accents. Clive and his ilk are towards the RP end of the spectrum (although note Clive’s pronunciation of “either”!); the Sanbrequois nobility take this further. Waloed is an exception (geographically isolated).
Rosaria
- Place names: English (Hawk’s Cry Cliff, Auldhyl) – but Glaidemond = French? An imported name from Sanbreque, given that it’s a Greagorian abbey?
- Personal names: found in English, including non-English UK names (Maeve, Owain)
- Accents: westcountry, perhaps more specifically (east?) Cornish (possibly wishful thinking on my part, although note Owain at the hideaway: “proper job”; also, Rosaria is a(n arch)duchy)
Sanbreque
- Place names: French (Oriflamme, Glorieuse) but also English (Lostwing – more recently established?; Northreach) and “Caer” is Welsh 🤔
- Personal names: almost exclusively French (Terence not so much?)
- Accents: cockney/estuary. Note that Dion’s troops must all be from the nobility, as during the siege on Twinside, we hear them speaking and they are the poshest people imaginable.
Dhalmekia
- Place names: Eastern European (Dravozd, Doeznov), but plenty of English again (newer settlements?)
- Personal names: Eastern European (L’ubor, Zoltan), Germanic (Otto, Viktor)
- Accents: non-regionally marked, Home Counties/potentially Midlands if I’m reaching; capitalist society, less pronounced class differences than elsewhere?
Waloed
- Place names: Norse (Skaithfarr, Eistla – compare Orkney place names); some English again
- Personal names: tbh there are so few Waloeder characters that we don’t get much on this, although note Edda (Norse) and Asta in the hideaway (also fits)
- Accents: Scandinavian (i.e. modern Norse, effectively)?? A non-native accent, used even by the nobility; does Ash have its own language? Although note the presence of Valisthean-English place names and written documents.
Other stuff
- Iron Kingdom: Welsh/Scottish (Gaelic) – note the name Imreann, also I think this is the first place we come across “Crea y Cwm” although that comes up again elsewhere later. (ETA: cannot believe I forgot to mention Drustanus, i.e. “Tristan”, cementing the Celtic connection; makes so much sense that this area borders Rosaria!!)
- Southern Isles: did I dream this or is Tarja from here? If so, that places her Irish accent. (edit: yes she is, Southern Irelands confirmed)
- Gav?? Where is Valisthean Newcastle (potentially the Northern Territories?? Jill lacks this accent but is posh)? – ETA: yes, confirmed that Gav is from the Northern Territories, I think; see also the Mysidians.
- Some people from the outer continent are from the north (Cid, Charon – Yorkshire??); note Harpocrates though, although maybe it’s just that he too is posh. These names seem to be Greek/Latinate (Cidolfus, Charon, Harpocrates).
- Kanver and the Dominion: multicultural, migration-heavy therefore less regionally marked? Vivian’s accent is what exactly? Names: Vivian and Carla could imply something Latinate for the Dominion; Eloise suggests French for Kanver, Theodore is less placeable.
- Regional English place name elements: Tor (ought to place Belenus Tor in Rosaria, But Alas); -mere, mostly northern England afaik