Philip II speaks with Mexican accent. Shame on you, Firaxis!

[Al Bundy]

I cannot believe that kind of mistakes in a multi-million dollar project. Could you imagine a Queen Victoria speaking with American accent? I don't think so.

Not only Philip speaks incorrectly (there is no Royal "We" in Spanish Language), but also has a clear Mexican accent. Lovely voice but really? Firaxis could not found a Spain's native speaker near Baltimore? If you add that Philip II had blond hair, not dark and the cliche of the bull for the Civ's icon, it is pretty clear in my opinion that the devs spent only the minimum time required in designing Spain.

It is especially upsetting when you see so much care and attention to detail in other areas of the game. For example, they spent hundreds of hours designing special combat animations, because you can see a man being impaled by another but not a horse being harmed. Apparently there is no time to pick up the phone and find a single Spain's native speaker for recording four or five phrases.

I am not angry. I am as upset as any of our American friends would be if they had watched Roosevelt speaking with British accent (no more, no less).

 

[phryxolydian]

At least from his introduction I can't really tell if that's a "clear Mexican accent".

 

[God of Kings]

Don't forget that Firaxis contracted out leader voice acting to a studio in Montreal.

I found it bewildering as to why that studio was unable to find an adult male Spaniard with a baritone voice willing to have his voice recorded in the Montreal area, given that Montreal alone has more than enough potential candidates.

 

[Human Crouton]

I cannot believe that kind of mistakes in a multi-million dollar project. Could you imagine a Queen Victoria speaking with American accent? I don't think so.

I actually could imagine Queen Victoria speaking with an American accent because the accent you associate today with an English accent didn't actually start taking hold until late in Queen Victoria's reign. Until the late 1800s, most Englishmen spoke like the American accent you mention.

So good job on being offended by a minor detail of a video game and also being wrong about history.

 

[VainApocalypse]

I cannot believe that kind of mistakes in a multi-million dollar project. Could you imagine a Queen Victoria speaking with American accent? I don't think so.

Not only Philip speaks incorrectly (there is no Royal "We" in Spanish Language), but also has a clear Mexican accent. Lovely voice but really? Firaxis could not found a Spain's native speaker near Baltimore? If you add that Philip II had blond hair, not dark and the cliche of the bull for the Civ's icon, it is pretty clear in my opinion that the devs spent only the minimum time required in designing Spain.

It is especially upsetting when you see so much care and attention to detail in other areas of the game. For example, they spent hundreds of hours designing special combat animations, because you can see a man being impaled by another but not a horse being harmed. Apparently there is no time to pick up the phone and find a single Spain's native speaker for recording four or five phrases.

I am not angry. I am as upset as any of our American friends would be if they had watched Roosevelt speaking with British accent (no more, no less).

I am an Americna, and I wouldn't be even a little upset if Roosevelt had a British accent. Heck. Give him Schwarzenegger's accent. I wouldn't care. I'd regard it as a trivial quirk. I'm neither a nationalist nor a historical purist. Things are anachronistic in a game where fascist Kongo armor is running down communist American pikemen.

This gripe is absurd.

 

[Al Bundy]

At least from his introduction I can't really tell if that's a "clear Mexican accent".

The accent is more obvious in the defeat scene. It is in one of Quill18's videos (link below), around min. 15:40. Watch it and tell me what you think...

 

[MistyRonin]

there is no Royal "We" in Spanish Language

What? Since when there's no "Royal we" in Castilian Spanish? What's then the "plural mayestático"?

Have you ever heard for instance the emeritus King of Spain, Juan Carlos I? I don't remember about Felipe VI (as I haven't really listen to many of his speeches, only the main ones). Not to talk about many medieval and renaissance chronicles.

http://dle.rae.es/?id=TR5IwH7

https://books.google.fi/books?id=63heLVFoS4EC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq="nos+el+rey+juan+carlos+I"&source=bl&ots=b-5hqGMc_M&sig=6C9UDS09nO1m_mtQSEnrGWv99Vk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5w4bxybvPAhUBrCwKHR9aAmEQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q="nos el rey juan carlos I"&f=false

http://www.estandarte.com/noticias/...mayestatico-sociativo-y-de-modestia_2600.html

has a clear Mexican accent

Could someone please link more videos of diplomatic cut-scenes where Philip II is speaking. So far, and judging by the last video, it sounds slightly off, tho I can't really identify the accent. Have in mind that some Castilian accents can be similar to the South American ones.

 

[Al Bundy]

What? Since when there's no "Royal we" in Castilian Spanish? What's then the "plural mayestático"?

Have you ever heard for instance the emeritus King of Spain, Juan Carlos I? I don't remember about Felipe VI (as I haven't really listen to many of his speeches, only the main ones). Not to talk about many medieval and renaissance chronicles.



Could someone please link more videos of diplomatic cut-scenes where Philip II is speaking. So far, and judging with the last video, it sounds slightly off, tho I can't really identify the accent. Have in mind that some Castilian accents can be similar to the South American ones.

--- The royal "plural mayestático" is a written archaic form to express authority in documents, never orally. Even so, Philip II always signed his documents as "Yo, el Rey", that means "I, the King". Isabella, for example, signed "Yo, la Reina", that says "I, the Queen". In modern days, King Juan Carlos used that "Nos" (We) because he always included the Queen consort in his speeches. In his public appearances, the King said: "La Reina y Yo" (that means "The Queen and I") so many times that even Spanish comedians laughed about it in TV, radio, etc. Nowadays, in Spanish the "plural mayestático" is only a written (again) form of modesty to express authority. I use it, for instance, for my academic papers.

--- Well, if you cannot identify the accent is not a good sign...

 

[anandus]

If you add that Philip II had blond hair, not dark

On all the pictures I can find of Philip II he has dark hair?

and the cliche of the bull for the Civ's icon.

It is Spain's national animal, and also has been an important animal for Spain for thousands of years.

 

[MistyRonin]

Nowadays, in Spanish the "plural mayestático" is only a written (again) form of modesty to express authority. I use it, for instance, for my academic papers.

It's good that you correct your former statement, and you even recognise using it nowadays. Few people recognise their mistakes so hastly. My hat off to you.

there is no Royal "We" in Spanish Language

In case you missed it. I simply said that Royal We exists in Castilian Spanish, and given you proof of it. Now you changed your former statement, and agree with my point. Perfect.

Well, if you cannot identify the accent is not a good sign...

I need, at least, few voice documents without another voice over it to properly distinguish an accent (specially if the language is not my mother tongue). If you are able to catch them faster and with a loud voice in another language over it, then I congratulate and applaud you.

By the way, you say that "plural mayestático" is not used orally nowadays in any instances, that's debatable, but in any case, I'm pretty sure that Philip II didn't speak nowadays' modern Castilian. Hence it would make small sense to drift in that kind of disquisition. Won't you agree?

What matters is did Philip II use the Royal we in his oral speeches? And what was his actual accent like?

NOTE: If I were you I wouldn't use the formula "royal 'plural mayestático'", as it's kind of redundant, but that's me being picky. http://dle.rae.es/?id=OfNRGhn

 

[Josephias]

Does not sound like Mexican to me. However, it does sound a bit more solemn than standard XXI century Spanish, that is why the OP may be misguided an say its Mexican. It isn't. It's probably closer to XV century Spanish than to any other thing (although we do not know exactly how it sounds, we DO know, in example, they used the majestic plural)

Regarding the bull, there is an specific topic discussing that, so I won't enter in detail here. I underestand it will be polemic. It may be seen as a symbol of Spain from the oitside. But from inside, perception will vary (plus, it's a bulky symbol, which seems to have guiven less care, that other, more elaborate symbols, used for other civ)

 

[Al Bundy]

No, please, my hat off to you. You are much braver than me. I would not dare to lecture anybody in a discussion about whether if somebody is speaking with Aussie or New Zealand accent when English is not my mother language. But please, go on...

I didn't change a thing. When I said "There is no Royal "We" in Spanish Language" I was refering to the use of the plural for only one ruler. I didn't say "It never was a Royal...". In Spanish, the King uses now the "We" because they are two people involved (The King and the Queen consort). It is political correct. I think it is pretty different. Also, you missed my point: when I wrote "Royal We" I was not being redundant (thanks for your note, though). I used it to specifically separate the old Royal We from the modern Academic We that I was telling you about.

Anyway, I am sorry but "plural mayestático" is not the topic of this conversation. It is about Firaxis'Philip's accent. I believe the actor's acent is not from Spain because I am a Spanish native speaker and I have a Ph.D. in Spanish Philology. I have studied these things. In the introduction scene, Philip speaks with a forced accent, sounds unnatural to me, but in the defeat cutscene he clearly uses signs of Central American Spanish, specially at the very end. Maybe I am wrong, maybe I am not. Perhaps he is neither Spaniard or Mexican, perhaps he is Guatemalan. Who knows... If you don't agree, it is fine, but I would prefer another attitude from your part. There is no need to be condescent.

I made my point and you made yours. I will say no more. I want to hear the others.

 

[shyPiano]

Philip II's voice acting really took me by surprise - at first it didn't really seem to fit the character on screen. I had a similar feeling with Victoria.
But what stood out the most for me was that it just seemed wrong when speaking. Right from the very beginning "Yo somos Felipe, rey de España y Portugal." seems grammatically wrong (like saying "I are Philip, (...)"). If it's the Royal We they are trying to use, wouldn't it be "Nosotros somos Felipe, (...)" ("We are Philip, (...)") ? Quite frankly, I think it'd have been much better if they dropped it altogether and went with "Yo soy Felipe, (...)" ("I am Philip, (...)").
Then there's also the fact that he introduces himself as King of Spain and Portugal. Boy, won't that be awkward once Portugal is released and they meet.

As for the accent, unfortunately I cannot comment on it. I know nothing of Spanish accents.
But overall, I'm not happy with Philip's voice acting and lines. It doesn't bode well for other leaders.

 

[Boublouc]

His accent is definitely from Spain. Look Quill's video at 16:18 http://forums.civfanatics.com/threa...h-mexican-accent-shame-on-you-firaxis.576125/ . You will notice that he doesn't pronounces the "c" like a "s" but with the pronunciation used in Spain (although there are exceptions). A Spanish speaker from Latin America will never pronounce the "c" and the "z" like this.

 

[El Castellano]

I have heard several scenes of Felipe II and as Spanish that I am I can assure you that his accent is not a Latin accent. His accent is of northern Castilian which is the that has to be.

 

[MistyRonin]

I would not dare to lecture anybody in a discussion about whether if somebody is speaking with Aussie or New Zealand accent when English is not my mother language.

I'm afraid you misinterpreted my post. I simply gave my opinion about Civ 6 Philip II's accent (I'll quote myself below so you can read and judge it again).

Could someone please link more videos of diplomatic cut-scenes where Philip II is speaking. So far, and judging by the last video, it sounds slightly off, tho I can't really identify the accent. Have in mind that some Castilian accents can be similar to the South American ones.

I am sorry but "plural mayestático" is not the topic of this conversation.

Actually, you introduced that matter as one of, in your opinion, mistakes Firaxis did. It is in your first post, where you said that it didn't exist. I told you that it exists in Castilian Spanish (and gave you proof), and you said that it does exist and even that you use it nowadays for your academic papers. So I understand that we agree. No need for any fuss.

I would prefer another attitude from your part.

If you have any personal issues, personal requests and such, feel free to send me a private message so we can talk about it.

- - -

I've heard some more scenes now, and I'm pretty confident that his accent is indeed a Castilian accent. I also double checked it with a couple of Cantabrian friends and a former work-mate from Madrid.

 

[Ondolindë]

Come on, you guys! Before you guys kill each other in unnecessary banter mad, let's hear him fully in a more extended dialogue and not with Quill18's Canadian accent all over the place. Let's be civil!

 

[Abathorn]

Hello, I am a reader and I've register myelf just to comment on this topic.

I am a spanish native speaker, born in Madrid, and definitely the voice actor pronunciation is from the center in Spain and NOT from Mexico, I say "Center of spain" because the discusion before about the pronunciation about "c" as "s" because dependent on the regions in Spain are different pronunciations.

The actor is trying to imitate in some way and old spanish. The grammar is correct as far as I see. I don't see all the cutscene. I would like to see some kind of video summary.

At least for this voice actor I am very happy for the quality this time (Not like Civ 5 with the horrible Queen Isabella).

Greetings to everyone.

 

[Xur]

I can't really give my opinion without insulting a lot of people, so I'm sorry in advance I had a bit of Spanish in school and forgot almost everything except: "Cerveza por favor" lol... I think that the Mexican Spanish is about 1.000.000.000 times "prettier". I cringe whenever I hear a Spanish cyclist or whatever in the news - their lisp is out of this world. So I welcome the Mexican Philip with open arms... again, sorry

 

[Abathorn]

I can't really give my opinion without insulting a lot of people, so I'm sorry in advance I had a bit of Spanish in school and forgot almost everything except: "Cerveza por favor" lol... I think that the Mexican Spanish is about 1.000.000.000 times "prettier". I cringe whenever I hear a Spanish cyclist or whatever in the news - their lisp is out of this world. So I welcome the Mexican Philip with open arms... again, sorry

As I mention before is not a Mexican accent, so I am sorry for you.