The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Who is the guy with an English accent in the cell at Demonreach?
Rozarius:
Can we get a linky on the WOJ about grounding out magic with a shield and the Steed time travel things pleases
Kindler:
You're right in that Middle English is extraordinarily different from Modern English. Read the Canterbury Tales. You can understand it, vaguely, if you sound everything out phonetically, but even then the vernacular is markedly different. It's beyond a different dialect; it's almost a completely different language. I'd date it as no earlier than around 1500. I toyed with the idea that it might be Shakespeare, but he would be far more creative than "Piss off." Lord Nelson? That'd be kind of cool. Lots of Elder Things and Demons and whatnot come from The Sea, so he might've run into something as an Admiral. Ditto Francis Drake. Lord Byron? He DEFINITELY was a shady enough character to have run into some monsters. Maybe an occultist like Aleister Crowley.
If we're ignoring vernacular, the possibilities are limitless. Hell, with a British accent, it might be someone from India from the recent-ish past.
Arjan:
--- Quote ---A language is a dialect with an army and navy
--- End quote ---
Wizard Sibelis:
--- Quote from: Kindler on August 30, 2018, 06:24:41 PM ---You're right in that Middle English is extraordinarily different from Modern English. Read the Canterbury Tales. You can understand it, vaguely, if you sound everything out phonetically, but even then the vernacular is markedly different. It's beyond a different dialect; it's almost a completely different language. I'd date it as no earlier than around 1500. I toyed with the idea that it might be Shakespeare, but he would be far more creative than "Piss off." Lord Nelson? That'd be kind of cool. Lots of Elder Things and Demons and whatnot come from The Sea, so he might've run into something as an Admiral. Ditto Francis Drake. Lord Byron? He DEFINITELY was a shady enough character to have run into some monsters. Maybe an occultist like Aleister Crowley.
If we're ignoring vernacular, the possibilities are limitless. Hell, with a British accent, it might be someone from India from the recent-ish past.
--- End quote ---
He's Eldest Gruff, also the Muse of Tragedy... Hence his ability to sway Titania through after her daughters death. He understands tragedy quite well. Ole' Billy Goat Shakespeare is mentioned at the end of SK as his cluebat, like Santa being mentioned before hand. Who else would you think Jim would make OP enough to take on multiple white council elders and collect their Stoles(?).
morriswalters:
Harry speaks two languages, English (US) and Latin. JB doesn't call out any accents on the other monsters in the Well who get dialog. From that I assume that the accent has a purpose.
I suggest it isn't about what Harry knows, it's about drawing a reaction from the reader. One way to see it is to consider Chauncey. The accent would draw a certain reaction from a reader. It's a trope, meant to infer a certain British, very proper and reserved demeanor. A stereotype. It put Harry and the reader at ease and drew them in. Forgetting in that case that the accent was held by a demon, not a British gentleman.
The most obvious candidate was Merlin. The accent implies place, world weariness, a soul lost to, maybe, Black Magic. JB shot Merlin as that character down. My second guess would be a former Black Staff. One where those black tendrils never let go. Which sounds pretty cool but is probably BS. Still thinking about it though.
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