Why do british films portray british nobility speaking english?

[Minardiau]

Watching this movie set in the English medieval period. Anyway why the **** are they speaking in clearly a English accent when at the time they all spoke French?

This should of been in OT&H

But it can become a serious topic

[dave81]

Everybody in the old days spoke English, and those in authority had a British accent.

[Alpheus]

Same reason all the old movies about Rome have the actors speaking with wonderful English accents. Because the audience is English speaking, and they don't want to read subtitles while they watch the movie, authenticity be dammed.

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

I don't necessarily think all English nobility spoke french.
Just depends on what time period we're talking about.

Are we talking about English nobility before William the Conqueror or after?
Before Caesar or after?

Norman and Saxon influence can be seen in the text of the laws:

Verbosity is a fault often alleged against lawyers.

Why does legal language often resort to pairs of words when, plainly one would suffice? Why do we have phrases like "each and every", "last will and testament" and "null and void"? There are various explanations. In medieval Britain law was conducted in three languages (Anglo-Saxon, Norman French, and Latin) and phrases were sometimes aggregations of words lifted from the different traditions.

Lawyers were also often paid by the folio, so it did not hurt them to be a little fuller in expression that might be strictly necessary. The additional embroidery of a Latin phrase could also lend an authoritative air to an argument: "If that phrase had not been in Latin" said Lord Shaw in a case in 1923, "nobody would have called it a principle".

Link

[EvanL]

Watching this movie set in the English medieval period. Anyway why the **** are they speaking in clearly a English accent when at the time they all spoke French?

This should of been in OT&H

But it can become a serious topic

Rabbit Proof Fence sucked!

[Oxley]

The entire of Russia also spoke English with a British Accent during WW2, haven't you seen Enemy At The Gates?

[boone]

The entire of Russia also spoke English with a British Accent during WW2, haven't you seen Enemy At The Gates?

also: German Officers in WWII. Coincidence?

[Auzzzie]

also: German Officers in WWII. Coincidence?

[EvanL]

Speaking of 16th century, I found the perfect get-up for you Boone.

The Tavern Wench

[boone]

Speaking of 16th century, I found the perfect get-up for you Boone.

The Tavern Wench

I shudder to think what you were searching for when you found that pic.

[EvanL]

I shudder to think what you were searching for when you found that pic.

It was actually a link at the bottom of this thread.

[Calanen]

I want to know why all those Jesus films they show around Easter time don't have people speaking Aramaic, and the Roman soldiers speaking Latin. At least Mel got it right in The Passion.

Also, how come everyone speaks English in the Star Wars universe? I'm calling bs right there.

[playtym]

And how come everyone on MP.net is English speaking? It's a conspiracy for sure!

[boone]

And how come everyone on MP.net is English speaking? It's a conspiracy for sure!

There's this dude named "Masai" that keeps calling me "Manne"
He's not one of "us"
Somebody should steal his wiring.

[playtym]

There's this dude named "Masai" that keeps calling me "Manne"
He's not one of "us"
Somebody should steal his wiring.

Ignore him, he's just bad at spelling.