It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
I am asking this because I am wanting to give this game a real "history book" feel and set my game's subtext language ot it. I know turk is one of the options but the people in and around here hated the Turkish King Sigismund so I doubt they spoke like hiim. I am asking more of how one generally spoke in these areas where Henry primarily deals with folks, not that many languages weren't spoken as they were. I know English Chek and Turkish are options but which would be the best. I am not fluent in Turkish or Chek, but am wanting to set subtext to one of the two,k and want this to be as a history atmosphere while I play.
also there is no check or turkish audio that was the language primarily in these regions.
Post edited March 30, 2018 by neosapian
No posts in this topic were marked as the solution yet. If you can help, add your reply
Wikipedia lists Czech, german, and Latin as languages of Boemia, and given that there was conflict with the germans around that time, by best guess is Czech, though I'm not sure the last time Latin was a widespread spoken language, just that's it's very very rarely the first language of anyone anymore as far as I know (though it's the king of medical terminalogy even now)
A bit off topic but: How did you get the idea that Sigismund is Turkish? He led a lot of campaigns of that time against the Turks and he was born in Nuremberg (now Germany). Maybe he learned some Turkish along the way but it certainly wasn't his main language.
There are a couple of places in the game where it is stated that Czech is the language being used by the locals (English is also mentioned at least once, but I guess that's just for the player's convenience).
Yes, the locals are supposed to speak Czech. Since Czech Republic is relatively small market for games, there is not Czech audio, only several non-English songs and curses are actually in Czech language. The most frequent Czech curse word in the game is probably "Kurva!", which basically means "F*ck!". Then there is also a little of Hungarian in the game (every time you hear a Cuman speak, it's in Hungarian language). And then there is a bit of Latin (like when Henry is learning Latin or the priest in Uzhitz when saying mass and then also a bit in the Sasau monastery).

Also a German minority was settled in Bohemia, but not many of them lived in the part of Bohemia where the game is set. Some of the Germans in the game are: the fellow arguing in favor of Sigismund in the Skalitz tavern, also a certain knight named Ulrich and also the bald antagonist knight Markvart von Aulitz is German, he even says "Auf wiedersehen" (Goodbye) in the English audio.

Sigismund was not only a ruthless warrior, but also highly educated (unlike most other medieval kings), he spoke 7 languages (including Czech, Latin, German, French, Hungarian ...) and was interested in politics and diplomacy, unlike his brother, king Wenceslaus.
The post above me goes into a good bit of detail on the languages in Bohemia, but I couldn't help noticing your mention of Turkish, which I found very strange. I haven't exactly finished the game yet, but I haven't heard a single mention of Turks or their language so far.

Although by birth Sigismund was German (or Czech, I haven't looked into where Nuremberg, his birthplace, was at the time), Sigismund was betrothed to King Louis of Hungary's eldest daughter, Mary, at six years old. He was sent to Hungarian court just four years later, effectively letting him grow up as a true Hungarian. So Sigismund was very much not Turkish.

But to be fair, I do doubt anyone enjoyed speaking Turkish throughout the whole HRE like you said. The Crusade of Nicopolis (against the Ottomans, Turks) was just seven years prior, of course.
avatar
Vesperon80: Yes, the locals are supposed to speak Czech. Since Czech Republic is relatively small market for games, there is not Czech audio, only several non-English songs and curses are actually in Czech language. The most frequent Czech curse word in the game is probably "Kurva!", which basically means "F*ck!". Then there is also a little of Hungarian in the game (every time you hear a Cuman speak, it's in Hungarian language). And then there is a bit of Latin (like when Henry is learning Latin or the priest in Uzhitz when saying mass and then also a bit in the Sasau monastery).

Also a German minority was settled in Bohemia, but not many of them lived in the part of Bohemia where the game is set. Some of the Germans in the game are: the fellow arguing in favor of Sigismund in the Skalitz tavern, also a certain knight named Ulrich and also the bald antagonist knight Markvart von Aulitz is German, he even says "Auf wiedersehen" (Goodbye) in the English audio.

Sigismund was not only a ruthless warrior, but also highly educated (unlike most other medieval kings), he spoke 7 languages (including Czech, Latin, German, French, Hungarian ...) and was interested in politics and diplomacy, unlike his brother, king Wenceslaus.
I haven't gotten to the part where Henry learns to read but I am guessing most of the books he picks up are Latin. Since not all of us are fluent in it, I am guessinig only.
avatar
UsernameTaken2: There are a couple of places in the game where it is stated that Czech is the language being used by the locals (English is also mentioned at least once, but I guess that's just for the player's convenience).
English would be preferred normally, but I was just wanting to play out like history. At least one play though.. if there were English speaking people in that time period in Bohemia, they were immigrants.
Post edited April 01, 2018 by neosapian
Regarding the books in the game, majority of them are in the same language as the game interface (so English for most players). So that players can read them if they want and Henry gains reading exp the first time he opens them (those are the books you can buy from scribes or find in a few buildings (since most medieval people were illiterate, there are no books in most houses). This is more for the player's convenience, since in 1403, most of the books were written in Latin, I think. In the game, from what I remember, I found only 1 short text in latin when doing the quest for reading (the bailiff in Rattay can point you to this quest) and then in the monastery, once you get access there.
Quote:
The kingdom was established by the Přemyslid dynasty in the 12th century from Duchy of Bohemia, later ruled by the House of Luxembourg, the Jagiellonian dynasty, and since 1526 by the House of Habsburg and its successor house Habsburg-Lorraine. Numerous kings of Bohemia were also elected Holy Roman Emperors and the capital Prague was the imperial seat in the late 14th century, and at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the territory became part of the Habsburg Austrian Empire, and subsequently the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867. Bohemia retained its name and formal status as a separate Kingdom of Bohemia until 1918, known as a crown land within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and its capital Prague was one of the empire's leading cities. The Czech language (called the Bohemian language in English usage until the 19th century) was the main language of the Diet and the nobility until 1627 (after the Bohemian Revolt was suppressed). German was then formally made equal with Czech and eventually prevailed as the language of the Diet until the Czech national revival in the 19th century. German was also widely used as the language of administration in many towns after Germans immigrated and populated some areas of the country in the 13th century. The royal court used the Czech, Latin, and German languages, depending on the ruler and period.
/quote
as most of the population was impoverished they would have been illiterate, only selected members of the church and royalty would have been able to read/write. I imagine that most of the isolated surfdoms would have developed their own slang kinda like different low income comunities across the USA have now. It was a BIG deal to travel back then as it would have taken days not hours to get from A to B.
avatar
Vesperon80: The most frequent Czech curse word in the game is probably "Kurva!", which basically means "F*ck!".
Disrespecting everything else said in this thread, I think "Kurva!" means "Bitch!" and has the same "hooker versus female dog" thing going on as in English. At least I think so, since translating it to German results in "Hündin" (female dog) and translating to English yields "Bitch/Whore/Hooker".

Apart from the translation that I just checked online, some friends of me and I were using it like that in Germany for years. It's got a rather nice swing to it and people look funny when you say it =)


Btw: just double-checked it and the Czech Wikipedia article https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurva redirects to prostitute.
avatar
neosapian: I am asking this because I am wanting to give this game a real "history book" feel and set my game's subtext language ot it.
The closest you can get is Czech. Keep in mind that you will be treated to modern version of the language. A native speaker of current version of Czech would have some troubles back then.

There's actually an in-game inconsistency that got me going a bit "er... what?" During an exorcism, Henry has the option to either use Latin or... "Speak in English". Heh.

Anyway, on a related note I am rather disappointed that Warhorse did not hire local or regional English voice-over artists. I would find English with a heavy Central European accent much more fitting than the so-identifiable British voices.

avatar
vertex: Btw: just double-checked it and the Czech Wikipedia article https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurva redirects to prostitute.
Can confirm the meaning. Though in terms of crudity it's more akin to English "cunt" than "whore."

Incidentally, from what I recall it's a very popular word in Slavic countries in general.
Post edited April 04, 2018 by Lukaszmik
first 10 min of the game Henry's father looks at the Crossguard, and says "Doesn't look like Czech, must be Latin" refering to the inscription, implying he's at least partialy literate.
avatar
Vesperon80: The most frequent Czech curse word in the game is probably "Kurva!", which basically means "F*ck!".
avatar
vertex: Disrespecting everything else said in this thread, I think "Kurva!" means "Bitch!" and has the same "hooker versus female dog" thing going on as in English. At least I think so, since translating it to German results in "Hündin" (female dog) and translating to English yields "Bitch/Whore/Hooker".

Apart from the translation that I just checked online, some friends of me and I were using it like that in Germany for years. It's got a rather nice swing to it and people look funny when you say it =)

Btw: just double-checked it and the Czech Wikipedia article https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurva redirects to prostitute.
Single words often have more than one meaning. The context is important. I could have added further explanation about different meanings, but I didn't want to end up with a wall of text.

I translated the curse word in the context used in the game, not the word in general. I am Czech, so I know what "kurva" means. But if somenoe yells "Kurva!", he or she doesn't mean "Whore!". That's not an equivalent curse word in English. Instead, "Fuck!" is close enough when it comes to cursing (to express anger or pain). Example: You're playing soccer and miss an easy goal and say, "Fuck!". Source: https://reallifeglobal.com/how-use-word-fuck/

Like in a reversed situation, if a Czech who doesn't speak English at all wanted me to simply translate that curse word used in that particular situation without a long-winded explanation, I wouldn't say that the cursing person is yelling about sexual intercourse, that wouldn't make much sense and wouldn't be a proper translation.
Ah, cool. Guess you're right. Sorry and thanks! =)
avatar
vertex: Ah, cool. Guess you're right. Sorry and thanks! =)
No problem, it's my bad. I should have given a bit more thorough explanation of the word (both the English cursing equivalent and the general meaning) the first time I mentioned it.