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Something I noticed. In the old trilogy, for the most part, the various aliens did not speak english. One species that did were the Mon Calamari. This is probably because there was somebody that understood the language that was around to translate some of these characters.

Chewbacca - growled
Greedo - alien language
Sand People - funky yell
Jawas - alien language
Ewoks - primative dialect
Jabba The Hutt - needed an interpreter
Lando's copilot - different language

But in the new movies, it is the reverse... Most of the different species speak english minus a few.

JarJar - english
Lama Su - english
Watto - english
Nute Gunray - english

See what I mean...

Imagine if JarJar had spoken in a different language, don't you think he would have been a much better character.

Imagine if Chewbacca had spoken in a british accent like that gorrilla in King Of The Jungle. Frightening! (shudders)

the explanation is that english is known as Basic in the sw galaxy, the universal language
and in the PT, there is still a connection with all of them through the senate, but considering in the OT the emperor has all the power and the planets and inhabitants need to focus on their own business to survive they only speak their own language due to barely traveling

Can't really see the logic of that, yerss; the culture of language in the Galaxy would still be the same under the Empire.

But I think the direct comparison is unfair. Whether they speak Basic or not is down to the cultural background of the person in question, and it just so happens that there are more of a background that would speak Basic in the PT than the OT. Let's have a look at the list.

-

Chewbacca- DOES know Basic, but his species simply cannot speak it.

Greedo - is a bounty hunter and has no great need to know Basic

Sand People - have nothing to do with Galactic society and so don't know Basic- in OT or PT.

Jawas - ditto

Ewoks - ditto minus the PT.

Jabba The Hutt - understands Basic, just doesn't want to speak it; he needs an interpreter so others understand HIM.

Lando's copilot - likewise, understands it, doesn't want to speak it.

JarJar - Gungans have a derived culture from the Naboo, hence their debased Basic.

Lama Su - Was a diplomat, welcoming someone from Coruscant.

Watto - Is a trader, and whose first language is not Basic but obviously learned it for trading purposes.

Nute Gunray - Obviously, the Trade Federation is going to be pretty fluent in the most widely used galactic language.


It tracks. I think it is only fair to say the Geonosians are in the "understand but don't speak" bracket also. I don't see a vast difference between the trilogies; a small one by situation at most.

That makes sense. Really it comes down to the fact that the PT characters are much more in the spotlight while the OT characters are on the run. Alot of the OT characters are scum and villainy that don't care about the galaxy to have any impact in which they would need to speak basic. The senate is done away with in Episode IV. I would think that lends to a sort of isolationist view of the galaxy on the part of alot of characters and cultures. Good answer!!

Explanation:

GL got lazy and did not feel like making up more languages

Tons of characters speak alien languages in the PT. Like poggle, watto, sebulba, etc...I think alot of it has to do with either preferring to speak in your own tongue or simply not being able to speak basic (wookies for example). Hell, even Palpatine's rodian aid mumbles in his own tongue and he's addressing the Chancellor! I think everyone basically can understand it but not everyone can speak it.

It's obviously not supposed to be realistic, rather allegorical.

I agreed with most of what u said Ush, except for
Originally posted by Ushgarak
Greedo - is a bounty hunter and has no great need to know Basic

Wouldn't a Bounty Hunter actually be one of those who would need to know basic? As asking questions and investigating is a part of their job, but then again perhaps he did know basic. He just didn't want to speak it as he knew that Han would understand his native language.