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As a stuanch 40k player, this is the first time I've ventured to the lower hives of scum and villany such as WHFB (jk).

It is often stated that the Empire is relatively, historicaly German-looking. I just wonder about thier language. Would they have German accents? Language?

What about Bretonnians? Fuedal knights, several French names. So it that a French accent, language?

What about other races?

Or do they all speak perfect English?

No idea.

Chaos Northmen speak the Dark Tongue though, which has a runic alphabet.

They call their language Reikspiel, I think. At least, this is what the Empire calls it.

Dark Elves use Druhir, I think, also called the Dark Tongue.

Dwarfs speak Khazalid.

From there, I'm stumped.

From what I remember the Empire and all Old World humans speak Old Worlder (essentially English), but with different dialects depending on the country.

Reikspiel – Empire
Breton – Bretonnia
Slavic – Kislev
etc

The people of the Empire tend to come across as very British in the fluff, apart from the upper classes who seam to speak like posh Germans talking English.

Most of my knowledge is from the original RPG and older WHFB stuff, so things may be different now.

Heres a few other languages

Goblinoids – Goblin Tongue
Dialects
Ghazhakh - Goblins
Harghazhakh – Hobgoblins
Orrakh – Orcs
Snotgob – snotlings

Ogres – Grumbarth

Skaven – Queekish

Treemen – Mall-room-ba-larin

Trolls - Orgvar

Reikspiel sounds like it's very German.

The Empire is inspired by the Holy Roman Empire from around the late 15th century early 16th century, so its very Germanic. The places and people all have Germanic names. But they don't speak German just like the Bretonnions don't speak French. They all speak a variation of Old Worlder, and old worlder has always come across as English in the fluff.

Each region has there own accents, think Monty Python and the Holy Grail for a good Bretonnion accent. As for the Empire I only ever recall the social elite speaking with German accents, most Empire citizens always come across as British in the way they talk and the slang words they use ( just like Dwarfs ).

Of course I may be talking total rubbish if GW have made major changes to the linguistics of the old world in a book I don't have

But if you're in Spain and collect WHFB wouldn't the language come across as Spanish in the fluff?

Well I guess its just down to the fact GW are British and the Empire has always been the main focus of Fantasy, Germanic in origin British in execution. Old worlder is a common language spoken by ( book at the ready ) Albion, Bretonnia, Estalia, Tilea, Empire/Wastland, Kislev. Each differs slightly in its dialect (Reikspiel etc)but at its core its the same language. And Old Worlder is English.

This is from a book published in 1988 so fluff may have changed

So what about accents?

(BTW, thank you. So far this has been very helpful.)

Dialects for each nation incorporate a lot of words from the cultures there based on, and as for Bretonnia Estalia and Tilea thay speak with French Spanish etc accents. The Empire has always been the most fleshed out region, and I only ever recall the upper classes as having German accents. I'm sure Its mentioned in one of the Enemy within source books, but for the like of me I cant find it

Emperors Faithful wrote:But if you're in Spain and collect WHFB wouldn't the language come across as Spanish in the fluff?

If youre using a translated book, names may change but the empire is as said before based on 15th century mid europe
and has therefore payloads of dialects...

In general, English and german are close enough ( and part of the same group of languages ) and were used back in the 15th century so different than now, most of us wouldnt understand any of both.

Plus, 15th century had a lot of mercenaries in the armies fielded, flags become neccessary as a rally point when shouting wont work.

I would assume the empire uses german ( which isnt a problem cause english borrows words sometimes ) when
played/sold in germany but will switch to any customer language in any other country.
Just names and locations may stay the same worldwide.

They all speak whatever the book is translated into.

In fact, Kislevarin is really a very strange mixture of Russian and Polish. The Kislev army looks weird for Slavic WH fans as it has Cossacks (Kossars) and Polish winged cavalry together, but in real word WHFB era (sixteenth-seventeenth century) they were hated enemies.
I took words from Realm of the Ice Queen book (http://www.scribd.com/doc/31058965/WFRP-2nd-Ed-Realm-of-the-Ice-Queen, page 9) and tried to sort out them and define their origins:
Russian words (they may not be historically Russian, but exist in Russian language):
ataman (атаман)
atamanka - really it will be atamansha (атаманша)
blyad - it's a Russian taboo word
boyarin (боярин)
chapka (шапка)
druzhina (дружина)
esaul (есаул)
kibitkas - correct plural form: kibitki (кибитки), singular kibitka (кибитка)
kika (кика)
koniushy (конюший)
korzna (корзно)
koumiss (кумыс)
kozhukhi (кожухи)
krug (круг)
kvas (квас) - but it's really a non-alcoholic beverage made from bread, and the kvas described in WHFB is actually vodka
kyazak - correct: kazak (казак), a Cossack
lapti (лапти)
mazurka (мазурка) - actually a Polish dance
nekulturny (некультурный)
oblast (область)
prospekt (проспект) - it means only a broad street
polk (полк) - the word pulk is Polish but means the same as polk (regiment)
raspashnoe (распашное)
Raspotitsa - correct: Rasputitsa (Распутица)
rota (рота)
rubakha (рубаха)
samogon (самогон)
stanitsa (станица) - this term is only for Cossack villages
svolich - correct: svoloch (сволочь) - a curse word
swinia (свинья) - both Russian and Polish word
tirsa (тирса) - but actually it means a kind of weed and not a small village
venet - correct: venets (венец)
yurta (юрта)
zal (зал)
Polish words (except pulk and swinia):
burmistrz - it's actually derived from German Burgomeister
dewastacja - compare with devastation
do widzenia
dzien dobry
koszmar
krowa
szlachta - it's said in the Kislev dictionary that it's derived from Reikspiel Adelsgeschlect (a proof that Reikspiel IS actually German )
Other words:
bachor - in Uzbek it means spring (a season), and not a stupid warrior
droyashka - absolutely fictional
krashenin - unknown but it's derived from Russian красить (to paint)
riddle-man - I suppose this term isn't used definitely in English. In Russian it would be chelovek-zagadka (человек-загадка)
Urtza - also fictional
zza - it sounds like an interjection
And Kislev itself is actually a winter month in Hebrew calendar.
Enjoy!

I'm voting german accented english for the following reasons:

1) WHFB was a British game, but the Empire is based on Germany
2) It appeals to my sense of humour to imagine them talking like Basil Faulty
3) In my mind the Brettonians would talk like the French in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Right down to the taunt.
4) I can't speak German, so it would make readin their army book difficult!

Yes. I'm bored

Holy necro, Batman.