Outlander Wardrobe and language

[creagdhubh]

It's a television show based on a romance novel. If it's historical accuracy you're seeking, look elsewhere. The errors in the presentation of time travel alone were astounding.

Well, there's nothing wrong with discussing it. Especially on a kilt forum.

[Nathan]

My guess is that since the intended audience is American and won't know the difference, they needed to make it sound like what Americans would expect a Scots accent to sound like, whilst still being mostly understandable. Being authentic to the point where the audience doesn't have a clue what they're saying would be a poor choice.

I don't think a Highlander's English is any harder to understand than an Irishman's English but I agree with your point about giving people what they expect to hear.

There's a constant fusion of Highland and Lowland culture in popular depictions of Scots. "Hollywood" dressed William Wallace like a Pict from the early Common Era crossed with a Highlander from 1650 and they have Jamie Frasier speaking like a Lowlander. Sigh.

[Dale Seago]

Mind you, none of these anachronisms or otherwise ill-fitting elements are in any way interfering with my HUGE enjoyment of the series. But I do take note of them, generally after watching an episode for the first time.

Some anachronistic dirks here:

The guy to the right of Jamie (background, with horse) has what looks like a brass-mounted version of the dirk Colum wore at the Gathering; handle style is closer to 1800. Jamie's & Dougal's dirks are more mid-to-late1600s, though Highland thrift could argue for hand-me-downs in decent condition. The other guy, center foreground -- can't see his well enough.

[creagdhubh]

Mind you, none of these anachronisms or otherwise ill-fitting elements are in any way interfering with my HUGE enjoyment of the series. But I do take note of them, generally after watching an episode for the first time.

I agree, Dale. My sentiments as well.

[kiltedrennie]

From what I understand they used costuming contains elements from other periods if it fit the "look" they were going for. The blog mentioned in this thread has more details.

[California Highlander]

Interested to here what @Terry-dresbach has to say about some of the costume choices.

Sounds like the boots are a compromise "French" boot, from Jamie's service there.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...93#post1255393

[Panache]

...The errors in the presentation of time travel alone were astounding.

No TARDIS?

[Nathan]

It's a television show based on a romance novel. If it's historical accuracy you're seeking, look elsewhere. The errors in the presentation of time travel alone were astounding.

I'm not looking for historical accuracy there, but I am looking for it here. I need to know how much this show is leading me astray from understanding how my people lived and dressed in that era. Costume dramas are best when they get the costumes right, though.

[Terry1948]

I'm not looking for historical accuracy there, but I am looking for it here. I need to know how much this show is leading me astray from understanding how my people lived and dressed in that era. Costume dramas are best when they get the costumes right, though.

I think getting feedback from knowledgeable XMarkers is a good way to get accurate information, but please don't view the show as leading you astray. I think if the show inspires you to do more research, then it has been successful from a historical perspective.

A friend of mine is a policeman in a major North American city. Once I made the "mistake" of watching a cop-drama with him, and spent the whole time having to listen to him pick out the inaccuracies. At the end of the show, I asked him if he even enjoyed it, or were the "errors" so off-putting.... his response was that the errors appealed to him on an intellectual level (how many could he find), but they did not detract from the enjoyment of the overall experience.

Hopefully you will have the same experience with the Outlander series!

[Lodrorigdzin]

I'm not looking for historical accuracy there, but I am looking for it here. I need to know how much this show is leading me astray from understanding how my people lived and dressed in that era. Costume dramas are best when they get the costumes right, though.

Well, I remember a Wuthering Heights adaptation of a few years back, that finally "got" all the West Indies slavery references in the novel. (They're in Jane Eyre too, by the way) Very historically accurate, but it caused a modest uproar: Heathcliff black!? How dare they!