Khajiit's pronoun in Elsweyr, anyone notice "this one"?

TheDarkShadow

So I've seen many khajiit NPC in Elsweyr are using "I" and "me" instead of "this one". Wonder if anyone bugged by it like I am.

Fellwitch

The Elder Scrolls lore guy retired right? Maybe the replacement does not know about this? All voice is recorded already?

Fischblut

I would really prefer if they always said "I" and "me" so I didn't even notice it, because "this one" always makes me giggle inside

TheDarkShadow

It's weird that khajiits who live outside Elsweyr have a thicker accent than those who live in the heart of their culture.

KhajiitFelix

This one ate other one cause he ate another one

Jhalin

I’d raise the question of How many years has the region been stuck under an Imperial regime? The first part of weakening any people is eliminating their culture, and language shifts are part of that. I haven’t gone along the main quest yet but have there been any explanations of the timeline for Northern Elsweyr?

mcagatayg

They learned how to speak a language properly after hundreds of years... Sounds good to me

Yakidafi

Jhalin wrote: »

I’d raise the question of How many years has the region been stuck under an Imperial regime? The first part of weakening any people is eliminating their culture, and language shifts are part of that. I haven’t gone along the main quest yet but have there been any explanations of the timeline for Northern Elsweyr?

This could be true, but it does not add up. Every other tes game is after eso in the timeline and the khajiit talk in 3rd person everywhere.
I have not played elsweyr, maybe there is a reason for this lore wise, or laziness

JTorus

Ahziss is the Ta'agra word for 'I'. There was a library/bookstore in TES3 where the Khajiiti clerk used it. So the concept is grounded in earlier lore. It may be that when they are not speaking Ta'agra, Khajiit use 'this one' as it is a more direct translation of the pronoun's meaning to their culture. From what I recall, Khajiit have an unconventional sense of self.

It could be in Elsweyr you're interacting with natives speaking their local tongue rather than Imperial influence eroding culture. (Maybe that's why the Alfiq can speak all of a sudden?) The nation state is very young at this point in the timeline, and Imperial conquering doesn't really take place for a while yet as Tiber Septim isn't shouting about quite yet.

Frankly though, 'Lazy Lore Writing' is probably the correct answer. Plenty of the really really good TES lore sprouted from Michael Kirkbride. It's the lore that resonates with us to this day, years later. Some of it borders on crazy, weird, conflicting, and just out there at times. I love it. Every time Bethesda and/or ZOS attempts to answer some of those inexplicable idiosyncrasies, (paraphrasing a TV show of ilk), you 'forever trade away wonder for reason'.

*cough*midichlorians*cough*

Gythral

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

It's weird that khajiits who live outside Elsweyr have a thicker accent than those who live in the heart of their culture.

It is why they left, to get away from the Imperialisation of their culture

Dracheimflug

Is there some lore reason why Khajiit refer to themselves in the third person?

Davadin

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

It's weird that khajiits who live outside Elsweyr have a thicker accent than those who live in the heart of their culture.

not talking about the usage of "this one", but the few NPC I found on PTS have VERY thick accent.........

MuchShock

sounds like a question for that one @SantieClaws

SantieClaws

Khajiit can only assume the change in our natural language patterns is so as to confuse the dragons.

Dragons are very attuned to sounds and perhaps our native way of speaking made us sound more tasty yes.

Now if we sound more like over perfumed snooty elves perhaps we will be a less appetising snack?

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

PrinceShroob

There are several Khajiit in prior Elder Scrolls games who use "I" rather than "this one." Using "this one" is by no means a hard and fast rule. Some Khajiit even refer to themselves in third person and also use "I," such as J'zargo in Skyrim.

Jaraal

Fellwitch wrote: »

The Elder Scrolls lore guy retired right? Maybe the replacement does not know about this? All voice is recorded already?

Lore is being gutted left and right lately. Hard to say exactly why. But it certainly ruins the immersion.

Galarthor

Jaraal wrote: »

Fellwitch wrote: »

The Elder Scrolls lore guy retired right? Maybe the replacement does not know about this? All voice is recorded already?

Lore is being gutted left and right lately. Hard to say exactly why. But it certainly ruins the immersion.

I agree. Their slightly awkward way of speaking is what makes them so memorable and iconic, similarly to Yoda in the Star Wars universe! Yoda would be a whole less iconic if he spoke regular English. The same is true for the Khajiits in Elder Scrolls.

zaria

Yakidafi wrote: »

Jhalin wrote: »

I’d raise the question of How many years has the region been stuck under an Imperial regime? The first part of weakening any people is eliminating their culture, and language shifts are part of that. I haven’t gone along the main quest yet but have there been any explanations of the timeline for Northern Elsweyr?

This could be true, but it does not add up. Every other tes game is after eso in the timeline and the khajiit talk in 3rd person everywhere.
I have not played elsweyr, maybe there is a reason for this lore wise, or laziness

Yes, if you are an Khajiit living or worse growing up outside of Khajiit dominated places it would be easy to loose the Khajiit dialect. On the other hand people kind of expect it from Khajiit like the Khajiit enchanter in Hews bane.
But that is an weird place anyway

No this one has no idea.

JadeCoin

It may have just been me, but I felt like they toned down a lot of the Argonian voices in Murkmire as well.

My guess? In the base game, Khajiit speech is exotic and sounds fresh because it's contrasting and different. In Elsweyr, though, it could potentially turn grating or obnoxious or tiring or cliche, just because there's so much of it. Like the difference between a sprinkle of pepper and a jar of pepper in your food. And if you didn't especially like pepper to begin with... well. Maybe they don't want it to be a turn-off to some people.

I love the way the Khajiit in the base game speak, myself. I'm just imagining possible reasons for the decision to make them talk differently in Elsweyr.

UnseenCat

ZOS' own "Meet the Character" in-universe commentary on Khamira notes that she uses "I," not speaking in third person like most Khajiit. So it's somewhat notable, but not unheard of. Perhaps some Khajiit are just more highly educated in the common tongue.

Jaraal

JadeCoin wrote: »

It may have just been me, but I felt like they toned down a lot of the Argonian voices in Murkmire as well.

Still a plethora of spinal erections, though! They certainly didn't nerf that aspect of lore!


And the Naga-Kur introduced a new variation of convoluted speech that makes Khajiit third person-speak seem tame by comparison!

JadeCoin

Jaraal wrote: »

JadeCoin wrote: »

It may have just been me, but I felt like they toned down a lot of the Argonian voices in Murkmire as well.

Still a plethora of spinal erections, though! They certainly didn't nerf that aspect of lore!


And the Naga-Kur introduced a new variation of convoluted speech that makes Khajiit third person-speak seem tame by comparison!

Can't argue with that!

Darkhorse1975

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

It's weird that khajiits who live outside Elsweyr have a thicker accent than those who live in the heart of their culture.

Perhaps the thick accent outside of Elsweyr is a bit of salesman showmanship? Those with coin can't resist the Khajiit with wares...

Runefang

Nothing wrong with a little slang

WrathOfInnos

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

It's weird that khajiits who live outside Elsweyr have a thicker accent than those who live in the heart of their culture.

Maybe Khajiit outside Elsweyr are speaking their 2nd language, causing a strong accent and strange pronouns. While the Khajiit within Elsweyr are speaking their native language, and the game is simply translating that into perfect English for our benefit.

dazee

A khajiit without THIS ONE is not a Khajiit. an Argonian who doesn't sound like they smoke 10 packs an hour is not an Argonian.

LMar

There's Khajiit even in base game talking with I and me. It just depends on the accent and the level of influence of other cultures on the speaker

LinearParadox

I'm gonna be honest:
While I'm sorry to see a piece of the lore kinda left by the wayside, I'm very much not going to miss hearing "Theeese one" every 5 seconds.
It was, honestly, annoying. -_-

Zelos

Its called zos being lazy and cutting corners, get use to it from a 40$ dlc. Buy some crown crates now.

Dracheimflug

I'll try again.

Is there some lore explaining the use of the third person? It could be that it was a side effect of them being so relatively successfully subjugated, particularly in the future in the timeline of the single player games. In Elsweyr the invasion is only very recent and they are not yet subjected, so they are still talking first person.

RaddlemanNumber7

I wandered around Rimmen on the PTS, talking to every Khajiit I could find. About half use the first person, about half use the third. There did seem to be a pattern that the Khajiit who used the first person were those who could be expected to have had the most contact with the Euraxians, and those who were better educated. Just the sort of thing you get with a local accent.