weird sign in city 17

[freakyflor]

While i was replaying ep 1 i noticed a weird sign in Russian or something like that. While i always thought that city 17 was English (because all the civilians speak English)

 

[Paulaner]

City 17 is an undefined eastern european city. Maybe Saint Petersburg, in Russia.

Edit: as for the civilians speaking english, there is a funny trivia: italian dubbers have been asked to fake an "exotic" accent that reminds eastern european people. Quite funny. Dr. Breen have that accent too, but we all know he is american/english!

 

[Dr_Crowbar]

That's russian. And it means "Stationary" <- this term was used(and I am pretty sure still is) to designate medical facilities where patients would stay over a long period of time, compared to a walk-in walk-out clinic.

It's definitely not St.Petersburg. I was thinking Kaliningrad. It's located in a most western russian(and enclaved, which would explain other european influences) region. Although, as we all know, City 17 is entirely fictional.

 

[freakyflor]

Edit: as for the civilians speaking english, there is a funny trivia: italian dubbers have been asked to fake an "exotic" accent that reminds eastern european people. Quite funny. Dr. Breen have that accent too, but we all know he is american/english!

but why do the civilians speak english and not russian???

 

[NeLi]

For the same reason as aliens in daytime sci fi shows also speak english. It makes it possible for the medium to actually mediate.

Anyway, I have seen small signs in Swedish in HL2 as well, just for the record.

 

[Zombine]

but why do the civilians speak english and not russian???

Because people there are from all around the world. They have chosen or been chosen to relocate there.

 

[Paulaner]

but why do the civilians speak english and not russian???

I think that Valve decided that having to read subtitles would have been too distracting.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

I'm getting tired of saying this: They speak english because your game is set to english. For authenticity, switch to russian.

 

[Rapstah]

Anyway, I have seen small signs in Swedish in HL2 as well, just for the record.

Pics now.

 

[Ridge]

GooseGoose's review of HL2 was put up yesterday, and he seems to think it is Odessa, on the coast of the Black Sea...

 

[leib10]

I was thinking Odessa too. "New Little Odessa", the fact that it's near water, etc.

 

[Ridge]

And Odessa Cubbage....also, Little Odessa, NY is the home of Yuri Orlov in Lord of War

His family came from the Ukraine, so that is likely where it comes from...

 

[Xendance]

but why do the civilians speak english and not russian???

What a stupid question.

 

[Apocalypse89]

Everyone speaks English because they were all relocated there, while the native population has either been absorbed into the Overwatch or sent somewhere else(probably to demoralize them). The only character who we know is native to the area in the whole game is Father Grigori.

 

[Destron]

Yes, it has been established that HL2/E1 (and most likely E2) are set in East Europe, probably somewhere in West Russia or the Ukraine.
That's not the only sign like that in the HL2 series, there are several other signs that aren't in English and have russian characters.

 

[ríomhaire]

They all speak English because they're all American. If there are any/many native Eastern Europeans left, they're probably in their own cities.

 

[Ridge]

Gotta wonder how boatloads of refugees from North America got across the Atlantic, considering the many Ichtysaurs in the water...or in planes against Gunships...

 

[leib10]

And Odessa Cubbage....also, Little Odessa, NY is the home of Yuri Orlov in Lord of War

His family came from the Ukraine, so that is likely where it comes from...

True also.

"Odessa" is also probably a nickname.

 

[wilka91]

I'm getting tired of saying this: They speak english because your game is set to english. For authenticity, switch to russian.

oh God, was it so hard to figure out? I can't believe that this thread went this far until you explained this to them. lol

 

[Planetary]

The Combine have been mixing things up for over a decade; the only actual native of that region is Father Grigoiri. They use human trains to relocate people, and probably human planes too, when they want to take you across the ocean. I imagine lots of strings got pulled to get the Black Mesa people roughly in the same area.

 

[Headcrab Pie]

I would think that the Combine choose one language, and had everyone speak it. That way, they wouldnt have to insert some "Voice Recogniser" device.....I'm not that good with words.

That, or the HEV suit has a translator.

 

[Ridge]

1. They speak english before you get into the suit (ala the apartments)
2. Enforcing a global language is impossible, and English would be an odd choice for an alien race from another universe...especially when you consider CPs are locals and would likely speak their native languages like everybody else, rather than finding the time to learn English whilst civilization crumbles...

 

[Headcrab Pie]

1. They speak english before you get into the suit (ala the apartments)
2. Enforcing a global language is impossible, and English would be an odd choice for an alien race from another universe...especially when you consider CPs are locals and would likely speak their native languages like everybody else, rather than finding the time to learn English whilst civilization crumbles...

Even though they have conquered all of Earth and other planets, they can't make us speak a certien language? As for your second comment......meh.

 

[Naph]

What a stupid question.

What a stupid answer.

 

[Cheomesh]

About where C17 is...

In Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, City 17 is described as being in an Eastern European setting. Some fans believe City 17 to be Sofia, Bulgaria, the hometown of the art director of Half-Life 2, Viktor Antonov. This is based on both City 17's general resemblance to Sofia and the frequent appearance of Bulgarian words (written in Cyrillic characters) on signs and graffiti throughout the game (although some of these are words in other Slavic languages as well). One clear example is "цимент" ("cement") written across the top of a large building in Ravenholm - the only language that spells the word in this way, using the Cyrillic alphabet, is Bulgarian. Furthermore, near the beginning of the game a newspaper entitled "Работническо Дело" (Rabotnichesko Delo) can be seen - this was the most popular newspaper in Bulgaria during its communist period. Hints of the city containing elements of cities from the Baltics or Baltic countries is also evident with the presence of signs reading "Caf? Baltic."

I know Wiki is made of aids and fail, but that's the only place I know that has that info. Interesting IMO.


As for them all speaking English, AFAIK in the modern day a lot of Euro nations speak English as a second, if not primary, language. I guess if you relocate enough of everyone from everywhere, English might be the only language they have in common.

 

[VortigauntLover]

Gotta wonder how boatloads of refugees from North America got across the Atlantic, considering the many Ichtysaurs in the water...or in planes against Gunships...

My thought is the Combine somehow got them all to board Combine planes or massive boats or whatever.

There's probably only like 50 million people left on Earth anyway probably about one million in C17.

 

[Ridge]

50 million? I think thats a bit low considering there are at least 20-some habitable cities...

 

[freakyflor]

50 million? I think thats a bit low considering there are at least 20-some habitable cities...

I tink someting like 15-20 million

 

[SpectreBlofeld]

About where C17 is...



I know Wiki is made of aids and fail, but that's the only place I know that has that info. Interesting IMO.


As for them all speaking English, AFAIK in the modern day a lot of Euro nations speak English as a second, if not primary, language. I guess if you relocate enough of everyone from everywhere, English might be the only language they have in common.

Check this out - it's a picture of the Independence Monument in Sofia -

Very Combine-ish, no?

 

[Acepilotf14]

Neat.

 

[Combine]

well the people don't have to be originally from the city
they were just transported there at one point

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I would of liked people to speak English, but with heavy forweign accents, to remind you they are not originally English, but had to learn if they were to work with the resistance.

Russian Fighter "These are potatoes, why are we training with patato?"
Magnusson "Because my Magnusson devices will be used by Freeman, and only Freeman, you are AAALLLLLLLL expendible!"

 

[97AndyMacK]

I find this aspect fo the games setting confusing, so I dont generally think about it.

 

[Apocalypse89]

Russian Fighter "These are potatoes, why are we training with patato?"
Magnusson "Because my Magnusson devices will be used by Freeman, and only Freeman, you are AAALLLLLLLL expendible!"

The scary thing is that the officer from that scene did have a vague resemblance to Magnusson...

 

[ShadowJustice]

City 17 is an undefined eastern european city. Maybe Saint Petersburg, in Russia.

Edit: as for the civilians speaking english, there is a funny trivia: italian dubbers have been asked to fake an "exotic" accent that reminds eastern european people. Quite funny. Dr. Breen have that accent too, but we all know he is american/english!

Here is a funny trivia: italian "dubbers" are not dubbers and neither actors and their lines ****ing sucks. I suppose they just hired a bunch of illegal aliens with no acting skills to dub the game.

 

[Cavalry]

My .02-When the portal opened that allowed the combine to enter Earth,most of the human race was obliterated,the only inhabitable place left was a large area in Russia,so the survivors were sent there,it would be easier for the Combine soldiers to control them(they were wrong)If you look closely at different citizens,you can tell they're from different areas,some medics appear to be asian,many resistance followers apper to be african,all else are white

 

[Blackout62]

My theory thats probably already been mentioned is babel fish or something like babel fish that works as a universal translator that does well just that translates darn it
now for accents... uh OOGA BOOGA *runs away*

 

[Azner]

While i was replaying ep 1 i noticed a weird sign in Russian or something like that. While i always thought that city 17 was English (because all the civilians speak English)

Not to be a troll, nor rude, but that disgust me, im so sorry to be so blunt I feel bad saying this, but if you are in say.. Singapore, and the chinese or indian or malay people there speak english, are they Caucasian and english?

 

[Paulaner]

While i was replaying ep 1 i noticed a weird sign in Russian or something like that. While i always thought that city 17 was English (because all the civilians speak English)

Oh, the civilians in my EP1 sessions were speaking italian! What a strange phenomenon...

 

[Weasel Synth]

While i always thought that city 17 was English (because all the civilians speak English)

1: They can't be English because in the English version they speak with accents similar to those in the Northern US and in Canada, not English ones.

2: They can't be English because they speak French. Yep. In my version they speak French. Basically we assume they are all dubbed into the language you installed the game into, as are the vortigaunts. Or maybe Gordon Freeman speaks multiple languages (possibly Russian), after all he's pretty well educated, and since he understands them anyway the game just dubs them over into the user's chosen version.

It's not really important anyway, it's just a game. I am of the opinion that it's all dubbed from something or other, if it makes the game more beleivable to me it really doesn't matter if people don't agree, each player to his own.