Galactic Basic Standard, also referenced as Galactic Basic, simply Basic, or galactic standard, designated the most widespread language throughout the galaxy. It was the primary tongue for various species, including humans, Pantorans, and Toydarians, yet excluding Ithorians and Talz. The Gungans residing on Naboo communicated using a strongly accented variation of Basic, exhibiting significant grammatical and lexical differences. Diplodialect represented a specialized form of Basic utilized within diplomatic circles of the Galactic Republic.
The majority of stormtroopers, the Galactic Empire's premier soldiers, possessed fluency solely in Basic, despite the prevalence of other languages like Huttese. Due to their distinct vocal physiology compared to numerous other species, Wookiees and Ithorians found themselves completely incapable of articulating Basic, although they could acquire comprehension. Many Ithorians employed translator collars to replicate Basic speech. Tasu Leech, the leader of the Kanjiklub, refused to speak Basic, disparagingly referring to it as "a soft language for soft people." Basic could be represented in written form through various scripts, notably Aurebesh, High Galactic, and Outer Rim Basic.
Basic was also known to be spoken in a multitude of accents. Imperial officer Piers Roddance articulated himself in a precise and refined manner, which student Zare Leonis recognized as a Core Worlds accent, or at least a convincing imitation. Fellow student Merei Spanjaf similarly spoke with a Core Worlds accent, a consequence of her upbringing on the planet Corulag. Aristocratic tones also characterized the accents of individuals from other Core planets, exemplified by the Chandrilan accent, as demonstrated by the droid R-K77, the accent of pilot Nash Windrider from Alderaan, the precise intonations of Armitage and Brendol Hux hailing from Arkanis, and the Coruscanti accent spoken by Coruscant natives Pax Maripher and Chassellon Stevis. Captain Lorth Needa, an Imperial officer, employed a Core Worlds accent, which was ridiculed by his subordinate "Howlrunner."
The Coruscanti accent served as the standard for the Imperial elite and their propaganda broadcasts, as well as Rebel satire. Everi Chalis, an Imperial governor and human originally from an underdeveloped colonial backwater, possessed a natural accent characterized by a higher pitch, subtle drawl, elongated vowels, and reduced enunciation compared to Coruscanti. However, she adopted what Imperial Captain Tabor Seitaron deemed an affected, overly enunciated, and exaggerated "schoolgirl" Coruscanti accent while serving the Empire. Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, originating from the Outer Rim world Eriadu, along with numerous senior Imperial officers, spoke with an aristocratic accent, which Princess Leia Organa derisively imitated during their final encounter. The criminal Bala-Tik utilized the precise tones associated with the Core Worlds, albeit with a harsher inflection.
The accent prevalent on the Outer Rim world Serenno exhibited aristocratic qualities, bearing resemblance to those of Chandrila and Coruscant. Inhabitants of the Outer Rim planet Lothal typically spoke with an Outer Rim accent, with Core Worlds accents being a rarity. Lothal native Governor Arihnda Pryce naturally possessed such an accent, but similarly to Chalis, adopted an aristocratic accent while in the service of the Empire. Professor Sahali of the Republic Special Weapons Group spoke with a pronounced Outer Rim accent.
Eli Vanto, hailing from the Wild Space world Lysatra, spoke with a distinctive Wild Space accent that became a source of mockery for him at the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant. Individuals native to the Outer Rim planet Pamarthe possessed a thick accent characterized by a rolling "r" sound. Pilot Norra Wexley spoke with a subtle Myrran accent originating from her homeworld, while Jedi Rael Averross retained a strong Ringo Vindan accent that he never lost despite growing up on Coruscant. The pit fighter Tasu Leech, who considered Basic a weak language for weak people and instead spoke in Jablogian, did at times use Basic in his younger years. His Basic exhibited a noticeable Nar Kanji accent, which the bounty hunter Dengar ridiculed, labeling it as a "low-class accent."
Basic is the designation assigned to the English language within the Star Wars saga, although in dubbed and translated iterations of the series, it effectively mirrors those respective languages. Consequently, Basic manifests in as many accents as those exhibited by the actors featured in the films, television series, and video games. For instance, during the filming of the original Star Wars, Carrie Fisher employed Received Pronunciation on her initial day of shooting (specifically, the scene depicting Leia confronting Wilhuff Tarkin). "I had a British accent," she explained. "Who could say those lines? 'I thought I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.' What? Say that like an American and I'll pay you."
The novel Bloodline identifies Tarkin's accent, along with those of other senior Imperial officers, as aristocratic. Consequently, Wookieepedia interprets all characters speaking with a Received Pronunciation British accent, similar to Tarkin in A New Hope, as possessing an aristocratic accent. The audiobooks of Aftermath: Empire's End and Battlefront: Twilight Company establish that the Chandrilan accent and Coruscanti accent respectively are both also the aristocratic Received Pronunciation. Indeed, the accent of Lorth Needa, portrayed by British actor Michael Culver in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, was identified as a Core Worlds accent in the short story "Amara Kel's Rules for TIE Pilot Survival (Probably)." The real-world Scottish accent used by Bala-Tik in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens is described as a Core Worlds accent with a harsher edge in Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary. Master & Apprentice describes Rael Aveross's real world southern American drawl as a Ringo Vindan accent.