Spongebob French?

MasiHosseini · Dec 20, 2014

Hello guys,

I found this theory on tvtropes WMG (Wild Mass Guess):

Spongebob is French.
In the first season he occasionally speaks French, with an impeccable French accent. Either he's French or he spent some time in France. PerhapsSpongebob is actually the suave French narrator we hear occasionally. (Backed up by the fact that in "Jellyfish Jam," he briefly starts narrating his own actions in the same suave French accent.)

He also said "PORQUOI?!" (which means "why" in French,) in the episode where he lost his name tag.
Maybe he does this because Everything Sounds Sexier in French?

It's kinda interesting. What do you guys think about it? :)

tEMMIE · Dec 20, 2014

No, I wouldn't want a french from Spongebob.

Big Meaty Claws · Dec 20, 2014

:rofl: No offense, but this sounds like one of those joke theories :P

Sunshine Banjo Face · Dec 20, 2014

Even though Le Big Switch happened, there is still this piece of information that he didn't know it due to it being French, where the entire scene had to be cut over there due to it being in French regularly. Then again it's cartoon logic, so let me see these season one examples, besides the Narrator (not the fish head) to back up this theory.

The Real Nostalgia Critic · Dec 20, 2014

Maybe Tom Kenny was trying to distinct himself from the French narrator voice to the SpongeBob voice and it came out as the French narrator's voice.

Grubby Grouper · Dec 20, 2014

The narrator's voice was inspired by Jean-Michel Cousteau as a side joke to make it seem like the show was a documentary of real sea life. Cousteau is French and that's why the narrator talks in a French accent and when SpongeBob talks the same way in Jellyfish Jam, it's only because he's imitating the narrator. For SpongeBob to be noticeably from French background, most likely one of his parents would be evidently French. There is no accent or evidence that either are, and neither "SquarePants" nor "BubbleBottom" give any hints of French background.
So, I say this is all a very over-thought coincidence made into a theory.

Cha · Dec 20, 2014

Proof they're two different people/

DadMom AngryPants · Dec 20, 2014

The reason he occasionally says something in French is because it sounds funnier. "Pourquoi?" is quite a common way of saying "Why?" in a dramatic way. Most people know what it means. Ditto for adding "le" before a word.

The reason he sounds the same as the French narrator when he says something with a French accent for comic effect is because they're played by the same actor.

Conclusion: bad theory.

PS: If SpongeBob didn't know what Texas was I doubt he'd know what France is either.

PPS: Using the logic behind this theory surely it would make more sense to say that SpongeBob is American since the vast majority of the time he speaks with an American accent. But he's not American. He's Bikini Bottom-ian.

Sunshine Banjo Face · Dec 20, 2014

DadMom AngryPants said:
PS: If SpongeBob didn't know what Texas was I doubt he'd know what France is either.

*coughcoughGARYTAKESABATHcoughcough*
So he does know what France is even if a one time joke.

Grubby Grouper · Dec 20, 2014

DadMom AngryPants said:
PPS: Using the logic behind this theory surely it would make more sense to say that SpongeBob is American since the vast majority of the time he speaks with an American accent. But he's not American. He's Bikini Bottom-ian.

I like to think Bikini Bottomites have their own accent. Mr. Lawrence usually is the best at it out of the voice actors behind them but examples are:

-Where's Old Man Jenkins?
-Big meaty claws!
-Do I need to say it? Not again.
-Why don't you try it out? (My Pretty Seahorse)
-Let's try to communicate with it.

It's like a southern-ish kinda unintelligent voice but I like it

Big Meaty Claws · Dec 20, 2014

Grubby Grouper said:
I like to think Bikini Bottomites have their own accent. Mr. Lawrence usually is the best at it out of the voice actors behind them but examples are:

-Where's Old Man Jenkins?
-Big meaty claws!
-Do I need to say it? Not again.
-Why don't you try it out? (My Pretty Seahorse)
-Let's try to communicate with it.

It's like a southern-ish kinda unintelligent voice but I like it

You called? :naughty:

DadMom AngryPants · Dec 20, 2014

AwardGiver said:
*coughcoughGARYTAKESABATHcoughcough*
So he does know what France is even if a one time joke.

I forgot about this scene. Since SpongeBob didn't understand the French person on the other end of the telephone it basically confirms that he doesn't speak French.

Sunshine Banjo Face · Dec 20, 2014

DadMom AngryPants said:
I forgot about this scene. Since SpongeBob didn't understand the French person on the other end of the telephone it basically confirms that he doesn't speak French.

I said he KNEW where France was. ;) Plus if he survived through Le Big Switch he probably knew a little or it was just some minor error. :dunno:

The Real Nostalgia Critic · Dec 20, 2014

DadMom AngryPants said:
I forgot about this scene. Since SpongeBob didn't understand the French person on the other end of the telephone it basically confirms that he doesn't speak French.

Let's not forget the beginning of "Plankton!" where SpongeBob knows a little bit of French words.

SpongeBob: Oui, oui. Un Krabby Patty, Monsieur. First, les patty.
Next, les ingredients. Ah, whee! (catches food all around his body) Les mustard. (squirts some in eye)
Les hold on a second!

So we can confirm that SpongeBob knows a little bit of French, but not the whole language.

Squidina · Dec 20, 2014

Well, obviously, it's a "guess", if I read that right. But, doesn't Tom Kenny, the voice of SB, also do the voice of the "French Narrator"?

Also, he speaks excellent French in this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN8IEQZmuhY

(That's the "We're men" clip from the movie - in French!)

He also speaks excellent German, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEfSygPLQb0

So maybe he's French-German? :P

Of course, I've noticed the show has a very strong lean towards French - the French Narrator, for one example.

The German clip is "I'm ready!"[/spolier]

Old Man Leeroy Jenkins said:
Let's not forget the beginning of "Plankton!" where SpongeBob knows a little bit of French words.

So we can confirm that SpongeBob knows a little bit of French, but not the whole language.

Didn't he only speak English with the French chef in that episode? I don't remember him speaking much French. I only remember him ever saying some typical phrase here and there in the entire series? (I couldn't come up with an example except for "pourquoi", though can't remember him actually knowing what the phase meant... or I'm confusing it with another word in another episode, not sure.)

Spongebob French?

MasiHosseini

Krabby Patty Burglar

tEMMIE

hOI!!!

Big Meaty Claws

K I D S

Sunshine Banjo Face

Banished

The Real Nostalgia Critic

toby j rathjen is a monkey

Grubby Grouper

oce

Cha

I love SBM

DadMom AngryPants

Hi, I'm normal.

Sunshine Banjo Face

Banished

Grubby Grouper

oce

Big Meaty Claws

K I D S

DadMom AngryPants

Hi, I'm normal.

Sunshine Banjo Face

Banished

The Real Nostalgia Critic

toby j rathjen is a monkey

Squidina

Tintenfisch