# If Tom and Jerry are American, why don't they speak English?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 8, 2020, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114 "2020-01-08T07:32:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trisha\_Gaurav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Trisha\_Gaurav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trisha_Gaurav)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/1 "2020-01-08T07:32:23Z")

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They both \*\*understand \*\* English, and all of the other animals speak English.

I’ve been re-watching Tom and Jerry Tales and couldn’t help but notice this.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/2 "2020-01-08T08:22:31Z")

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Sometimes they do.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ieE-ZsRCRfk/hqdefault.jpg "Tom and Jerry - I'm Throwing A Million Dollars, BUT I'M HAPPY!!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieE-ZsRCRfk)

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**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/3 "2020-01-08T11:31:51Z")

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Tom sings in English:

[link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYkJ0M1bUIU&list=RDQYkJ0M1bUIU&start_radio=1)

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**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/4 "2020-01-08T12:01:39Z")

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Jerry has also been known to have a little dialog. And some smooth moves.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2msq6H2HI-Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Jerry Mouse and Gene Kelly Dance - Anchors Aweigh (1945)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2msq6H2HI-Y)

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/5 "2020-01-08T12:24:35Z")

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When they speak, they speak English. It’s only that they don’t speak all that much. According to the first movie, they just didn’t have much to say to each other.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-tom-and-jerry-are-american-why-dont-they-speak-english/846114/6 "2020-01-08T12:30:28Z")

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> [@minlokwat](#):
>
> Tom sings in English:
> 
> [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYkJ0M1bUIU&list=RDQYkJ0M1bUIU&start_radio=1)

Whenever someone mention T&J, that earworm always gets stuck in my head.