MovieChat Forums > Tarzan (1999) Discussion > Tarzan already know English?

Tarzan already know English?


Did i miss something? Why does Tarzan find it so hard to speak English when he meets the girl? Mother ape and baby ape spoke English to him for all those years prior to meeting the attractive lady.... Confused?

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They were speaking ape to him. We heard it in English because Disney didn't want little children to have to read subtitles for the whole movie. That's why he can speak to the animals, but not the humans.

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Well doesnt come off that way.... Least bit to anyone who's google the answer first :)

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I may have to watch this movie again, as I don't seem to remember this part but it does sound weird

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The idea is that Tarzan can speak fluently with the apes because they are grunting and communicating with each other like we hear him do later on in the film when other humans are present. They speak english so that we can understand the dialog and the plot. When Tarzan is trying to talk to Jane using broken english it signifies that he comunitcates with the apes via their grunting and does not speak english. It's a little confusing.

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Not to sound arrogant but is it really that hard for people to use their imagination when it comes to animated animals "talking"
These apes he grew up with were never suggested to be super intelligent mutants so why would they be able to "talk".
Plus it is clearly shown that the Porters and Clayton can't understand the gorillas.

I always knew that they could only understand each other through Tarzan picking up ape communication skills and Disney has a well known history of "talking " animals but they don't actually talk in human language.
It was in Bambi - of course just amongst the animals
The Lion King - featuring no humans so of course...
Lady and the Tramp and Lady barks rather than talks to her owners yet has full on conversations with the other dogs

As other poster says it's for the benefit of the kids but it's also readily implied animals talk to EACH OTHER on screen, never to humans

The same applies to Tarzan



I just fail to see how this could not be picked up xD

Have a good day!

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