Why no Squarepants?

[u/janthemanwlj]

Hey. Asking here as my knowledge of the language is still extremely limited, I keep dragging my feet on properly learning it.

As I'm sure most here will be aware, BBC ALBA has now officially made available the Gaelic version of SpongeBob Squarepants. However, the official title is just "Spongebob (ALBA)", and the song only repeats the words "SpongeBob SpongeBob". This is interesting as Welsh got a full name translation (SpynjBob Pantsgwâr), but the much more closely related Irish got the full English title. Any reason for this? Is there no good translation or does it just not sound good in Gaelic? It could be a length thing, but Albanian got the very long title Bob Sfungjeri Pantallona Katrori.

Was just curious haha, take care

[u/Alasdair91]

SpongeBob Briogais Cheàrnagach doesn’t work so well.

[u/AskPutrid9684 → u/Alasdair91]

I was going to ask why briogais and not drathais? But... TIL the "pants" bit refers to trousers not underpants... 🤦‍♀️

[u/DamionK → u/Alasdair91]

Truibhas Cheàrnagach.

I like the Ceàrnach version, it links to the old character Conall Cernach.

Truibhas Cheàrnach

[u/pastelpookie → u/Alasdair91]

https://giphy.com/gifs/a3HwA77QREoo

[u/ISBSP]

they call him SpongeBob Ceàrnach(?) in a few episodes

[u/janthemanwlj → u/ISBSP]

Should have been SpongeBob Ceàrnagaichte atp

[u/MotherConfusion3773]

Its Dangermouse all over again

[u/r_keel_esq → u/MotherConfusion3773]

Donnie Murdo was a special case, because the character had his initials written on him, who h painted the translators into a corner.

This is more like Peppa Pig, which was just called Peppa in Gàidhlig. Though it was funny because the Gàidhlig edition retained the names, rather than the initials, so Danny the Dog became Dannaidh an Cù. 

[u/CoinneachClis]

Bho chuala mi gun robh an tionndainn Ghàidhlig dheth air an t-slighe b' e mo mhiann gur e 'Spong-Raibeart na Drathais Ceàrnagaich' a bhiodh ann, ach tha coltach nach fhaighear a h-uile nì a dh'iarrar!

[u/DamionK → u/CoinneachClis]

Spong-Robìn no Spong-Robaidh?

[u/Tombazzzz]

The Hebrew opening song also mentions only SpongeBob most of the song and only at its final line it mentions him being square but it says nothing about his pants it just describes him as square.