Shiver me timbers, Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! International Talk Like a Pirate Day [ITLAPD] is celebrated every year on September 19th. From an advertising/marketing standpoint it’s interesting to see how a simple idea conceptualized by two friends, John Baur and Mark Summers, turned into a well known holiday across the nation. Through grass-root marketing, social media, and PR, Talk Like a Pirate Day grew into an international phenomenon; it’s now in its 10th year worldwide. It goes to show that if you have an idea fueled by passion and creativity, there’s a lot you can do with a small budget.
This holiday sounds pretty ridiculous, but I dare you to try talking like a pirate at least once today. Not sure how to talk like a pirate, here arrrr some basics to get ye started!
Founders of ITLAPD
PIRATIN’ BASICS
Never use “you” or “your”, pirates only be usin’ ye or yer!
Drop all “g”’s when speakin’ ,and yer be gettin’ words like….Shootin’, Drinkin’ and Fightin’
Instead of sayin’ “I am” or “You are” ,pirates be sayin’ “I be” or “You be”
To completely immerse yourself into a pirate role, speak in a deep, throaty voice. When all else fails throw in an “Arrrr Matey” and the rest be followin’.
VOCABULARRRY
Ahoy: Hey!
Avast: Stop!
Aye: Yes
Booty: Treasure
Buccaneer: A pirate who be answerin’ to no man or blasted government.
By the Powers!: An exclamation, uttered by Long John Silver in Treasure Island!
Davy Jones’ Locker: The bottom o’ the sea, where the souls of dead men lie
Doubloons: Pieces of gold
Fiddlers Green: The private heaven where pirates be goin’ when they die.
Grog: A pirate’s favorite drink.
Jack: A flag or a sailor
Jolly Roger: The skull and crossbones, the pirate flag!
Landlubber: “Land-lover,” someone not used to life onboard a ship.
Lass: A woman.
Loaded to the Gunwales (pron. gunnels): Drunk
Matey: A shipmate or a friend.
Me hearty: A friend or shipmate.
Me: My.
Privateer: A pirate officially sanctioned by a national power
Scallywag: A bad person. A scoundrel.
Scurvy dog!: A fine insult!
Shiver me timbers!: An exclamation of surprise, to be shouted most loud.
Son of a Biscuit Eater: A derogatory term indicating a bastard son of a sailor
Squadron: A group of ten or less warships
Swaggy: A scurvy cur’s ship what ye be intendin’ to loot!
Swashbucklin’: Fightin’ and carousin’ on the high seas!
Thar: The opposite of “here.”
Walk the plank: This one be bloody obvious.
Wench: A lady, although ye gents not be wantin’ to use this around a lady who be stronger than ye.
Yo-ho-ho: Pirate laughter
