Talk Like a Pirate Day

Talk Like a Pirate Day (or TLAPD for short) originated in the summer of 1995, when John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy") began to speak in pirate slang during a casual game of racquetball. They decided then that talking like pirates was so enjoyable that a holiday should be created. They chose September 19 as the lucky date and decided Dave Barry, the infamous humor columnist, should be the spokesman of the new holiday. Baur and Summers nearly forgot about their idea, although they would talk like pirates every September 19. Then, one day in early 2002, Baur stumbled upon Barry's email address and sent him an email introducing them and their idea for a holiday. They offered Barry the chance to be the official spokesman of the event. Waell, in early September 2002, Barry wrote a column about Talk Like a Pirate Day, spreading the news of the new holiday through out the world.

Top Pirate Phrases

Since the holiday only requires that you talk like a pirate, here are some basic pirate phrases to get ye started, matey!

• Ahoy-- "Hello".
• Avast-- An exclamation asking for attention. Similar to "check it out" or "whoa"!
• Aye-- "I agree".
• Aye Aye-- "Okay, I'll get right on it, sir".
• Arrr-- One of the most popular pirate phrases, it can mean nearly anything.
• Beauty-- The best address for a woman.
• Bilge rat-- One of the worst insults.
• Grog-- An alcoholic beverage.
• Hornpipe-- A term refering both to a single reed instrument  that sailors often carried and a spirited dance that sailors did aboard ships.
• Lubber or Land Lubber-- Someone who never goes out to sea. An insult.
• Smartly-- "Quickly".
• "Me" replaces "my", but not "I"-- For example, it's okay to say "shiver me timbers", but "Me want some grog" is more caveman than pirate.
• "Ye" replaces "you"-- "Ye land lubber!"

Dress Like a Pirate

Why limit yourself to just talking like a pirate?  And who says you should only celebrate one day a year?  Here are some easy ways to incoporate Pirattitude into the holiday and into your daily life!

Jerry Seinfeld  may not have wanted to be a pirate, but with a puffy shirt,  there's no better way to embrace the spirit of the high seas.  Arrrr!	A bandanna  can be always worn as a head scarf, but if you're feeling subtle, tie it around your neck to add some extra pizzazz to your outfit.	A pirate belt  or belt buckle  is a perfect and hip way to show your swashbuckling ways - it can hold the sheath  for your sword  too!	Why should grown-ups get to have all the fun?  An outfit  for your little (complemented by booties,  o'course) is fun for the whole family.	Don't forget about your peglegs!  Pirate boots  will complete your ensemble and there's no way anyone will mistake ye for a landlubber.

 

More Information

• Many video games celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day, such as the Nitendo DS version of The Sims 2  and the Neopet's  Neoboards.
• Tom Smith created a song called "Talk Like a Pirate Day", which has become the unofficial anthem of the holiday. Click here for the lyrics!
• Talk Like A Pirate Day is on September 19 every year.
• It's all about having fun!

External Links

• TalkLikeaPirateDay.com-- The official website for TLAPD.
• PostLikeaPirate.com-- This site can instantly convert your proper English emails to pirate jargon!
• Io.com-- A comprehensive pirate glossary.

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