Ahoy! sprogs o' Syosset!

Ahoy there young mateys! I am practicing for the celebration of one of the silliest holidays in observance. I speak of course about, "International Talk Like a Pirate Day", which falls on September 19th!

What? You say you have never heard of "International Talk Like a Pirate Day?"

Well sit starboard down and I will tell you t'tale which began all t' way aft in 1996!

(Translation: Well sit right down and I will tell you the tale that began in 1996.)

Two friends named John Baur and Mark Summers (Ol' Chumbucker and Cap'n Slappy, in pirate speak.) decided over a game of racquetball that it would be fun to start their own holiday in which the two friends could only speak in "pirate lingo." They chose September 19th as the date, and began to observe it as an in-joke between friends.

Then, on a whim the two decided to send a letter about their made up holiday to Dave Barry, an American humorist who wrote for the Miami Herald. Barry liked the idea so much that he promoted it and the holiday really caught on. Of course, I like to think of it as Barry's inspiration for his fantastic children's novel, "Peter and the Starcatchers", the first in a series of prequels to Peter Pan, featuring one of literature's most infamous pirates, Captain James Hook!

The book is well worth reading.


So how does one celebrate this day? Well in short it is simple. Replace some or all of your normal everyday lingo with "pirate language."

So instead of saying, "hello" to your friends on this day it would be appropriate to address them, "Ahoy mateys!"

"Check it out" would be, "Avast!"

"Yes" would become, "Aye!"


And to show your enjoyment of talking like a pirate one can simply let our a hearty, "Arrrr!"

If you would like some more help with a few every day phrases, Ol' Chumbucket and Capn' Slappy have prepared a "Pirate-to-English" translator , which can change any sentence into "Pirate Speak."

Chumbucket and the Capn' have also prepared the following website specifically designed to guide young buccaneers and their parents through the many ways they can celebrate, "International Talk Like a Pirate Day."

Until next time mateys!

-Posted By Capn' Redlocks (Miss Jessikah)