Arrr! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day

"Ahoy! 'Tis time to talk pirate, me hearties"
CNN (September 18, 2009)

"Easy tip number one, if you want to talk like a pirate: Add "me hearties" to the end of any sentence.

"The meaning is simple -- 'my friends, my mates' -- said John 'Ol' Chumbucket' Baur, before offering as way of example, 'Turn your head and cough, me hearties. Or, fill it up with regular, me hearties.'

"Saturday marks 'Talk Like a Pirate Day,' an observance that has been recognized on all seven continents and beyond. It inspires dress and behavior -- of the Long John Silver variety -- in seedy bars, staid workplaces and even the International Space Station. It has fueled fundraisers, been the topic for a New York Times crossword puzzle and mentioned on various game shows.

It was an idea born in 1995 on an Albany, Oregon, YMCA racquetball court. Baur, 54, and his friend Mark 'Cap'n Slappy' Summers, 46, began unleashing insults at one another, as pirates might...."

Me 'ats off to ol Chumbucket an Cap'n Slappy, for instigatin' this truly linguistic foray. "Talk Like a Pirate Day" has even inspired well-meaning landlubbers to emulate, if you will, the argot of the buccaneers. Even if they don't know how to spell "arr!"

Now, this CNN article: it's author - a bonny lass, no doubt - she points out that it wasn't until one Dave Barry, of the northerly port of Miami, caught wind of it and spread the news among all adventurous landlubbers. And, as it seems, quite a respectable number of the less-than-bold sort, as well.

Ah, it takes all sorts to make a world, they do say.

There's more to that article, about this day. It sports a picture of Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket, which is well and good - but would it have broken CNN's heart to show us what the fine lass who wrote the piece looks like?! Arr!

Related post:

• "Arrr! It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day Tomorrow"
  (September 18, 2008)