Talk Like a Pirate Day

September 19, 2023

Ahoy, mateys! It's Talk Like a Pirate Day - break out the eye patches, parrots, and peg legs for a fun day of pirate-themed activities!

History of Talk Like a Pirate Day

Talk Like a Pirate Day was born in 1995, when two friends from Oregon jokingly created the holiday while playing racquetball. They celebrated it quietly for a few years, sharing the joke with a small group of friends. One day in 2002, they wrote to humor columnist Dave Barry asking him to be the spokesperson for National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Amused by the idea, Barry agreed. He wrote a column about the holiday, giving it national prominence and spawning a wave of Talk Like a Pirate Day events and celebrations across the country.

From Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean, pirates continue to capture our imagination. Romanticized in literature and film as rugged outlaws, pirates have been around in one form or another for hundreds of years. First recorded in Asian seas after the collapse of the Chinese Han dynasty in the 2nd century, piracy grew across the world with the increase in maritime technology and ocean commerce that happened after the discovery of the New World.

When we think of pirates, we commonly picture the so-called Golden Age of Piracy as described in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.” Published in 1883, the adventure novel was hugely influential in creating the pirate as a pop culture stereotype. “Treasure Island” gave us X-marked maps, shoulder-perched parrots, and buried treasure, motifs that continue to anchor any pirate-themed set.

Opened in 1967, Disneyland’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride remains one of the park’s most popular attractions. The last attraction Walt worked on before his death, “Pirates” immerses visitors in the richly detailed world of a Caribbean port falling victim to plunder.

Unfortunately, most of the fun phrases we attribute to pirates are pure fiction. But that doesn’t need to keep you from enjoying this good-humored holiday with your friends!

Talk Like a Pirate Day Timeline

<div id='' class='timeline_item_2'><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9e9d-7d099196' class='timeline_left'><div id='' class='timeline_date-text-4'>2nd Century</div></div><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9ea0-7d099196' class='timeline_centre'><div id ='' class='timeline_circle-4'></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_right'><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5 timeline_text_title'>Piracy First Appears</div></div><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5'>The earliest recorded pirate attacks begin after China's Han Dynasty falls.</div></div></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_item_2'><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9e9d-7d099196' class='timeline_left'><div id='' class='timeline_date-text-4'>1650-1680</div></div><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9ea0-7d099196' class='timeline_centre'><div id ='' class='timeline_circle-4'></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_right'><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5 timeline_text_title'>Golden Age of Piracy</div></div><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5'>The increase in maritime trade and travel between Europe, the Americas, and Africa provide ample opportunities for Caribbean pirates.</div></div></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_item_2'><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9e9d-7d099196' class='timeline_left'><div id='' class='timeline_date-text-4'>1800s</div></div><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9ea0-7d099196' class='timeline_centre'><div id ='' class='timeline_circle-4'></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_right'><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5 timeline_text_title'>Girls Rule</div></div><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5'>Female pirate Ching Chih commands a fleet of 1,800 ships and between 40,000 to 80,000 pirates.</div></div></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_item_2'><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9e9d-7d099196' class='timeline_left'><div id='' class='timeline_date-text-4'>2002</div></div><div id='w-node-_0f3fe35f-7e90-3b7d-6225-0e1175df9ea0-7d099196' class='timeline_centre'><div id ='' class='timeline_circle-4'></div></div><div id='' class='timeline_right'><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5 timeline_text_title'>First National Talk Like a Pirate Day</div></div><div id='' class='margin-bottom-medium'><div id='' class='timeline_text-5'>After humorist Dave Barry writes about the new fake holiday in his column, people nationwide start celebrating TLAP Day.</div></div></div></div>

How to Celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day

<div id="" class="celebrate-item"><h3 id="" class="celebrate-title"><span class="celebrate-number">1. </span>Learn Pirate Slang</h3><p id="" class="celebrate-text">Talk Like a Pirate Day isn't just about talking like a pirate, it's about speaking the language. Brush up on your pirate slang and impress your friends with words like "Scallywag" and "Ahoy Matey".</p></div><div id="" class="celebrate-item"><h3 id="" class="celebrate-title"><span class="celebrate-number">2. </span>Throw a Pirate Party</h3><p id="" class="celebrate-text">Invite your family and friends over for some pirate fun! Decorate with pirate flags and black and white stripes, play music from pirates movies, and of course dress up like pirates. Serve up some rum punch and snacks fit for a buccaneer.</p></div><div id="" class="celebrate-item"><h3 id="" class="celebrate-title"><span class="celebrate-number">3. </span>Make Pirate Crafts</h3><p id="" class="celebrate-text">Get crafty! Make paper pirate hats, parrots out of paper plates, or even make an eye patch out of felt. Have fun getting creative with these diy projects.</p></div><div id="" class="celebrate-item"><h3 id="" class="celebrate-title"><span class="celebrate-number">4. </span>Watch Pirated Movies</h3><p id="" class="celebrate-text">Curl up on the couch with some popcorn and watch your favorite pirated movies like Pirates of the Caribbean or The Goonies. You can even go all out by making your own movie night concessions.</p></div><div id="" class="celebrate-item"><h3 id="" class="celebrate-title"><span class="celebrate-number">5. </span>Play Pirate Games</h3><p id="" class="celebrate-text">Get competitive with some classic games like "Walk the Plank" or "Pin the Patch on the Pirate". You can also create a scavenger hunt with pirate themed clues or create an obstacle course to find buried treasure.</p></div>

Why We Love Talk Like a Pirate Day

A. It’s for everyone

Without a basis in any specific religion or ideology, Talk Like a Pirate Day encourages people of all ages and creeds to celebrate something silly together.

B. It gives us a chance to learn

Get in character, enjoy some grog, and read up on how piracy actually affected the New World and why pirates were so feared.

C. It’s an excuse to watch some great movies

Whether action-packed, funny, or both, pirate movies can be a great way to hang out with family on Talk Like a Pirate Day.

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Talk Like a Pirate Day FAQs

Did pirates really talk like that?

Sort of. Although some familiar words and phrases do come from authentic sailor jargon, most of what we consider “pirate language” can be attributed to Disney’s 1950 movie Treasure Island and Robert Newton’s performance as Long John Silver.

Do pirates still exist?

Yes, but on a much smaller scale than in previous centuries. However, modern-day pirates still occasionally attack ships passing through international shipping channels.

Are all pirates men?

No. Several famous women had successful careers as pirates, including Anne Bonney, Mary Read, and Ching Chih. At the height of her career, Ching Chih commanded a pirate fleet of over 100,000.