Talk Like a Pirate Day 2006
Next to Halloween, this might be my favorite holiday of the year: Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Here’s the explanation from the A Word A Day mailing list this weekend:
Every September 19 people around the world celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day. It’s been marked on all continents — even Antarctica. Why? Because it’s fun, it’s anarchic. Its very whimsy — trying to get everyone on the planet to talk like a stereotypical Caribbean buccaneer on the same day each year — sets it apart from other holidays.
The holiday had its genesis during a racquetball game between John Baur and Mark Summers, two friends in Albany, Oregon. It was a private joke that went around the world. The rest is, if not history, at least a good story, which you can read at their Web site http://www.talklikeapirate.com.
A note — I’ve often heard people talk about pirates’ “cockney accents.” Wrong! The stereotypical pirate has a Cornish accent, based on the performance of Long John Silver by actor Robert Newton in the 1950 Disney version of “Treasure Island”. He was from Cornwall, and his over-the-top performance and native accent are the reason people think that’s what a pirate sounded like. Of course, pirates came from all nationalities. But the pop culture image is firmly embedded, and Robert Newton is the reason why.
Here in Hesperia, Sultana High School is celebrating Spirit Week this week, in the lead-up to their homecoming football game, and each day, the kids dress up in a different theme. Today’s theme? Pirates, by thunder! There be hope for this generation yet, I reckon.
Arrrr …
- Find out your pirate name at the Long John Silver’s site. Just call me “Scabby Obadiah,” arrrrrr.
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