International Talk like a Pirate Day

International Talk like a Pirate Day History

International Talk Like a Pirate Day encourages participants to embrace their inner swashbuckler and use pirate slang and colloquialisms. Established in 2002, the observance has grown in popularity and now attracts participants from across the globe. The event aims to promote good humor and camaraderie among pirate enthusiasts, and often involves costumes, pirate-themed games, and events.

The origins of International Talk Like a Pirate Day can be traced back to a conversation between two friends, John Baur and Mark Summers, in 1995. The pair decided to create a day dedicated to talking like pirates and chose September 19th as the date. Since then, the celebration has gained widespread media attention and recognition, with Americans taking part alongside participants from countries around the world. The festivities often involve social media campaigns, promotions from businesses, and charity fundraising events.

In the United States, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is celebrated with various activities such as pirate-themed parties, parades, and gatherings at pubs and bars. Participants are encouraged to dress like pirates and use pirate slang throughout the day. The pirate theme even extends to sports events, where fans may adopt a pirate persona to cheer on their teams. International Talk Like a Pirate Day occurs on September 19th each year, capturing the imaginations of Americans and pirate enthusiasts alike across the nation.

International Talk like a Pirate Day facts

• International Talk Like a Pirate Day has its own official website that offers a free pirate-party kit and a world-wide map of International Talk Like A Pirate Day parties.
• The “Golden Age” of piracy is popular internationally and there’s no better evidence of that than the popularity of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Fronted by Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, the series has grossed $4.5 billion worldwide, notes Box Office Mojo statistics.
• There is actually a whole vocabulary associated with pirate-speak. It includes terms like Jolly Roger (pirate flag), Davy Jones' Locker (bottom of the sea), and Landlubber (a person unfamiliar with the sea or sailing).
• The holiday is often used as a fun, whimsical way to emphasize the importance of fluency in multiple languages within the American educational system.
• The concept of the pirate accent, as it exists in popular culture, largely comes from Disney’s 1950 film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island", featuring actor Robert Newton’s strong West Country English accent.
• Technologies like Facebook and Google have recognized this day. For instance, Google once had a feature allowing users to "change language" to Pirate.

In the News and Trending in the US for International Talk like a Pirate Day

Top things to do in the US for this observance

• In some coastal cities like Baltimore, you can board replicas of old pirate ships and take part in pirate-themed cruises.
• Krispy Kreme provides free donuts to people who visit their stores dressed and talking like pirates.
• Some restaurants, particularly on the coast, hold pirate-themed events with special menus and customers encouraged to dress up.