How ‘Speak Like a Pirate Day’ began
The story begins in 1995 on a racquetball court in the USA. John Baur and Mark Summers were playing against each other when one of them let out a long, drawn-out ‘Arrr’ after sustaining an injury. The two turned the exclamation into a game: good shots became ‘cannons’, and the opponent became a ‘mate’.
Baur and Summers decided that once a year, everyone should be allowed to speak pirate – or be obliged to, if the Captain so orders. The two christened themselves Ol’ Chumbucket and Cap’n Slappy. At least, that’s the “Legend” on its origins ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’. They chose 19 September, the birthday of Summers’ ex-wife at the time. No further explanation – they simply thought it was easy to remember. And so the date stuck in the calendar like tar on an anchor chain.
The internet did the rest
At first, the “public holiday” remained a small, private affair. Baur and Summers phoned each other, shouted “Arrr!” into the receiver and hung up again. It wasn’t until 2002 that they sent the idea to the US humour columnist Dave Barry. He, in turn, dedicated a column to the day on 14 September 2002, Column in the Washington Post and promptly declared his support: “Talking like a pirate will add a touch of romance and danger to your everyday conversations.” (“Speaking like a pirate will add a touch of romance and danger to your everyday conversations.”). Since then, the International Talk Like a Pirate Day celebrated every year on 19 September. The internet did the rest. Costumes, office parties, radio messages and countless cries of ‘Ahoy, you dogs!’ turned the joke into a recurring maritime pop culture event. Speaking of jokes: Pirate Day isn’t just about eye patches and parrots, but also jokes that are mostly based on the crowiest sailor clichés imaginable. Fancy an example? “What does a pirate do in the office? – He presses the Enter key.” Or: “Why don’t pirates cry? – They’re howling rum.”
Pirate sayings are, above all, part of pop culture
‘Walk the plank’, ‘Shiver me timbers’ and, of course, ‘Arrr’ sound like the language of buccaneers, but they do not constitute a historically uniform pirate dialect. The buccaneers of the late 17th and early 18th centuries came from different countries and social backgrounds. They are therefore likely to have spoken as diversely as the merchant sailors and seafarers of their time.
The image of the growling pirate with a West Country accent owes its fame primarily to Robert Newton. The actor from Dorset played Long John Silver in Disney’s 1950 film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s *Treasure Island*. His way of speaking became the template for countless subsequent pirate roles. Literary scholar Stephanie Jones from the University of Southampton explains that the stereotypical ‘Arrr’ still evokes associations with a West English accent to this day. Stevenson’s novel and its numerous adaptations have had a decisive influence on the portrayal of pirates in popular culture.
The famous line “Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest, yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum” also transports us into this world of literature, theatre and film. BOOTE explains what rum actually meant on board historically in its article on World Rum Day and maritime myths.
A pirate’s day on board, but with clear instructions
In the harbour, a bit of playful banter is perfectly fine as part of the day’s routine. An ‘Ahoy!’ as you moor, a parrot on your shoulder or a pirate joke won’t do anyone any harm. However, when setting sail, during manoeuvres and, above all, in an emergency, short, clear announcements take precedence.
The pirate flag, the Jolly Roger, also falls into the category of decoration. Anyone flying it in harbour should ensure that the national flag and any important signals remain clearly visible. The flag does not replace any mandatory markings and must not be confused with official or nautical signals at sea. BOOTE provides an overview of the role played by national and yacht flags on pleasure craft Yacht flags in Europe.
The light-hearted take on pirates should not obscure the fact that piracy remains a security issue to this day. For cruises in the Caribbean, BOOTE provides figures, high-risk areas and practical advice on current incidents of piracy and attacks compiled.
Book recommendations
Maritime Myths leads to ghost ships, sailing wrecks and vanished crews. Joslan F. Keller combines historical research with the legends that surround these tales. The 30 stories and illustrations provide plenty of material for seafaring tall tales.
Pearls of the Pacific tells the story of Niccolò Banfí’s journeys to remote islands in the Pacific. It focuses on long stretches of calm and stormy weather, encounters on land and the fascination of the open sea. The book is due to be published on 24 September 2026 and is already available for pre-order.
Do you know any other good pirate jokes? Post them in the comments.
Jill Grigoleit
Editor Travel