Fan mail

"I had an idea today that I will share with you. It is partly cool pirate idea, and mess with my kids idea. I dont know if you have kids, but part of the fun, especially once they reach thier teen years and up, is to make a point of doing things to make them crazy, haha. So, on the way home from our shopping today, my daughter and I passed a truck all painted up like a party, to advertise thier party rental business. It made me think aloud. Hmmm, if they can decorate thier truck to advertise thier party rentals, and people can drive a Batmobile and an Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile, why couldnt I drive a pirate mobile? I told my daughter I was going to paint my car to look like a pirate ship, put a giant mermaid masthead on the hood, Jolly Roger flag on the roof, cannons stickingout of the windows. It woudl be great. My daughter said she would never ever drive in my pirate ship car, or be seen with me, or anywhere near me ever ever again if I did that. Point accomplished and i laughed the rest of the way home. haha. If you have kids, I know you understand. Pirate ship car though, mighty cool, I must say." -- Peace, Allison

"It was tough this year. In the a.m. I had a job interview (where I did not talk like a pirate, but informed the interviewers of the holiday and was subsequently hired) and then had a wedding (where I attached the Congratulations card to the TLaP Day card). As always, I sent out my TLaP Day cards, but this year instead of making each card simply took Christmas, Valentine's, etc cards and crossed out the holiday's name, replacing it with Talk-Like-a-Pirate Day. What I thought would interest you hte most, however, is how I spread the word this summer as a drama teacher at a summer camp. I wrote a short play about holidays that includes pirates storming the stage because they are angry their holiday isn't taken seriously. My husband thought the play was nutz and no one would get it, but it made me laugh, which was really the most important parrrrrrrrt." - Rachel

"Went into Stockmann - big dept. store here in Oulu, Finland,, and bought me a cutlass, eyepatch and a pirate hat. Stripy shirt, natch. Then waked 3 miles home, shouting AAARRRRR! at everyone I saw*. Scared the bejeezus out of the cowering, snivelling bilge rats and ratlets. Unfourtunately, I tucked said (plastic) cutlass into my belt, which caused me to be inspected by a repetitively passing police paddy-wagon. Still, I might have been the first (or only) person in Oulu, Finland to observe this, the most sacred day of the year! Thanks, and may the barnacles on your keels never itch!" -Andy
*As I'm 53 years old, I can see why - even with only one eye...My God, I'm a poet, and didn't know it.

"Just wanted to let you know I have been a big fan of Talk Like A Pirate Day for a couple of years! A couple of mates and I used to get so boozed when we lived in London and we always seemed to break into … arrrhhhhhh’s etc. And then it broke into full pirate speak. Well…lo and behold…I have moved to Sydney (I’m American but been overseas for 10 years) and was down at the beach and there was a yacht out in the harbor with heaps of pirates on it today and all embracing the day! I naturally joined in on the beach while walking my dog (I could not find a parrot for the day but she did her best to be a sidekick) and I feel it was a great success! Plus I remind all my mates on facebook about it every year! Keep it up felas!" - John Goldenberg

"Yesteryear we celebrated TLAPD for the very First time in our tiny little Dutch town of Goes, in a local bar called Café La strada ...Unfortunately, the pub burned down this January, so that would mean the end of that. But no, people continuously reminded me of the sheer awesomeness of our first talk like a pirate day, and I decided to go on with it nonetheless. I sent everyone an email (yeah I know, not very piratey) asking if they’d like to join me parading through the streets as a foul mouthed yet overly friendly buccaneer. I thought maybe what, 10 – 15 people would join me if I was lucky. Boy was I wrong. There’s approximately 110 people joining me tomorrow. Dressed up and all. And keep in mind, I live in a town with a population of just under 18.000. So thanks for bringing some laughter to all of us and not taking things too seriously." -Dennis

"For five years now, I've been celebrating TLAP day in the classroom. I teach American Literature at Troup High School and was inspired in the fall of 2004 to try something different. Since then, I've taken the day closest to Sep. 19th and treated it as my own little Teach Like a Pirate day. Activities I use include trivia about various tings in history and pop-culture dealing with piratical activity, discussions of various literature that includes piracy (from Poe's "The Gold Bug" and Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to Stevenson's classic, and even talinga bout The Goonies and Treasure Planet), we also talk about music, the real-life pirates that persist today (to our chagrin), and I take time to point out some of the famous strong female personalities that spring from pirate lore. Likewise, I use it as an excuse to break out the garb and have fun watching the students' reactions to a teacher who "dresses weird" and reward knowledge and good piratical behavior with Hershey's Nuggets (TM). My faculty have always been supportive of the venture I make taking on history, pop-culture, and linguistics in a way that really grabs the students' attention and has often resulted in a few saying I'll participate next year, but, alas, has yet to materialize into a school-wide event.I just thought I'd share one result of the positive effect your inspiration has had. Thanks for what you created and may the wind continue to fill your sails." - Phillip Schultz

"My birthday is September 19. Those who know me well, and some who do not, are likely dreading the fact that it is now September 1. I'm just insufferable when it comes to celebrating my birthday. No presents, please. Instead, just let me talk about it all the way up until 9.19 and when the celebration is an explosive one there are leftovers and I might keep talking. That's the good stuff right there. Mostly, I see birthdays as a gift of one more year. The more we have the longer we live. It's like a personal new year celebration of life - okay, sappy, I know. I love pirate stuff, talk, concepts, of the Carribean, Johnny Depp, all things about the sea, mermaids, seahorses, dolphins, turtles, seaweed, Atantis, the beach, the horizon at sunrise or set. It doesn't stop. As you can imagine when I discovered "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" back about five or six years ago, how it must have elevated my ability to really irritate folks about how September is my birthday month and my birthday is ITLAP day to boot. So, buckos - - Ahoy, thank you Gar for being silly enough to create ITLAP day and sharing it with the world." - Chris

Don't miss: An epic (and allegedly true) tale of Talk Like A Pirate Day past

Fanmail 2008

From the Webwench's niece, a first-year teacher in Southern California: "Your connection with the Pirate Guys bought me a little celebrity status on Friday with my 8th graders. The librarian at my school celebrates TLAPD every year - she sends all the staff a list of pirate-speak, gives each teacher a pirate name ("Mary the well-tanned" was mine, which is far from the truth), and gives out pirate gear to students at lunch. My kids thought it was incredibly cool, both that I knew someone who knew the pirate guys (a lot of my students heard them interviewed on our local rock station that morning), and that my aunt does web design. They already think I'm ancient (I told them I'd been teaching for 25 years, and many of them bought it), so they thought you must be REALLY ancient, and were very impressed that you knew about "internet stuff." Although, they were also impressed that I knew what YouTube was, so maybe they're just easily impressed. ;) Thanks for the bump in coolness - I need all the help I can get!" - Chelle

Thanks to you and Washington Elementary for letting me be a pirate on Friday. I messed up everything all day from the kindergartener who was scared spitless to the kids yelling "Hi Pirate" in the halls! Special thanks to Mrs. Allen (alias Cap'n Allen) for not sending me home. I can't remember the last day I had so much fun at school! -- First Mate Hansen, also known as Mrs. Hansen, Talented and Gifted Facilitator, also known as Wapsi Belle when playing cowgirl....Do you see a pattern here?

Ahoy! Pirates from Poland salute You on 19th September... We celebrate this day too... :) greetings... :) -- Radzio

Hey all @ talk like a pirate. This is great man!
I'm 53 yrs old, and have been talkin' like a pirate ever since 1971. It actually feels good (?). It doesn't happen all the time, it builds up and then it all comes out at once. People think I'm a little weird, but then they laugh and "Talk like a pirate" with me. Very, very funny stuff -boone, The I-rate Pi-rate

Hello, I'm a player in the game, Pirates of the burning sea, and I wanna thank you guys for coming into the game for talk like a pirate day. I got me a nice red parrot with it's own eye patch from a mission you gave out. I really Hope to see you guys again next year in Tortuga, maybe that time, many more missions, and Chumbuckets' hat for a costume reward!

Hello. Rather, Ahoy. I thought you might be interested in knowing about a racehorse named Arrrrr, who recently broke his maiden here at Saratoga Race Course. The racecall by track announcer Tom Durkin was classic. I am putting a link to its posting on YouTube for your enjoyment. I hope you might be able to use it on your website. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aIArgVq88U Also, it might be fun if you guys wanted to meet Arrrrr someday soon. I could work on arranging that, if you like. - Jenny Kellner, Media Specialist, New York Racing Association

Came across your website quite a few times. My birthday is September 19th and I'm quite the pirate fan. For my upcomign 21st I'm having a pirate and sailor theme, just checking you site again for help on writing my invites :) Must try to remeber to send on a picture afterwards! shivers!

Last year while preparing for TLAPD, it occurred to me that I did not know the proper spelling of Arrr. How many r's exactly? I have a semi scientific answer that I would like to share with me fellow pirates so they can make an informed choice as they form their own Arrrrr's. I used Google and beginnning at on "r" and continuing to 50 noting how many hits for each and setting it into a graph. So, how many times should one use the letter "r" to write out the common pirate affirmation "Arrr Matey!" There is no absolute right answer, but 2 or 3 account for about 80% of people. (See attached graph). There isn't that much difference between typing one "r" for "Ar" and holding down the "r" key for a while to type "Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr". What I believe this study shows you is some people are willing to hold down the "r" key longer than others... And some people are willing to put it into Excel and graph it. Like I don't have enough to do. -- Chris

My name is Alda and I write to you from Patreksfjordur, Iceland (just west of the middle of nowhere). A week from now my Pirate House will open and I wanted to tell you fellow pirates about it. The Patro Pirate House is an exhibition and a cafe. The stories we will tell are mostly of Dutch, British and Scottish whalecathers who went around the Icelandic coast in 1650-1730 with violence. They also liked to attack each other at sea near land and fought many battles. These stories are not well known in Iceland and I want to change that and hope to make a living of it. The "movie" pirate in all his glamour will also get his place, but the pirates who came to Iceland were not glamourous at all. I know the kids would be very disappointed if they would not see a few "real" pirates.I write to you in hope that you will mention us to all your pirate friends. They do travel...? Even if they don´t I would like to get in touch with people who are doing similar things as I am. -- Best regards from Iceland, Alda

(Responses to news of the Chumbucket crew's relocation to the Virgin Islands):

AAARRRRR! What a spiffin' adventure! ongratulations on giving it a good ol' pirate go and fair winds to ye! - Cap'n Bess Flint

How wonderful! How exhilirating! How scary! How maddening! What an adventure you'll be having. Best wishes and happy pirating! -- Susan Gailes

I salute you Ol' Chumbucket and wish you and yer family all the best. We'll miss ye in Oregon, that's fer sure, but good luck and fair winds. Thanks for the memories and the newsletters, which I'll still look forward to. - Cheers, Deepsea Dawn

Responses to the 2008 UK airing of ABC's "Wife Swap", featuring the Chumbuckets:

Well done Sir! The wench and yerself did good on Wench swap, which was shown for the first time in the UK last night! How you put up with that label writing Obsessive Compulsive woman, AND her sister I will never know! You and Mad Sally both deserve medals, you for dealing with her, and Mad Sally with coping in that house with the boxes and labels and mind numbing order! Mad Sally, that floor cleaning scene-fabulous!, I cannot believe he was getting that upset about the little spot on the floor! What an absolute freak! To the world you might be one person,
But to one person you might be the world, Love and blessings, -- Jaradal

Fanmail 2007

Our favorite story o' the year:

"My name is Cynthia Jolley-Rogers and my husband is Garry Jolley-Rogers. Before we were married I was Cynthia Jolley and he was Garry Rogers, and it was just too good an opportunity to pass up - so we are now Cynthia and Garry Jolley-Rogers. I met Garry while I was working as Assistant Stage Manager on a production of Gilbert and Sullivans "Pirates of Penzance" in January 1993.

"We had a fabulous pirate theme wedding on 18 March 1995 where everyone came dressed as pirates. Since Garrys family live in Brisbane and my family lived at that time in Canberra, most of them had never met before. It sure broke the ice to meet their future in-laws dressed up as pirates and wenches!

"... So now we live in Melbourne, Australia - and yes we are in the telephone book! We have two beautiful sons. Tom Jolley-Rogers will be 11 on 3 October, and Danny Jolley-Rogers turned 8 today, his birthday is 19 September - International Talk like a Pirate Day!! And really - I didn't know it at the time I was giving birth to Danny - I swear I didn't.

"Hope this tickles your fancy and gives you a laugh." - Cynthia and Garry Jolley-Rogers

Hello, My name is Darren Deloatche and I am the proud father of a new baby boy. The reason I am submitting this is because, until recently, I was not aware of "Talk Like a Pirate Day" and had not one of the nurses at the hospital informed us, we still would not know. This is the thing, for the last two months we have been decking out my sons room with pirate gear. I mean, the lamps, crib bedding, books, u name it, it was pirate themed. The joke was that he was going to come home with a patch over one of his eyes. Braelon was not to be born until the 28th or 29th of September, but because they feared he was going to get to big, labor was induced on the 17th of September. We were blessed with our "little pirate" on September 19th at 12:02PM. Pretty strange to me, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I was compelled to email you when I heard people talking about Talk Like A Pirate Day on the radio. On the radio! I'm amazed at how much publicity it's gotten, in the past few years. I've been celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day since 2002, when I first read Dave Barry's column. Back then, no one really knew about it, and instead of reactions like "Yeah! I love Talk Like A Pirate Day!", I got "Are you crazy? Why are you talking like a pirate? That's not even a real holiday, no one else celebrates that." Needless to say, that was crushing for a twelve-year-old (yes...I'm a young'in) to hear, when I was so enthusiastic about it. The next year, I made sure to tell all my classes about it, and got everyone really psyched about it. My teachers were so amused with the idea that, on September 19th, they all dressed up as pirates, replaced all the American flags in their classrooms with Jolly Rogers, wore parrots on their shoulders, and gave hooks out to the students. And, of course...I was at home, very sick, that day. Another terrible blow to my Pirattitude. When I came in the next day, everyone was all "Aww, it's awful that you missed it! They did it all for you because you were so excited about it!"

I think it was the next year that I first emailed you guys...jeez, that was a while ago, I'm pretty sure you don't remember it, haha. I emailed you telling you how I was upset because I kept forgetting that Talk Like A Pirate Day was coming up - there still wasn't much publicity, then, and I was bad at keeping track of dates. You were doing a radio show the morning of TLAPD, and you actually offered to call me from there to wake me up and remind me! My mother was not thrilled with the idea... "Who are these strange pirate men who are going to call you? I've never heard of Talk Like A Pirate Day. I don't think that's safe." But she knows about TLAPD now, and she doesn't think you're strange. :)

Anyway...I just wanted to email you and let you know that you've got a hardcore fan (five years and going strong!) of your awesome pirate ways and I fully intend to dress up as pirate-y as possible tomorrow and amuse my classmates with my pirate lingo (which I have to brush up on!). -- Lia

"We successfully celebrated our second annual "Talk Like a Pirate Day" (and ... READ Like An Educated Pirate!) here at the Seguin High School Library, with many a display of pirate-oriented books (yes, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was included, along with Treasure Island, A Pirate of Exquisite Mind, The Last of the Sky Pirates, The Pirates of Pensacola, and many, many others). I can't say that it was huge success, but we had a lot of fun, and it will hopefully get bigger every year! One of our science teachers, quite a pirate at heart, made a pvc pipe cannon and shot it off several times that day to demonstrate (besides principles of physics or something else scientific and educational) her support of Talk Like a Pirate Day! I understand that it was also quite the thing in Austin, which is one of our more interesting and eccentric cities here in Texas, and just up the road from Seguin." - Jamie Aven, SHS Library

I just had to tell you how much I enjoy the whole concept of 'talk like a pirate day'... mainly because it's my birthday and I love the fact that something so fun and different coincides with it. I tried to train my 'tame' crow in the garden to sit on my shoulder like a parrot, with limited success... but I did get a fair few 'shiver me timbers' in during the day, Jim-lad... a-haaaarrrrr!! off to drink a bottle of rum...-- Anne

Alma writes: You wont beleeve the email I got frum me Da (Dad) who be all of 79 yeers old. He ain't n'er hear'd o talk like a pirate day afore, but he shur got intu tha spirit o' the day! Oh, his mates be dogs. Here it be:

"Wahll shiver my timbres, I was plane igorant and me scurvy crew as ben dewing a most uncommly bad job of keeping the ol captin informed regarden such events in ah timely fashun. In the ol days I'd of givn em both a taste of the cats tail, but i em to softharted eny moor . The salt has washeed clear outta me blood, an that's fur chur.

I am mightly pleased to see that the to uve ya have enuf respect to hoist the Jolllie Rogerrrr from yur yardarm, Thinken on it, I mustave knowed it was some sort of specal day, cause I did draw some bluud out on the bow of this landlocked ship oh mine.

The 1st mate made it clear as ah full moon on a calm night off the Javecoast that there be a squarrel up in one ah the foremasts. I bawlled ah ordur to my 2nd mate to fetch my peece from me cabin but the lazy skondrul just stood thar with that stewped ball in is mouthe and fetch it meself I had too do!

Ey failed to reset the hourglass but I mustave stearred up in that foremast four the better part of an hour, telling the 1st mate thar be nuthen up thar and him all thye wile jest starren thar. Finally I perceved a slight bullge on the star'brd side uve the mainmast butt when I shifted in that thar directun to get a bettr look, why the buldge disappleared only to now appere on thye port side. Mighty strange I said to the 1st mate who remained stowic. This most strange happening mustave played out a duzzen times or moore, and I was hard stressed to figure out how that varmit could reed mi mind. ore was me eyes playin triks on me?

Than setten me mined to the problum I sooon sirmised that it mussed be looken at me! Raisen my gaze I observed a notch formed by to branches and what was that I seeze? Could it bee a small pare of ears!

The rest uv my tail I'll leeve for youu to imagine. Surfice to say, their be wun less squirrel to steel the pecans offun my tree, and on that you can bet all ur earthly tressures! And may I be struk deef and dumb if I ave uddered a single falsehood."

I'm sure you've heard this one too (don't worry it's not a joke) - my son was born (in Portland Oregon) on TLAPD 2006. We're celebrating his first Birthday today and reminiscing about the day he was born. When I called my father to announce that the baby was coming that night, my step-mother said "Oh good! It's Talk Like a Pirate Day." 'Okay, my step-mom's crazy,' I thought. Fair enough. But then.... (the plot thickens)..... when we arrived at the hospital, the nurse says "So, what do you think of your son being born on Talk Like a Pirate Day?" 'Cleary she's been talking to my step-mom' I thought. They wheeled me into the operating room for a c-section and the surgeon, as she put on her mask, turns to me and says "Arrrr!" I was stunned. "Is there really a Talk Like a Pirate Day?!?" I asked. "Oh yeah," the surgeon replied, "it's a National Holiday!" Twenty-eight minutes later my son was born. As I gazed into his eyes for the first time, I giggled and said "Ahoy there Matey!" It was the most wonderful day of my life. - Cheers! Evin Faulhaber (Oregon native currently living in Ohio)

I am a freshmen at the university of Kansas and I am about to finish my first semester. This semester I have written 4 different essays about pirates and TLAPD and I have also given 2 speeches; one was about Blackbeard the other was a persuasive telling the audience why they should participate. (All projects recieved As, for the record). Anyways, I felt like sharing how TLAPD and pirate knowledge in general has gotten me through my first semester of college. -- Bennett Gladden, Pirate stuck in the Great Plains

In September 2005, I turned 50. We had a Talk Like a Pirate Party complete with fundraising events for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Everyone was required to wear Pirate attire, talk like a pirate, and contribute to the fund or walk the plank. It was a great party and now every year, my friends and colleagues on a lawyer's listserv, talk like pirates all day on the list, and generally act like the blackhearted ne'er do wells that we are, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day. - M. Corinne Corley, Kansas City, MO

John Stuart, Pirate Pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, wrote a pirate psalm for the occasion:

Blackbeard's version of Psalm 23 Aarg! The Lord is me Cap’n An' I ain’t wantin’ nuthin’. He shivers me timbers, An' sails me through blistering barnacles. He refreshes me rum An' guides me To Spanish galleons For his booty. Aarg!

Even though I walk the plank Over shark-infested waters, I ain’t afeared, For my Cap’n is wi’ me, Along wi' the bo’sun An' first mate. Aarg!

He gets ready the mainsail An' broadsides the enemy, The deck o’erflows Wi’ powder 'n' blood.

Surely pillage 'n' plunder Will be my pirate life, An' I will dwell in Davey Jones’ Locker Forevermore. Aarg!

"I am a soldier stationed in iraq. To celebrate , myself and others will wear an eyepatch all day, and play wheel o' fortune on the computer (of course allways picking the letter "r"). I have been looking forward to this day for months! It will give myself and others in my unit some goofy reason to celebrate something in a war zone thousands of miles from home. Since no alcohol is allowed over here, could you raise mugs, filled with pirate grog, and have a toast to those who could not be with you on the 19th?"-- A pirate far away from his home port, Sgt. Glenn Cuneo, 514th Medical Company

Ol' Chumbucket responds: "Thanks for being where no one wants to be doing a job no one wants to have to do. You have our thoughts and a glass will definitely be raised in yer honor. Or two or three. "

I was reading your fine book of "Pirattitude" and discovered the section about vernacular. I quite enjoyed the parts about school and visiting the doctor's office and then you mentioned work. It made me think about how one would speak around my own work place. I created a list much like the ones for the other places mentioned in your book. It is limited I admit but many around my office found it humorous and have said they shall use it on September 19th. I hope the folks in your office will also get some enjoyment from these and perhaps use them in their everyday conversations around the office:

Company CEO= Admiral
Boss= Captain
Boss's office= Captain's Quarters
HR Representative= Hangman
Office Supply Closet= Goat locker
Interview= The Inquisition
Lunch Time= Mutiny!
Cafeteria= Galley
Cafeteria Food= Subsistence rations
Cubicle area= The Bilge
Conference Room= Poopdeck
Project= Scutwork
New Project= Surprise Attack!
Project Presentation= Broadside!
Project Deadline= Demarcation line
Overtime= Time in the Brig
Performance Review= Cat o' Nine Tails
Company Logo= Jolly Roger
Neck Tie= Hempen Halter
Computer= Iron Maiden
Engineer= Navigator
Drawings= Sea Charts

-- Charles E. Weiskircher, Q. C. Specialist, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America.

Avast me hearties! Just wanted to say a big well done to you twp on the Diego Garcia Caper book, I ordered this along with the sao paulo caper to read on holiday and was a little apprehensive what to expect. I was delighted, reading the diego garcia book in about 4 days, i've never read a book that fast and couldnt put it down. The story was brilliant, absolutely hilarious, and also daft at times! Looking forward to reading the San Diego Caper. Roll on September the 19th! - From a pirate of the British shores... Cap'n Greenbeard

I be lettin' ye know tha' this year fer TLAP day, I be gettin' me section t' be participatin' in th' festivities, be singin' sea shanties, an' be adressin' meself as Mad John Flint. Now, ye may be sayin' t' yeself, "Arr, what a landlubber! That not be much o' festivities!" I say t' ye tha' I be a private in th' Army, an I be gettin' me section sergeant, team chief, 'n fellow privates t' join in durin' a day tha' we be workin'. Also, I went 'n came up with me own Piratey pick-up line. "[Insert your name here] leaves no booty un-plundered, leaves no buckles un-swashed, leaves no treasure un-pillaged, an' may be convinced to take prisoners, be they a buxom beaut' like yeself." -- PFC "Mad John Flint"

Cap'n Slappy replies

That's an excellent good pick-up line ye got thar! O' course, ye must be a young, good-lookin' fella to keep a wench's attention long enough to deliver such an epic soliloquy o' lust! An ol' dog such as meself would never be able to get out all them words afore the wench in question shifts her attention to somethin' more stimulatin' than me manly beauty - like the ice meltin' in her drink!

Give me best regarrrrrds to yer section sergeant, team chief and all the other privates in yer section! A finer group o' pirates thar never was, I'm sure!

Avast Cap'n. Me daughter's high school mascot is the Buccaneers. I talked with the assisstant principal and told him about Talk Like A Pirate Day. He had never heard of it, but I gave him the website and he said he would look it up. He thought it would be a neat thing for the school to do. I really hope he follows through with it. I love TLAPD. Thanks for coming up with the idea! -- Dave Hall

Thank ye, Davey! We're always glad to have another school enjoyin' the edumacational advantages what come with celebratin' International Talk Like a Pirate Day! If ye want to pass along the direct link to our ITLAPD in the Classroom page - ye'll find it here!

And as if ye needed more proof - here's an International Talk Like a Pirate Day puzzler!

John Baur and Mark Summers who are also known as "Ol' Chumbucket" and "Cap'n Slappy" started International Talk Like a Pirate Day - September 19 - every year! A radio station in Perth, Australia wants to talk to them during their morning drive time show at 7:00 am on September 19. As they both live in Albany, Oregon, USA, there are some time differences to take into account. At what exact time and date will the telephone ring at John's house?

Answer - it's a trick question - they're calling Mark's house instead! See how edumacational this is??? -- Cap'n Slappy

I saw Pirates of Penzance last night at the NYC Opera. It was great! I read the March 2007 Playbill ahead of time and am wondering about the writer who is responsible for the Why Pirates? Was this piece written by Mark Summers and John Baur? Please let me know as I would like to pay them an enormous compliment! I wish ALL Playbills had writers as clever and engaging as this. My wait for the performance to begin was made easy and entertaining as I read with delight this hysterical yet educational piece. I appreciate your time and would love to verify the author(s). Thanks again! Arrrr -- From a wench who thinks pirates are really cool

Thank ye so much! Aye, ye've come to the right place! Twas Ol' Chumbucket and meself what penned that piece for our piratty pals at the NYC Opera. I'm so glad ye enjoyed it - we had a splendid time writin' it. - Cap'n Slappy

oK so My buddy and I were at a bar in the afternoon....as usual.. and he was telling me how Sept 19th is National Talk like a Pirate day.. right after he tells me this my girlfriend calls my cell phone. she says " HEY do you know what TODAY is!" all excited.. and I was like OF COURSE!!! Its National Talk like a Pirate day...........................................It was our 4 year anniversary!

OUCH! That’s gonna leave a mark! But it does make for an excellent story! How many flowers did ye have to buy to pay for that little slip-up? - Cap'n Slappy

Good morning,

As it would not be prudent for me to talk to you as a Pirate, given my lack of pirratude, this email will simply be in the Queen's bastard children's English.

I had never heard of TLAPD before when a colleague of mine approached me about it, I thought he was nuts. He was completely incessant about it though, and I being the new guy in a very small crew of joint US Armed Forces serving in the lovely land of Afghanistan, I thought this was a "pool on the roof" prank. As such I made no plans and kept the attitude of "They think they can pull a fast one on me...no SIR!"

Then the day hit, and when I came in and said good morning to a couple of my comrades in arms, I was met with such strange vernacular as "ARRRRR, WHAT YE BE TALKIN" and the ever respectful "BLOW IT UP YOUR ARSE, ONLY PIRATES BE ALLOWED IN THIS HERE PLACE OF PLUNDER". Rest assured I felt like an idiot....for not acting like one. I have since returned to the states and have done my research. I will continue to become schooled in the appropriate mannerisms and cross-cultures so that this Sept 19 I will be prepared to celebrate with a vat of ale and a Pirate hat.

Sincerely, SSgt Matt Williams USAF

Ol' Chumbucket replies:

Ahoy Madeye Matt!

First – thank you for your service.

Second – Aye, a little pirattitude will take you a long way, but not necessarily to anyplace a sane man would be wantin' to go! We've had a lot of response from U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and if our silliness in any way helps, we're happy to oblige. It's the least we can do, and bein' pirates, we always do the least we can do.

A young friend of ours who joined the Marines took a dozen copies of our book to Iraq and helped spread the pirattitude. And we donated a couple of hundred to the USO in Seattle, which made them available to soldiers going overseas.

Congratulations on making it home and good luck on increasing yer swagger, yer bellow and yer manly stance – all the outward signs of yer inner pirate. Keep spreadin' the word – and the word is "Aarrrr!!"

Dear, Mad Sally

I just want to say the web site rocks, also can you post the progaming of when you were on Wife Swap on your web site and were people can down load it and save it?

If you would due that it will rock.

Thank you for your time Mad Sally -- Justin Francisco

Mad Sally replies:

Ahoy Justin!

Thanks for the praise over the website! I will tell our webwench Jezebel as she is the lass that keeps it piratical.

As fer the episode of Wench Swap, we won't be posting it on our site as that'd be illegal. What do you think we are, a bunch of pirates?

Have a scurvy day,

Mad Sally

Fanmail 2006

In advance of the airin' of infamous "Wench Swap" episode on ABC Television, our own Mad Sally wrote an essay about the experience for Keep to the Code, the official fan site for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The responses started comin' in almost immediately:

"I read your feature about your experiences on Wife Swap and I just wanted to say - Good for you. Which is the British equivalent of 'you go girl' Or whatever that is in Pirate! We do get Wife Swap, but we'll only get your episode in about 2 year's time on a Wednesday afternoon so unless *cough* anyone turns it into a Torrent *cough* I won't get to see it, but your experience sounds pretty much what they do on the British version, although we haven't had any pirates we have Hippy families who always gets really badly represented with a sarcastic voice-over. So good for you for just going for it and having fun, and not treating it as the end of the world. I bet you shook up the un-fun family and gave them a lot to think about in the long-term. At least you showed them a different family model. I too think there are more important things in life than having a floor that you can eat from!" -- All the best, Joanna, Cambridge University. England.

"I just wanted to say that I read your article on Keepthecode.com about your Wife Swap experience and I love what you wrote. I love the fact that you're an intelligent woman who allows her children a lot of freedom (within limits) and that you're raising them to be free-thinking individuals. I taught high school English for 4 years and I found that there were too many kids that were so focused on what other people told them (be it their parents or their peers) that they couldn't think for themselves. I would often ask their opinions and get responses that were either so polished that it was obvious that their parents/teachers/ministers had ingrained it into their psyche or I would get non-answers (I think x is fine because... and I think y is fine too because...). Then, when I asked them if they had ever had anyone ask them their opinion, they said "No, not really" or "Yes, but the teacher never really read it or they didn't care." This made me so sad and frustrated that I often carried these feelings with me for days.Anyway, thank you for writing such a beautiful piece about what you call "Pirattitude" and for sharing it with the world." -- Sincerely, Julia York

"My name is Chris Seaver. I'm a 29 year old Filmmaker from Rochester NY. I make twisted comedy horror films for my company "Low Budget Pictures" and have been doing so for the past 15 years. ... I have to say I was inspired and in awe over your family while watching Wife Swap last night. ... I have always been a person who does things the way I want to do them. I have never cared for authority or the way society pushes what you are supposed to be as apposed to what and who you are. ... And while I'm not a pirate in the literal, physical sense, I think I have a bit of Pirattitude in me. I'm ranting...and the bottom line is this...I hope...I think you and your family are amazing people and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know people like you and be proud to be friends with people like you. You make me think that society has a pretty good future with the right people behind it. ... Again thanks for the inspiration! My Wife and I really flipped over you guys and we hope for nothing but the best for you in the future. " -- Chris Seaver

Other missives:

Pirate cheer: "On Talk Like A Pirate Day I was the emcee for the Rutherford Little League awards dinner. As part of the ceremony, I introduce each graduating player with about a 20-second blurb highlighting their career. Now the topic of National Talk Like a Pirate Day had come up during dinner. (What kind of movies do pirates like? The ones rated Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!) I was two-thirds of the way through the graduating players when I got to Kevin McGorry. He came up to receive his certificate wearing a Seton Hall Pirates shirt. So I ad-libbed, "By the way, I know it's National Talk Like a Pirate Day, but you didn't have to wear a pirate shirt." And I started my spiel for Tommy McPherson. Well, league president Walt Mager leaned over and softly said "Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!" I gave him a funny look and kept going, but when he did it again ... "Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!" ... I totally lost it. I broke out in absolutely hysterical laughter and (probably) turned several shades of red. It took me about a minute and a half to get to McPherson's name, and then about two minutes to stumble through the introduction of Nick Oyola. And I was still giggling through the next three players before I managed to calm down and finish the ceremony. The trouble was, folks in the audience would still be laughing, and I'd just start laughing again. The worst part was, no one knew why I had lost it, because they couldn't hear Walt saying "Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh!" And I didn't recognize that until another graduating player, Cody McCallum, asked me afterward what had happened. So naturally, I told him the whole story, with full orchestration and four-part harmony.

"But they do say everything happens for a reason. Cody's mom, Sharon, one of our board members (through this week anyhow -- she's stepping down now that her kids are out of the program) and a good friend of mine, lost her father over the weekend. The wake was the night after the awards ceremony, and when I got there, Sharon said, "Charlie, you made me laugh last night. I needed that."

"I've already thanked Walt for making me laugh, and in turn making Sharon realize that yes, she will laugh again even though she's suffered a devastating loss. But the real thanks goes to you for coming up with National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Your creation has meant more than you ever imagined. " -- Charlie O'Reilly

Programming pirate: "My daughter (5yrs) loves to talk like a pirate. Been that way because of the letter R. She remembers that letter because pirates say “arrr matey”. Anyway for what ever reason this sticks with a father. I write custom programs at work and I have this one program call “RERR” any way it stands for something but that is unimportant what I does is just runs reports. It has several dozen reports that it runs. The users however can not tell the difference between the program and the reports and continually ask for access to Rerr. They say it just as it is spelled. We find this hilarious. ... When I had to rewrite this program a few months ago I decided that I would be a little funny and do something for my daughter and I named it RM8TE. Now all we get to hear all the time that “I need access to arrr matey”. Thought you might find this funny."

Just in time: "Good thang I tuned in early to CNN this morning, almost missed National Talk Like A Pirate Day, and by the holey leg of the table, they gonna love me at charch taday. I am enjoying all of the links on your web site, as I am a true pirate, having been a seaman for the last thirty years. I even got busted by the coast guard back in 1989 when I flew the Jolly Roger on the M/V Myron C. Taylor , U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet, going into Ludington, Michigan, to drop off a load of sand. Cost me a $500.00 fine, and a write up in the log. I'd a been OK, if'n I would have put the Jolly Roger below the colors, but I had to be stupid and fly it above the colors. Along with this, I were reponsible for a few other dubious incidents on the Great Lakes and also when I lived on my boat at the Napa Valley Marina on the Napa River a few years ago, only back then, I were know as Cap'n Ron. The people what own the marina, the Giovannoni's, know me well, and I'm certain are glad I are somewheres else. Now that I know about your website, I'll be passin' it on to members of me crew, and I'll be in touch. Keep the keel side down, Mateys. Arrrh". -- Max R. "Cap'n Sprinkles" Garno

Sims pirates - "My Sims 2 DS game told me it was "Talk like a pirate" day today and all my stupid sims started talking like pirates. I was like, WTF?! But thought it was a silly game thing... until, I log on to livejournal and find peopel doing the same there! And then, the Lush forum too! (Lush sells soap, they have a forum, people talk about ... soap) and so finally, I ask myself if I'm missing something big here, and it turns out, having now found your website, that I am and have been for many years!" -- Penny Broderick

Getting ready for TLAPD 2005

School pirates

Seein' as how Talk Like a Pirate day is just o'er the horizon, I was thinkin' I should email ye and tell ye what my plans be. Bein' as landlocked as it is, Amarillo, Texas, be full of blighted landlubbers. This be especially true in my high school, which goes by the name of Amarillo High School. For this reason, I am draftin' a letter in me finest script, on me best parchment, askin' the principal to announce yer glorious holiday to the school, and allowin' us corsairs to wear bandanas and tricorns within' the school. I'm afraid pistols and cutlasses be out of the picture any way ye look at it, but I'll have to do with what I can get, eh? Well, I be still lookin' fer suitable clothin' for the 19th, and have not yet found any. Do ye have any piratical proposals that won't pilfer me pieces o' eight? Also, what do ye think would be the best investment of the evenin' of the 19th? Me buckos and I was thinkin' about Hooters, but me mate tells me them wenches be...unsavory, so I was thinkin' Red Lobster instead. However, what about afterwards? Thank ye fer yer help, Cap'n, and fair winds to ye and Ole Chumbucket! -- Captain Bloody Joe Bailey, Plunderer of the Plains

Cap'n Slappy responded:

If ye’re doin’ “pirate drag” on a budget, head on down to yer local thrift store and look for blousy shirts, stripped pants, scarves, sandals and anything that could pass for a sash. It shouldn’t cost ye much and when ye burn some holes in the fabric and “distress” the costume, ye’ll pass yerself off as an Old Salt! Remember, it’s the Pirattitude that sells the costume, not the other way round! As for goin’ out and havin’ a good time – I recommend whatever ye enjoy most in Amarillo, do that – but do it with plenty o’ “ARRRRRs!”

I think we're in trouble now...

We received this missive by e-mail in early August, from a government e-mail address in Australia. As far as we can tell, it's legit:

I am a Local Laws Officer with the Knox City Council. There are a number of your "International Talk Like a Pirate" posters/bills ffixed to traffic light poles/Power poles etc. at the intersection of ellington & Stud roads, Rowville. If you are not aware Bill Posting is illegal and you could face up to $500 penalty for each poster. Note: if the signs are not removed by Monday 15th August 2005, they will be impounded and prosecution may follow. Thank you for you co-operation.

Sad tidings:

Ahoy, I have volunteered at the USO at Seatac airport for several years now, and recently we received a trunk load of your books, and thanks for that, the troop love them. The volunteers, such as myself and my shipmate did too, and were quick converts. My shipmate Mike just started volunteering there about 6 Mo. ago, that and your book were great fun for him. Sun. the 21st. mike slipped his cable (passed away) and we slipped him over the sided today. He had a lot of much needed fun with your book and was looking forward to the next one coming out, and looking forward to talk like a pirate day too. He was a fun loving guy, and new a good time when he saw it. So for your efforts and generosity, Mike, the troops, and I thank you, keep it up, All ways the seadog, -

On a more cheerful note:

Last year this scurvy bunch here in San Antonio went all out. I made small, loaf size pirate chests for the children (my two youngest plus 7 of our grandchildren), filled them w/ chocolate coins, "gem", booty, etc. My teenagers and I buried them on our property and then made treasure maps (w/ some pitfalls for the older ones) and then sent them out to find the treasure. Their mothers (wenches all) made some grog and grub for the bucaneers when they found the chests. Everyone had eye-patches, earrings (some of the boys opted out of those), swords, sashes, and even a couple of hooks. This year my sons-in-law and I are making plans for even grander events, perhaps an attack by a couple of "bigger pirates" who will attempt to plunder the smaller crowd. We are having a blast with this and have hooked some of our friends. -- John D. Warren, San Antonio, Texas

Selected fan mail from last year:

What I Learned From Talk Like A Pirate Day (from the Eisengeiste blog, on Sept. 19)

Of course, the social situations where you can talk like a pirate are limited, but I did find the perfect situation: IN TRAFFIC. Cursing like a pirate cheers you up rather than further angers you.

CURSE THAT BARNACLE-CRUSTED ROTTEN SLAB-SIDED TUB OF A MINIVAN FOR HEAVING TO!!

I'LL FIX THE LOT OF THOSE BISCUIT-MAGGOTS TWIXT THE KEEL AND SHOALING WATER, WITH CRABS FOR MATES!

BLAST THOSE POX-FACED SCOW SLAVES LARKING ABOUT IN THAT 5 TON BILGE-BARGE!! THEY'RE ON SHORT PATH OVER A LONG SEA, IF THEY BE RIGHT A-JUDGED.

ZOUNDS!! THAT BE TOO CLOSE FOR AN OLD' SALT! TOTE ME A TOT, LASS.

This is my second year of celebrating Talk Like A Pirate Day and it's just gets more fun every year! Last year, after spending 30 years in Corvallis, we moved to Southern California and were introduced to Talk Like A Pirate Day by the COO of my company - he let the Admin staff know over a month in advance so we could be appropriately prepared and he sent us words from your dictionary daily. Now I might be crazy but I think everyone is finally catching on! For instance, last night on "Will & Grace" there was a pirate reference that I think must be to pay respect to the holiday and today my husband told me that the buzz at Robinsons May (where he works) is all about Talk Like A Pirate Day. We will be going to dinner this weekend with my former co-workers (COO included) and are planning to go where we can toast the holiday with some Ale. We are so proud to be able to say such a great idea came from the Willamette Valley - you know because Californians think pretty much EVERYTHING starts California :) Keep up the good work and we look forward to celebrating the holiday EVERY year! - Kari Eastburn-Bonnett

Well, you guys have really messed it up for me as Sept. 19th happens to my birthday too. . .here I am, a happily married lady in her 50's with 3 happily married kids, 2 grandchildren and Avast ye maties, I want to keel haul ya' for making my birthday Talk Like a Pirate Day. . .aaaarrrrrrrrr Sigh. - Marian Reid in beginning to get back to normal Florida Panhandle

I just wanted to let you guys know of a little pirate project I've been working on recently, which got it's name from Talk Like a Pirate Day. I'm working on a project called Einstein@Home which will use spare computing power from volunteer computers to search for gravity waves, much like the SETI@Home project is searching for ET. In fact, we are using their latest software, with some of our own modifications. This summer one of my students and I set up our first test project using the software. We didn't want to call it Einstein@Home, since that isn't ready yet, so we needed a fanciful and meaningless name (meaningless in relation to the real project). The year before, my student Kim had made everybody in our department aware of the importance of Sept. 19th, so we picked Pirates@Home. You can view the site at http://pirates.vassar.edu and find out more about the project there. . -Eric Myers

THANK YOU!! We just received the "How To Talk Like a Pirate" books yesterday, and they're fantastic!! I think our day's productivity suffered though, as everyone was practicing piratese instead of working :-) Learning pirate terms seems to be the new favorite pastime, and "Bung Hole" seems to be a favorite. Go figure :-) ... I'll send you some pictures of our Pirate Day -- Andrea, with the US Army First Cavalry Division, serving in Iraq

I discovered Talk like a Pirate day through a music education website and thought I would investigate further. How wonderful!! I've been saying arrrrrrrr! for the last two day. Just letting you know that ITLAPD 2004 is a very special occasion as it also my 50th birthday! By the way, I am singing the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance commencing on 1 October 2004. What a swaggering symbiosis! I look forward to Talk like a pirate day with glee! Avast! -- Kevin Kelley

Some news from the east coast. In celebration of yer joyous day, one o' the North End Shipyard Schooners, part o¹ the famous Maine windjammers, is celebratin' Talk Like a Pirate Day! They¹re sailin' out fer six bilge rat infested days of chum fun. Thought I¹d pass on the original release to ya. There¹s even a picture if yer interested. Sailing magazine expressed a little interest in doin¹ somethin¹ on Talk Like a Pirate Day as a whole, we¹ll see. Aarrgh! -Jesse "Hornpipe" Hammond

Avast swabs. This here new fangled E-mail I am using to let you know that we have two young swabs aged 5 and 3 who their parents neglected to teach them to speak proper like. We have made them walk the plank and now they can say, just like Captain Silver's parrot, when asked " what does a pirate say ?" they will parrot back " Arrghh Jim me lad ". If we ask the swabs " what does a pirate say when he is mad ? " they reply "shiver me timbers ". They both have two good legs but we are working on a wooden leg each, saves on shoe leather. Keep up the good work, keep an eye out for storm clouds and the BLACK SPOT ARRRGGGHHH. -- Brian Leng in Hamilton, Ontario.

AVAST YE MATEY, WE HERE AT THE LONG LOST ISLE OF THE SOUTH POLE BAR CLUB WISH TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN OFFICIAL PORT FOR TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY. OUR VOYAGE HAS LASTED FOR 9 MONTHS NOW AND OUR CREW GREATLY AWAITS THE FESTIVE HOLIDAY AS IT BRINGS US THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE END OF OUR ICE BOUND JOURNEY. ALL OF OUR CREW IS AWARE OF YON HOLIDAY AND WILL REVEL IN THE BOUNTY OF OUR LIQUOR. THERE WILL BE NO BENIGN (censored) EXCEPT FOR YE WENCHES, WHICH ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THE TREASURE HERE BE SLIM BUT AARGH BEFORE THE SUN STRIKES THE YARD ARM IT'S OFF TO THE ISLE OF NEW ZEALAND FOR DRUNKEN DEBAUCHERY. IN CLOSING, WE THE ICE LOCKED PIRATES OF THE SOUTH POLE, WISH ALL YE SWABS BLUE SKIES, A WIND AT YE STERN, SMOOTH SAILING, GOOD RUM, AND BOUNTIFUL BOOTY. -- CLUB 90 SOUTH PRIDE OF ANTARCTICA

Dear Ol' Cap'n Slappy and Ye Ol' Chumbucket: This be lettin' ye know 'bout me preparations at work for ITLPD '04. You be wantin' to know what your scurvy mates be up to. I be workin' for the U.S Department of Homeland Security, and I be lettin' me buckos (limited to a select group with a sense of humors) at work know 'bout this yearn's observance by me E-mail "Ship O Fools." Things tend to be a might heavy at work at times, and me thinks this be a lightenin' things up a bit what with us chasin' down real like pirates and all. Attached be a list of piratey things I pirated from piratey websites such as I be findin', likes yours. Me be compiling this list in some sort of piratey order. You may find a nugget O original stuff, and please feel free to be a usin'. I will send this out to me buckos at work the week of ITLPD. Fair winds to ya, - Richard Lord

Today as I was searching the internet for pirate language I came across your web sight. At first I only looked at the pirate language but I became very interested in the whole Talk Like a Pirate Day. The more I found out about this holiday, the more I liked it. It is a great idea. I totally support you guys. Next year I will attend the high school where I will surely make all of my friends talk like pirates with me on September 9. I'm sure you get lots of fan mail so I will try to make this short. I just felt like I needed to tell you how cool this idea of yours is. You both sound like really considerate gentlemen. But the thing I liked most was your sense of humor. Reading the articles and the song you wrote made me laugh so much. I will most definitely show this sight to my friends. I hope this holiday becomes a huge success! -- Sincerely, Claire from Minnesota

I just want to say that what you guys did is incredible! First of all talking like a pirate is so much fun and never gets old. I first became obsessed with pirates after seeing Pirates of the Caribbean 12 times in theatres with my friend. We were hooked, not only because the actors were incredibly talented and the film was beautifully put together, but it was something new and different and hell, it was about pirates! After seeing 'Pirates' so many times i guess the lingo just slipped into our everyday vocabulary... i would say "savvy", "ay" and other misc phrases, and it was fun and pissed the hell out of some people! (the two of us ever started to walk drunk-like like Johnny Depp) ...anywho it was fun. My mom told me about you guys and your Pirate day a day too late, which kind of put us at a disadvantage of spreading our love of Pirates. So why am i e-mailing you now? I'll be leaving to Florida tomorrow and am hoping to go on the Pirate of the Caribbean ride for the second time, but first time i'll actually remember being there. So while searching for info about the ride i came across an article supporting your guys' website, and i love it! I can't wait until next september... if you ever swing by Connecticut you'll see a few of us here decked out in Pirate's clothes. Once again, beautiful idea -it is an awsome "holiday" :-) -- Katey

See also:

Got a comment or a question about Talk Like A Pirate Day or this Web site? Get in touch!