Friday, October 9, 2009

I missed Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Doggone it! What with all the excitement over A CHRISTMAS BALL, I completely missed International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th.

What? You've never heard of Talk Like a Pirate Day? Say it ain't so! It's the day when everyone can talk like a pirate and get away with it.

What? You don't know how to talk like a pirate? Well, I'd hate to see you be mistaken for a scurvy lubber, so here's my little pirate lexicon.

Ahoy! ~ "Hello!"

Avast! ~ "Hey!" "Stop!" "No way!"

Aye ~ "Yes, I most heartily agree."

Aye aye! ~ "Absolutely, I'll see to it as soon as I finish my nap."

Arrr ~ Can mean "yes," "I'm happy." or "Great beer!" Not to be confused with "Aarg!" (which is the sound you make when you accidentally sit on the sharp pointy end of an anchor!)

Beauty ~ Pirate word for a wench, always preceded by 'me,' as in "Why are ye walkin' away, me beauty?"

Bilge rat ~ A first rate insult, as in "Belay that racket, ye smarmy bilge rat." The bilge is the lowest deck of the ship, usually filled with slimy water. Of course, if someone made me stay in the bilge, I'd make a racket too!

Grog ~ Watered rum. Since water onboard was stored in slimy wooden barrels, it was usually anything but fresh. Grog helped kill the rancid taste. And several thousand brain cells.

Hornpipe ~ A single reed flute and the wild dance usually done to its music. Not to be confused with the pirate pick up line, "No, me beauty, that's not a hornpipe in me pocket. I really am happy to see ye!"

Keelhaul ~ A really horrible way to spend an afternoon. Pirates who violated one of the articles (rules they all voted on and agreed to before the voyage began) might be punished by being tied to a rope that ran under the keel of the ship. The offender was shoved into the water on one side of the ship, dragged against the barnacled-covered hull and hauled out on the other. Rinse, and repeat.

Lubber ~ An insulting word for a landsman. No one wants to be a lubber.

Smartly ~ To do something quickly. As in "Nip down to the bookstore smartly and pick up your copy of PLEASURING THE PIRATE so you'll be ready when Talk Like A Pirate Day comes next year!"

PS. Today is my regular posting day over at The Chatelaines. Hope you'll visit me there too!

6 comments:

Anna Carrasco Bowling said...

I missed Talk Like a Pirate Day, too, curse me bones. Maybe time to start Talk Like a Privateer Day for those of us who took the time to obtain letters of marque?

EmilyBryan said...

Aye, Anna. There's room in the calendar for another day honoring not-quite-respectable seaman. But a Letter of Marque wasn't foolproof safety from the noose. Captain Kidd plundered the wrong ship and his Letter didn't save his neck from Madame Hemp!

Patricia Barraclough said...

Have been looking for a copy of Pleasuring the Pirate. Haven't found it yet. Did find Maidensong. Am glad Christmas Ball is doing so well. Visited the Chatelaine blog. Will get my copy as soon as we get home and I can get to Barnes and Nobles unless we just happen to pass one on our trip.

EmilyBryan said...

Patricia--Since the release of Pleasuring the Pirate was July 08, you will look a long time to find it in a book store. However, it's available online at Amazon, B&N.com and Borders. Or you can ask your local bookstore to order it for you. Here's the ISBN # you'll need: ISBN-13: 9780843961331 .

Hope you're having a lovely trip!

Amanda McIntyre said...

I love the lesson in talking pirate!!

I've got to find me this 'ere book!

Arr!!!

Amanda M

EmilyBryan said...

Thanks, Amanda! I had a great time writing Gabriel Drake, my sailing man hero.