Children and adults all over the world are captivated by the idea of pirates. Although historically pirates were thieves and marauders, recent popular culture has revitalized their image. Now, people see them as symbols of adventure, freedom, and, of course, raucous behavior.

That’s probably why people all over the world can’t help but observe International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th. Although this is a parody holiday on which people spend the day dressing up as pirates, acting like pirates, or using some popular pirate catchphrases such as “Avast, land ho,” “Landlubber,” “Arrr,” and “Ahoy, me maties,” it’s also a day that a lot of people take very seriously.

If you feel like this is a holiday that you simply have to celebrate, then you need to grab your rapier, put on your tricorn pirate hat, and grab your octant. It’s going to be a day spent making people walk the plank, or at the very least, buying that pirate outfit that you’ve been looking for a reason to buy.

The History of International Talk Like a Pirate Day

This day was created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers as a result of a racquetball game between the two. How does a day on the racquetball court result in the creation of a holiday dedicated to talking like a pirate?

Well, it all started when one of them injured themselves and loudly reacted to the pain by screaming “Arrr.” They both laughed at this expression of pain and then they had a light bulb moment.

This is when they got the idea to create the holiday. Of course, the holiday would remain an inside joke between the two men for approximately seven years, but then word got out about it. Now it’s a holiday that’s been celebrated by people all over the world since 2002.

Fun Facts About Pirates

Since we understand that a lot of people want to do more than talk like a pirate on this holiday, and they actually want to immerse themselves in pirate culture, we thought that we’d give them some fun pirate-themed facts to get them started.

• Blackbeard’s real name was Edward Teach, sometimes spelled Edward Thatch.
• Blackbeard would weave hemp into his beard and set it on fire before capturing a ship. That must have been a terrifying sight indeed!
• Some famous female pirates include Anne Bonny, Ching Shih, and Mary Read.

Customs, Traditions, and Celebrations of International Talk Like a Pirate Day

The whole purpose of International Talk Like a Pirate Day is to talk like a pirate, but some people take it a little further than that. No, I’m not suggesting that they actually become pirates on the high seas.

No, they merely dress up like pirates and attend pirate-themed parties or other fun, costumed events. After all, the whole point of this holiday is to have a little fun and be a little bit silly. It’s a great way to blow off some steam or let people see your silly side.