International Talk Like a Pirate Day is aparodic holiday created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers ofAlbany, Oregon,[1] who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world shouldtalk like a pirate (that is, in English with a stereotypicalWest Country accent).[2] It has since been adopted by thePastafarianism movement.[3]
"Cap'n Slappy" and "Ol' Chumbucket", the founders of Talk Like a Pirate Day
The holiday resulted from a sports injury. During aracquetball game between Summers and Baur, one of them, in pain, said, "Aaarrr!" and the idea was born. The game took place on June 6, 1995, but out of respect for the observance of theNormandy landings, they chose Summers' ex-wife's birthday, as it would be easy for him to remember.[1][4]
At first an inside joke between two friends, the holiday gained exposure when Baur and Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to the American syndicated humorcolumnistDave Barry in 2002.[5] Barry liked the idea and promoted the day,[5] and later appeared in a cameo in their"Drunken Sailor" Sing Along A-Go-Go video.[6] Michiganfilk musicianTom Smith wrote the original "Talk Like a Pirate Day" song in 2003.[7][8]
Talk Like a Pirate Day is celebrated with hiddeneaster egg features in many games and websites,[9] withFacebook introducing a pirate-translated version of its website on Talk Like a Pirate Day 2008[10] and publisherO'Reilly discounting books on theR programming language.[11] In September 2010,Reddit added a pirate theme to their website.[12]
In September 2023,The Yorkshire Party, a regional political party in the UK, recognized International Talk Like a Pirate Day to highlight issues faced by coastal communities, including erosion and pollution.[13]
^YouTube "Drunken Sailor: First Annual International Talk Like a Pirate Day Drunken Sailor Sing-Along a Go Go" September 11, 2011 (@ 3:25). Retrieved September 17, 2017.
