Sputnik spoke to Cap'n Slappy about the origins of the day and how it all started with just five people, but has since grown to an event celebrated by millions across the globe.
"International Talk Like a Pirate Day is all about having fun! It started as an accident as we played racket ball and one of us let out an Ar! We had such a good time and we thought: wouldn't it be fun to talk like this all day, so we settled on September 19 … It's my ex-wife's birthday. I chose that day as I knew I would never forget the date," Cap'n Slappy told Sputnik.
Arrg, it be talk like a pirate day! Ye be celebratin' in style by playin' me game Pirates Ninjas Robots & Zombies! https://t.co/y44Yotwn4v
— Grant Wilson (@grantswilson) 19 September 2016
"It's now celebrated worldwide, starts in Australia, as they wake up first, and goes round the world."
Just look 👀 #TalkLikeAPirateDay pic.twitter.com/52U2qU0IM4
— Ben Wild (@BenWildArt) September 19, 2016
#TalkLikeAPirateDay #humor Arr2 — D2… the pirate Star Wars robot. pic.twitter.com/q1jXQEc6Nl
— John Moffitt (@JohnRMoffitt) September 19, 2016
Cap'n Slappy and his faithful crew have several key pirate expressions or phrases that they will use throughout the day. They call them "the five A's." These are:
"Ahoy" (a phrase used to attract attention), "Avast" (this is a command that a pirate will give, meaning "stop"), "Aye" (an affirmation) and of course, "Argh" (an exclamation).
Since its beginnings in 1995, "Talk Like a Pirate Day" has grown and is now recognized by major international companies.
"When we first started in 1995, there were only five of us, so we would call our friends at work and yell 'Argh!' But as the years went on, people had parties, and some Krispy Kreme outlets even gave away donuts to people who dressed like pirate," Cap'n Slappy told Sputnik.
9/19: FREE glazed donut if you talk like a pirate. FREE dozen donut box if you dress like a pirate (KRISPY KREME) pic.twitter.com/hHLXbD79KJ
— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) 18 September 2016
Our pirate friends also have first-hand experience of sailing a ship, well… standing on one.
"In real life I grew up in a family of people who fished off the Washington coastline, so I've been on a ship. I have also been on one of the ships used in the Pirates and the Caribbean movie," Cap'n Slappy told Sputnik.
Don't forget tomorrow is #TalkLikeAPirateDay arrrrgh you ready? pic.twitter.com/5qQl8RW3kD
— Lilli Melamed (@Lillli_mel) September 19, 2016
But the question that everyone wants to know is which side of the political debate do these pirates sit on?
"We delicately step around politics when we do pirate stuff. There are pirates on both sides of the debate. Cap'n Slappy sits on the side of right-thinking people everywhere, so Hilary I guess," Cap'n Slappy added.
