28th International "Talk Like a Pirate" Day

This morning, I heard a cute pirate joke. 

Q: How did the pirate get his Jolly Roger so cheaply?
A: He bought it on sail. 

It prodded me to remind everyone that tomorrow is the 28th Annual “International Talk Like a Pirate Day.”

For my family, “International Talk Like a Pirate Day,” celebrated each September 19th, has struck a resonate chord almost from the moment of its inception years ago.  It is a day we have cut loose modern convention, and freed our Inner Pirate!

In the past I have photo-blogged our pirate party adventures.  They came with such themes as “Where Pirates Go” and “My Big Fat Greek Pirate Party.”

For a little International Talk Like a Pirate Day history, its inception began in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers from Albany, Oregon.  These two proclaimed September 19th of each year, as a day folks around the globe should drop their native lingo and talk like a pirate.

Set aside your usual greeting of "Hello” for expressions like "Ahoy, me hearty!"

Mark Summers tells the tale about how the day came about as a result of a sports injury, he suffered during a racquetball game between he and Baur.  One of them reacted to the pain with the exclamation, "Aaarrr!"

The date of the injury was actually June 6th 1995, but the two decided to choose Mark Summer's ex-wife's birthday (September 19th), for the annual celebration.  Apparently, the ex-wife had plundered Summer’s wealth during a divorce.

So, on September 19th of each year, the globe talks pirate!

I should point out, however, the actual “pirate lexicon” should be, “Yar” – not “Aaarrr,” as John Baur uttered. It seems Hollywood got it all wrong in one of their movies, and it’s been perpetuated incorrectly since.