International Talk Like a Pirate Day

International Talk Like A Pirate Day is a parodic holiday invented in 1995 by two swashbuckling Americans, John Baur ("Ol' Chum Bucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like pirates. For example, instead of "hello", an observer of this holiday would greet his mates with "Ahoy, me hearty!" each September 19.

Dave Barry, who writes a nationally-syndicated humour column, picked up the idea in 2002 and promoted the day. The day became "international" that same year when people in Australia learned of the holiday from Barry's column. By 2003, with the release of such pirate-flavoured films as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl the holiday was established and was celebrated by sea dogs and landlubbers alike the world over.