NEW ORLEANS– News with a Twist Reporter Kenny Lopez wanted to learn how to talk like a pirate on International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Here’s the lingo he learned!
Five Basic Pirate Words:
1.”Ahoy!”-“Hello!”
2. “Avast!”-“Stop!”
3. “Aye!”-“Yes!”
4. “Aye, Aye!”- “I’ll get right on that, sir!”
5. “Arrr!”-“I’m happy”. Don’t confuse “arrr” with “arrrg”. “Arrg!” expresses displeasure.
More Advanced Pirate Words:
- “Bucko”-a term meaning friend.
- “Carouser”-one who drinks a lot.
- “Clipper”-a fast-moving ship.
- “Chain Shot”- Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high in order to destroy masts.
- “Cog”- a small warship.
- “Dance the hempen jig”- To hang.
- “Fire in the hole”- A warning that is issued before a cannon is fired.
- “Flogging”- to beat a person severely with a rod or whip.
- “Hearties”- at term used to mean fellowship among sailors.
- “Heave To”- An interjection meaning to come to a halt.
- “Hornswaggle”- To cheat.
- ” Jolly Roger”- A pirate flag with the skull and crossbones on it.
- “lad”- a younger male.
- “lass”- a young female.
- “loot”-stolen goods or money.
- “marooned”- to be stranded on a desert isle.
- “pillage”- to rob of goods by force.
- “plunder”- to take booty and rob.
- “run a rig”-to play a trick.
- “run a shot across the bow”- A command to fire a warning shot.
- “Sail Ho!”- An exclamation meaning that another ship is in sight.
- “Scallywag”- a villainous or mischievous person.
- “scurvy”- a disease called by deficiency of Vitamin C.
- “Sea Legs”- The ability to adjust one’s balance when the ship is in motion.
- “Shiver me Timbers!”- An expression of surprise!
- “squiffy”- Tipsy or intoxicated
- “take a caulk”- To take a nap.
- “walk the plank”- The punishment by pirates to be forced to walk off a board, off the ship side to the water below.
- “wench”- a young woman or peasant girl.
- “Ye!”- you
- “Yo-ho-ho!”-An exclamation associated with pirates!