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Pirate Talk

Slate article attempts to debunk the notorious pirate exclamation, “Arrrrrr!!!”  Proves only that we … just … don’t … know … how pirates talked.  Lower class Brit/polyglot/Caribbean is probably a fair guess, but I could have guessed that, and I’m no scholar of piratics. More likely more “ayes” than “arrrrrrs” in conversation, though I wouldn’t doubt some “arrrrrrs” were uttered in boarding operations. And you know the rule, “arrrrrr!!!” after “aye” especially when at sea. Nowadays some of the most active piracy is off the Somali coast. Which means they’re more likely to be saying ”Allahu Akhbarrrrrrr!!!”

I didn’t just write that. 

Topics: linguistics

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 1:31 pm on Friday, June 8, 2007

4 Responses to “Pirate Talk”

1. saltydog Says:
   June 8th, 2007 at 2:43 pm

   Did Slate also give opinions about Paris Hilton? I’m just as curious about her as I am about how pirates of the Caribbean talked. Considering all of the Disney movies and everything, I’m sure it is a subject of monumental seriousness for today’s intellectuals.

   Now, a discussion of modern day pirates might be interesting, especially considering how the U.S. Navy has seemingly given up its historic role of dealing with them–even as they ply their trade under their noses and in an area of battle.

2. RebeccaH Says:
   June 8th, 2007 at 6:54 pm

   Oh yeah? Well, prove they didn’t wear parrots.

3. MikeH Says:
   June 10th, 2007 at 3:08 pm

   ‘You’ didn’t just write that? Is there a spare set of keys floating around? How did they get into the office? Have the police been notified? Has anyone told Giraldo yet? (or is that Jiraldo?)

4. MikeH Says:
   June 10th, 2007 at 3:30 pm

   Maybe that should be Geraldo. One of these days I’m going to have to watch his show to see how ‘e spells it.

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