--- title: Talk Like a Pirate Day: Where Does Pirate Talk Come From? description: Shiver me timbers and walk the plank—it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Here's the surprising origin of pirate talk canonical: https://time.com/4497168/international-talk-like-pirate-day/ author: Kate Samuelson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-19T10:00:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:38.557Z article:section: History og:title: It's Talk Like a Pirate Day—But Where Does 'Pirate Talk' Really Come From? og:description: Shiver me timbers and walk the plank: the surprising origin of "pirate talk" og:url: https://time.com/4497168/international-talk-like-pirate-day/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt33045a9b11341562/6988a677a988cad5fc6b972f/pirate-hernry-morgan.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Man dressed as pirate poses during "Weiberfastnacht" in Cologne og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: It's Talk Like a Pirate Day—But Where Does 'Pirate Talk' Really Come From? twitter:description: Shiver me timbers and walk the plank: the surprising origin of "pirate talk" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt33045a9b11341562/6988a677a988cad5fc6b972f/pirate-hernry-morgan.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # It's Talk Like a Pirate Day—But Where Does 'Pirate Talk' Really Come From? > Sponsored content. 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Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Treasure Island (1950) Trailer [Watch (HLS stream): Treasure Island (1950) Trailer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/aheeNUkI.m3u8) (2:10)  _Published 2016-09-16_ by [Kate Samuelson](https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Sep 19, 2016 10:00 AM UTC  A man dressed as pirate poses during "Weiberfastnacht" (Women's Carnival) in Cologne, Germany, on Feb. 7, 2013. A man dressed as pirate poses during "Weiberfastnacht" (Women's Carnival) in Cologne, Germany, on Feb. 7, 2013. Ina Fassbender—Reuters by [Kate Samuelson](https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Sep 19, 2016 10:00 AM UTC Shiver me timbers and walk the plank—it’s International [Talk Like a Pirate Day](http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/09/18/arrrggg-you-serious-how-to-truly-talk-like-a-pirate/)! Celebrated annually on Sept. 19, the parodic yo-ho-ho-holiday gives every swashbucker and hornswaggler the opportunity to grab an eyepatch, stuff a parrot on their shoulder and yell “Arrr!” at the most unsuspecting, lily-livered of pals. Cooked up by Oregon friends John Baur (Ol’ Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap’n Slappy) in 1995, it has since become a cult phenomenon, with [restaurants, radio stations and social media platforms](http://time.com/money/4496808/krispy-kreme-free-donuts-talk-like-a-pirate-day/) clamoring to be part of the fun. But it’s clear our much-loved “pirate-ese” language bears little relation to the actual speech of 17th and 18th-century buccaneers. In fact, evidence suggests that our modern impression of pirate speech is all down to Disney. Here’s why: Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel _Treasure Island_ was published in 1883\. In 1950, the popular tale was adapted for Hollywood in what was Walt Disney’s first movie made with live actors only. The movie starred Robert Newton as the fictional pirate Long John Silver. His performance was certainly a memorable one; [TIME’s 1950 review](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,812864,00.html) of Disney’s _Treasure Island_ notes that it “offers the fun of watching an eye-rolling, lip-twitching Robert Newton as he wallows outrageously through the role of Long John Silver, one of fiction’s most ingratiating scoundrels.” Born in Dorset and educated in Cornwall, Newton based his pirate talk on his own native British West Country dialect. His accent might not have been far off—the south west of England has long been associated with pirates because of its strong maritime heritage; notorious pirate Blackbeard was even said to have come from Bristol, in the heart of that area. Newton’s iconic role as Long John Silver was so influential that a variation his West Country English became the standard for portrayals of pirates on stage and in the cinema. As historian Colin Woodard told the [_National Geographic_](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110919-talk-like-a-pirate-day-2011-myths-busted-science-facts/)in 2011, “Newton’s performance—full of ‘arrs,’ ‘shiver me timbers,’ and references to landlubbers—not only stole the show, it permanently shaped pop culture’s vision of how pirates looked, acted, and spoke.” So, today, when your yo-ho-ho-ing is done, sit back with a bottle of rum and spare a thought for Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Newton—whom we have to thank for giving us the excuse to yell out “Ahoy, me Hearties!” to an unsuspecting passerby. ## Transcript [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ MUSIC ] Walt Disney, whose artistry marked a new era in motion picture entertainment, now sets a new milestone with his first all live action feature, Treasure Island. The story which thrilled 200 million readers throughout the world. Only Walt Disney could bring to realistic life and with such dramatic impact Robert Louis Stevenson's memorable characters. [ LAUGH ] Long John Silver, portrayed by that world- famous star, Robert Newton. [ INAUDIBLE ] We can take this ship right now. Did I say cut their throats? [ MUSIC ] And I say there'll be no killing til I give the word. Shipmates. Shipmates. Bobby Drisco, the 1949 Academy Award winner for his outstanding performances in The WIndow and So Dear to my Heart, Plays Jim Hawkins, the boy who face the thousand danger. One more step Mr. Hans and I'll blow your brains out. [ SOUND ] Yes, they're all here, [ UNKNOWN ], Captain Smallet, Dr. [ UNKNOWN ], the murderer's black dog Rum- swigging Billy Bones. The villainous Blind Pew. And poor Ben Gunn, marooned on Treasure Island. [ gun shots ] Come on. 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