Bard Bits:Talk Like a Pirate Day
Did you know that in Shakespeare’s day actors were prone to sound more like pirates than BBC? Original Pronunciation is a bit like talking like a pirate.
Research turned up by the the father and son team, David and Ben Crystal, indicates that the actors, due to coming from all parts of Britain (and some beyond) were not erudite, polished speakers as presented on today’s stage. Instead, these were mostly working class sorts and their speech sounded more like this:
than this:
Kind of piratey, wouldn’t you say?
I don’t know if the world is ready for Jack Sparrow taking on Hamlet, but who knows–look at what rap did for Hamilton.
Pam Webb 
Any thoughts on the Welles film, Chimes at Midnight?
Not a Welles fan but he did capture Falstaff well as a character. Wasn’t he supposed to be Long John Silver? Ah—the pirate connection?
Ahoy, mateys! It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so here’s a cheat sheet for all you landlubbers hoping to appear seaworthy at work today:
Substitute “me” for “I” (e.g., “Methinks this deck is ready for the client”).
Leverage the Five As: ahoy, avast, arrrrghh, aye, and—when addressing a figure of authority—aye-aye.
Confidence, confidence, confidence! Being a pirate is all about believing in yourself, even if your mutiny fails and results in you getting cleaved to the brisket (don’t look that up).
Shiver me timbers methinks this a worthy list!