Learn How To Talk Like A Pirate With “Scurvy” & More Pirate Phrases

Do you hear that? It seems like there’s something strange going on in the open sea… Legend says cursed pirates sail these waters, so beware. It’s even considered bad luck to be singing about pirates in these weather conditions. So yo ho-hush for now.

Enough of the spooky pirate talk! Many of us know pirates from movies and books as fearsome raiders searching for treasure chests. However, pirate life on the high seas wasn’t as daring as Hollywood made it seem. This life of crime caused many health issues for buccaneers like Captain Blackbeard.

Scholars believe that the "pirate-speak" we know today—the "arrs" and "ahoys"—was actually pure fiction often brought to you by Disney. Nevertheless, these phrases have transformed the way we hear pirate talk!

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Common Pirate Phrases:

• Black spot: A death threat
• Give no quarter: To show no mercy
• Run a rig: To play a trick
• Swashbuckler: A daredevil
• Old salt: An experienced sailor
• Scurvy: Disgusting or insulting
• Landlubber: Someone unskilled at sea
• Three sheets to the wind: Someone very drunk