Ahoy Mateys! Get ready to channel your inner pirate today as fans of the language of the high seas celebrate National Talk like a Pirate Day! With the ever-growing daily holidays gaining popularity over the years, National Talk like a Pirate Day ranks right up there with best.

How it all got started

While every holiday has its origins, Talk like a Pirate Day’s humble beginnings started in the strangest, yet simplest of ways. According to the official Talk Like a Pirate website, this holiday began over a game of racquetball back in 1995.

During the heated action between the creators of Talk like a Pirate Day, John Baur and Mark Summers, instead of using curse words to complain about missing a shot or just not playing up to par, one of them yelled out “Arrr!”

The game carried on, and as the legend goes, all of the typical "trash talk" guys do during a friendly competition, all went from the common expletives and the "I am better than you" or "take that!" to 100 percent pirate slang. To this day, 23 years later, neither Mark nor John know why they started talking like a pirate, or how this holiday has grown into something so big.

Pirate slang

Avast! Arrr! Ahoy! These words, along with many others, may be uttered your way today. If so, don't take offense, they are just a few of the more popular ways pirates communicate with one another.

Brushing up on your pirate slang could help you score some freebies around your town today.

The three above mentioned words are the most popular and share the most common meanings that are used in the English language. Avast is pirate for stop, while the word Ahoy is an interjection used to hail a ship or a person - kind of like us landlubbers yelling "hey" to flag down a friend or a cab!

And of course, you can't forget the booty. Booty, which is something gained in a battle or valuable stolen goods, ranks up at the top of the pirate language scale - because after all if you have a big booty, you are most likely rich!

Freebies

Yes, National Talk like a Pirate Day has grown so large that there are freebies involved!

For many years, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts would give away free donuts on NTLAP Day, and they encourage folks to dress like a pirate as well. It seems those days are gone, at least for this year - and to no one's surprise, the patrons aren’t happy!

Nevertheless, the good news for all landlubbers is still out there!

Starting with Krispy Kreme. You can get a free donut today, but not just for showing up in all your pirate gear. If you head to the Krispy Kreme website and join their “Simple and Sweet” rewards club, you receive a free donut.

According to a KVUE report, Long John Silver’s will give everyone a free Deep Fried Twinkie at participating locations when you talk like a pirate - so you better know the language!

You can also score a free Fish N’ Fry by dressing as their favorite buccaneer. Freebirds World Burrito is also getting in on the act. The southern chain is giving away a free side of chips and salsa with the purchase of a Freebird-size burrito.

Be sure to ask your favorite local establishments if they are offering freebies or deals today in honor of National Talk like a Pirate Day!
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