Things I've Learned from National Talk Like a Pirate Day

First, Happy National Talk Like A Pirate Day, People!

There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life when he has a raging urge to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.
- Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

He blam'd and protested, but join'd in the plan; He shared in the plunder, but pitied the man.
- William Cowper, 1731 - 1800

The average man will bristle if you say his father was dishonest, but he will brag a little if he discovers that his great-grandfather was a pirate.
- Bern Williams

The kingly office is entitled to no respect. It was originally procured by the highwayman's methods; it remains a perpetuated crime, can never be anything but the symbol of a crime. It is no more entitled to respect than is the flag of a pirate.
- Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

Classic nineteenth century European imperialists believed they were literally on a mission. I don't believe that the imperialists these days have that same sense of public service. They are simply pirates.
- John Pilger

Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
- Henry Lewis Mencken, 1880 - 1956

Every day my RA puts up a message on the large white board at the end of our hall. Today's was a cheerful reminder that today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum and all that jazz. Surrounding it were suggestions of how to talk like a pirate.

ARGH!

ME HEARTIES!

YO HO!

and my personal favorite --

BLIMEY!

Blimey? Since when has that been accepted pirate jargon? Which brings me to the point of this post -- when you're a writer, you have to make sure that when you're writing stereotypes, you write the right stereotypes. Make sure your dialogue is appropriate for your characters. Blimey is for Cockneys and lower class British people and Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter books.

Not, as my RA seems to think, for pirates.