Three simple rules to master Pirate Speak:
1. Only speak in the present tense. So it is "I be" "they be" as opposed to "I am" or "they are."
2. Double up your adjectives. Don't say never, say "No nay ne'er!"* (see rule 4)
3. Drop all "g's". Like "fightin'", "sailin'" smellin'".
4. Drop your "v's" for advanced Pirate Speak. "ne'er", "o'er" and ye be ha'in' people strainin' to understand ye.
A samplin' of Pirate words, phrases and terms:
- Ahoy - Hey!
- Avast - Stop!
- Aye - Yes
- American Main - eastern coast of North America
- Booty - treasure
- Black Jack - leather tankard
- Barbary Coast - Mediterranean coastline of North Africa, from Egypt to the Atlantic coastline
- Cutlass - short heavy sword with a curved blade
- Cat o' nine tails - whip for floggin' mutineers
- Davy Jones's Locker - reference to death
- In Davy's Grip - close to death, or frightened
- Have the Davies or the Joneseys - frightened
- Doubloons - pieces of gold found in pirate treasure
- Gentlemen o' fortune - pirates
- Grog - pirate's favorite drink
- Hornswaggle - cheat
- Heave-To - halt
- Jolly Roger – pirate flag
- Jack - flag or sailor
- Landlubber - someone not used to life onboard a ship
- Lass - woman
- Lily-livered - faint o' heart
- Matey - shipmate or friend
- Me - my
- Marooned - stranded, usually on a desert isle
- Pieces o' eight - pieces o' silver which can be cut into eights to be givin' small change
- Privateer - pirate officially sanctioned by a national power
- Red Ensign - British flag
- Spanish Main - mainland taken by Spain, from Mexico to Peru plus the Caribbean islands
- Scuttle - sink
- Scallywag – scoundrel
- Yo-ho-ho - laughter
