Why do pirates talk weird?

The linguist Molly Babel points out that our current associations of pirate speech came about largely through film, and that one of the primary influences was the native West Country

West Country

The West Country (occasionally Westcountry) is a loosely defined area of South West England, usually taken to include all, some, or parts of the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and, less commonly, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › West_Country

West Country - Wikipedia

dialect of Robert Newton, who played the main characters in several early pirate movies: Treasure Island in 1950, Blackbeard the Pirate ...

Why do pirates have that accent?

The South West of England lent itself to piracy thanks to coves and inlets, helpful for hiding and smuggling goods. While its many ports provided men and great access to the rest of the world. It meant the West Country accents became prevalent in the Golden Age of Piracy between the 1650s and 1730s.

What accent do pirates speak in?

The classic “pirate dialect,” in fact, is not Irish, but rather a crude imitation of the slightly similar West Country English (the dialects of Southwest England)*. Why do fictional pirates always speak in this accent?

What did pirates really talk like?

They would speak in the language of their homeland. If they were Spaniards, they'd speak Spanish, or another language in a Spanish accent. Contrary to popular culture, pirates didn't say "Arghh, "matey" "ahoy" "scurvy dog," "shiver me timbers" "yo ho ho" or "walk the plank."

Did pirates really talk like pirates?

But while many pirates and mariners did hail from the West Country—so you might have heard an "arr" here or there—most did not, so the majority of pirates almost certainly didn't speak like Newton's Silver, Woodard added.

Pirates Didn't Really Talk Like That - Cheddar Explains

What did pirates fear the most?

Sailors and pirates tended to be very superstitious - that is, they had a fear of the unknown and used it to explain misfortune (bad things that happened). Living and working on a ship in the middle of the seven seas was a very dangerous job.

How did pirates say hello?

Ahoy – A pirate greeting or a way to get someone's attention, similar to “Hello” or “hey!”. Arrr, Arrgh, Yarr, Gar – Pirates slang used to emphasize a point.

What did pirates suffer from?

Scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C, sickened sailors who had no access to fresh food supplies, and killed more than 2 million sailors between the 16th and 18th centuries alone.

Did pirates ever sleep?

Pirate captains and higher-ranking members had private sleeping quarters, while common sailors had to sleep in one room. Some of them slept on hammocks. Others slept on the floor. It was easier for them to sleep on hammocks because they swayed and rocked with the ship's movements.

How did pirates swear?

Each crew member was asked to sign or make his mark on the articles, then swear an oath of allegiance or honour. The oath was sometimes taken on a Bible, but John Phillips' men, lacking a Bible, swore on an axe. Legend suggests that other pirates swore on crossed pistols, swords, on a human skull, or astride a cannon.

What accent is Jack Sparrow supposed to have?

“It's well-known Depp based his Jack Sparrow accent on Keith Richards and the result is pretty impressive. The British accent is almost meant to be slurred, and Depp pulls it off admirably in four films.”

What language is Jack Sparrow?

The language of the Pelegostos, Umshoko, was a curious mix of varied languages. Jack Sparrow was able to pick it up over the course of his two visits to the island, and could use it well enough to make himself understood in the context of his role as the natives' chief.

Why do they have yellow eyes in Pirates of the Caribbean?

When asked about some of the characters' health, screenwriter Terry Rossio said the likeliest cause of the yellow eyes is jaundice, a close cousin to scurvy; or, in the case of Hector Barbossa and Chevalle, both ladies men, hepetitis.

Why do pirates have parrots?

A colourful talking bird would have been expensive, so pirates probably stole them along with other valuable cargo. The crew on a pirate ship may have been glad to have these intelligent birds onboard to entertain them on long, dull voyages.

Why do the pirates start to sing?

To control the oceans, Lord Cutler Beckett executes anyone associated with piracy in Port Royal and orders Davy Jones to destroy all pirate ships. Condemned prisoners sing "Hoist the Colours" to compel the nine Pirate Lords to convene at Shipwreck Cove to hold the Brethren Court.

What alcohol did pirates drink?

Pirates would ration out the clean water to stay hydrated and mix it with rum. It was the drink of choice, and it flowed freely on pirate ships.

How often did pirates bathe?

Pirates Had No Option But to Bathe With Seawater

Despite the abundance of seawater, bathing wasn't a common occurrence amongst the pirates. They felt leaving the ship was dangerous and saltwater irritated their skin.

Did pirates really get drunk?

During these downtimes, they often spent their time in taverns. Any Caribbean port worth its salt offered a bevy of drinking establishments where locals and travellers—including pirates—could come together and enjoy a hearty drink. Without doubt, pirates had a propensity for drunkenness.

How did pirates treat STDS?

Among the more gruesome items was a urethral syringe — a device with a small angled nozzle used to inject mercury into the male urethra to treat syphilis. Carnes-McNaughton said mercury was thought to be a cure. Another item was a clyster pump used to administer medical enemas for “quick absorption,” she said.

Why did pirates lose their teeth?

Pirates also had terrible diets. They could only get fresh fruits and vegetables by stealing or trading for them. This caused problems for their teeth, and also promoted a disease called scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C in a diet, and among other problems, causes receding gums.

Why were sailors so unhealthy?

Scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of dietary ascorbic acid (vitamin C), debilitated sailors after just a few months at sea without fresh provisions.

What do pirates call their girlfriends?

matey (or mate)

Are there any female pirates?