A pirate’s life for me

What is the Davy Jones locker, anyway? 10 cool pirate terms explained

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Alongside cowboys and knights, pirates have always been a playtime staple. These historical figures have inspired countless childhood adventures, as well as several timeless characters from movies and books like Captain Hook or Long John Silver. In that sense, pirates’ carefree lifestyle also influenced their unique vocabulary, which has become as synonymous with their culture as their roguish exploits have. We have selected 10 of the most iconic terms and phrases from pirate slang to help us relive those endless afternoons playing with our friends. Enjoy!

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What’s a better way of welcoming you to this article than with a typical pirate salute? "Ahoy" is a versatile sailing term that can be used for greeting, bidding farewell, or simply catching the attention of someone. Being the seafaring adventurers that they were, this word is ever-present in pirate vocabulary and still playfully used by sailors everywhere.

Funnily, the origins of this word can be traced back to a landscape on which a pirate would not be particularly comfortable: Cattle herding. Apparently, "ahoy" comes from adding an extra letter to "hoy", a common English call to drive cattle.

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The term "scallywag" (also sometimes spelled "scalawag") describes someone who is well-regarded, although he behaves in a somewhat mischievous manner. You can see how this term is now synonymous with pirates: Although these sea bandits were once deeply feared and despised, they are now looked at in a cheekier and devilish light.

What’s interesting is that scallywag was not a popular term during the time when pirates were most prominent (late 17th and 18th century). In fact, it most likely came into use during 19th century America, when the first pirate novels and plays were published.

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Leave it to pirates to turn a simple wooden plank into a dreadful symbol. "Walking the Plank" describes a method of execution in which the accused is forced to walk on a wooden plank extended over the side of the ship, often bound and blindfolded.

While nowadays this technique is heavily associated with pirate culture, few (if any) real-life cases of people forced to walk the plank have been documented. In truth, it seems that it has become such a staple from its frequent use in literature and movies featuring pirates.

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"Shiver me timbers" is an expression that was probably never uttered by a real pirate, but it has become so ingrained in this culture that it is difficult to find a fictional pirate who hasn’t said this phrase at least once. With hindsight, it seems only natural that this phrase has become so popular since it was first said by one of literature’s most iconic pirates.

In Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 classic "Treasure Island", the character of Long John Silver (considered by many to be the quintessential fictional pirate) says variations of "shiver me timbers" seven times throughout the novel. These exclamations were used to denote Long John’s surprise, anger, or annoyance, but they all denote an extreme shock, since the timbers referenced are the wooden support frames that hold a ship together.

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Yeah, we know: "Argh" is not a word, but it is the go-to expression for any wanna-be pirate. Want to strike fear into the hearts of your seafaring enemies? Or maybe you just want to add an extra layer of drama to that Halloween costume. In any case, this onomatopoeia is the ultimate sound of anyone who chooses to impersonate a dreaded corsair.

This entry should be titled "sounds with an R associated with pirates", since other similar-sounding onomatopoeias like "yarr" or "‘arr" are also insanely popular. In that sense, trying to trace the origins of these sounds can be a rather daunting task. However, most sources agree that this type of pirate snarling was inspired by actor Robert Newton’s many groundbreaking pirate roles, including Long John Silver in the 1950s adaptation of "Treasure Island" and Blackbeard in 1952s "Blackbeard the Pirate".

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No, we are not referring to a locked metal compartment where a man named Davy Jones might store his gym equipment. In truth, Davy Jones is the pirates’ very own boogeyman, a legendary spirit hellbent on taking sailors’ lives. In that sense, the expression "Davy Jones’ locker" is used to describe the final resting place of many dreaded pirates: The bottom of the sea.

The first written mention of Davy Jones is attributed to Robinson Crusoe’s author, Daniel Defoe, who mentions in a book the story of an enraged captain threatening to throw his crew to "Davy Jones’ Locker". Some believe the legend was inspired by a real pirate called David Jones, who sailed through the Indian Ocean in the 17th century.

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You would think that, for an honest person, being called a pirate would be insulting enough, but did you know that there’s an adjective that can be added to give an extra kick to the deceitful nature of corsairs? By today’s standards, the word "hornswoggling" sounds downright silly, but its meaning is less charming: to "hornswoggle" someone means to cheat or deceive them, usually for monetary gain.

Although the phrase "hornswoggling buccaneer" perfectly describes most pirates, this quirky word is by no means exclusive to them, since it is also associated with cowboys and gunslingers. In any case, we can’t end this entry without reiterating this warning: It doesn’t matter if it sounds like a Dr. Seuss character; don’t trust any hornswoggler you come across.

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Have you ever wondered why the quintessential pirate flag is called a "Jolly Roger"? Don’t you agree that the name seems a little too cheerful for such an ominous and threatening symbol? Unless the sunny disposition of a fellow named Roger inspired the first of these black flags, this name doesn’t really make sense.

Well, the truth is that no one really knows when the term Jolly Roger was first used, although we can be certain that it is not connected to the name Roger. The most prevailing theory points to the fact that pirates originally raised plain flags to indicate their would-be targets their intentions, where a red flag meant that no quarter would be given. In that sense, many believe that the term "Jolly Roger" comes from the French expression Joli Rouge, which translates to "pretty red".

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Would you believe us if we told you that this entry features the most insulting word on this list? Granted, for us non-pirate folks the term "landlubber" doesn’t seem that harsh, but trust us: If you ever call a pirate this, be prepared for a loud and angry response.

As you might have guessed, "landlubber" is a discouraging adjective used to describe anyone not versed in the seafaring ways of the pirates. Basically, anyone who is more comfortable at land than at sea. You can see how a pirate might take offense to this, seeing as how sailing skills are an incredible source of pride for any corsair worth their salt.

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We’ll end this article with a pirate term for comradery, which at the end of the day is one of the many things that pirates can teach us: How it feels to belong in a crew. Although pirates were definitively deceitful outlaws, they were bound by a code of honor that focused on trusting in your commander and your crewmates with your life.

In that sense, the word "matey" is one of the most affectionate things a pirate can say to another. This term, which is used for a friend or a comrade, seems to come from the French word matelot, which means "sailor" or "seaman". If you want to end up with more than a few pirate friends, then this is the word for you!

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Go The Distance: Unravel These Ten Laughably Long English Words!

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English can sometimes be a daunting language. Think about the challenges a non-native speaker must face in order to learn that "buy", "by", and "bye" are spelled differently but sound the same, or that the word "bear" can both mean "a large mammal" and "to support the weight of something". However, we believe that this difficulty is a large part of what makes the English language so beautiful, filled with unique words and spellings that completely amaze us.

We have compiled a list of ten long words that would both terrify a Spelling Bee contestant and make the mouth of a Scrabble player water. These words range from "a few letters too long" to "ridiculously lengthy". Enjoy!

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We’ll begin this list with one of the longest American demonyms we could find. While the official designations for the good people living in "The Constitution State" are "Connecticuter" and "Connecticutian", the unofficial demonym "Connecticutensian" can also be used.

Interestingly, none of these above-mentioned denominations is as regularly used as the colloquial nickname "nutmeggers". This comes with the unofficial nickname of Connecticut, known as "The Nutmeg State".

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Looking for new ways to tell your partner they are beautiful, but the words "pretty" or "handsome" seem to be overused? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Next time you are enjoying a candle-lit dinner, try looking into their eyes and saying, "Darling, you look absolutely pulchritudinous tonight."

Well, maybe this is not the most romantic of words, but it is still pretty interesting. It is derived from the word pulchritude, an out-of-style noun that means "beauty". In turn, this word comes from the Latin word pulcher, which translates to "beautiful".

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Try saying this three times fast. As quirky as this word sounds, its meaning is not as fun. "Floccinaucinihilipilification" is a word that describes the act of considering something completely worthless or unimportant.

However, don’t be too discouraged by this word’s meaning: chances are it was never used in casual conversation. In fact, it is mostly quoted as an example of a ridiculously long word, and not as an actual measure of importance.

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While the verb "tergiversate" isn’t exactly synonymous with lying, they are both cut from the same cloth. Its noun form, "tergiversation", describes the act of producing different statements, often twisting and turning facts to protect self-interest.

However, tergiversate has an accidental ring to it that lying usually doesn’t, since someone caught in tergiversation is found after stating contradictory facts that evidence his or her deceitful ways.

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Just like "floccinaucinihilipilification", the word "antidisestablishmentarianism" is considered one of the longest non-scientific words in the English language. However, the main difference between them is that antidisestablishmentarianism was for a while present in everyday vocabulary, albeit in 19th-century England.

This word describes a movement that advocated for the Church of England to continue to receive government patronage. In fact, it was created as a response to another movement also blessed with an extremely lengthy name called "disestablishmentarianism", which called for the separation between church and state.

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While this word is definitively a mouthful, it is also rather straightforward. "Uncopyrightable" describes cultural products such as books, films, or photographs that can’t be claimed or protected under copyright laws.

The characteristics that might make something uncopyrightable are various: If the author is unknown, for instance, or if a certain item belongs to the public, like a legal code or constitution. Sometimes the matter of who is the author of a certain cultural item is disputed, and therefore no individual can truly claim ownership, so the work is deemed uncopyrightable.

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It is rather ironic that we try to explain the meaning of such a bewildering word as "incomprehensibleness" when it literally defines a state in which something is particularly or downright impossible to understand.

While its synonym "incomprehensibility" is far more regularly used, we must take our hats to "incomprehensibleness", a noun that took a word with an already difficult spelling and added a few extra letters just for the sake of being extra confusing.

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Just like with "Pulchritudinous", we believe there are warmer ways to refer to your family, but let’s explore this word on the off chance you want to show your affection at the next Thanksgiving in a more formal, slightly offputting way.

"Consanguineous" is an adjective for people related by blood and, while it is mostly used in matters related to ancestry, it is perfectly suitable to describe your immediate family. The main root of this word comes from the Latin word sanguin, which means "blood".

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We know what you are thinking: This one feels a little bit like cheating. After all, this word was first said by the legendary Julie Andrews in the timeless Disney film "Mary Poppins", and it was written as an extremely long adjective, meant to sound silly for comedic effect.

However, you might be surprised to learn that this word has been included in several renowned dictionaries: Cambridge Dictionary defines "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" as "extremely good". And while its use will forever be associated with our favorite British nanny, this wacky word has truly transcended its medium.

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We’ll end this article with a bit of an ironic twist. Besides being the longest word we could find, "hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia" describes an irrational fear, as all words ending in "phobia" do. However, this noun holds the dubious distinction of describing an unreasonable fear to itself, since someone suffering from this phobia is terrified of long words.

To make matters worse, some people spell this word with an extra P ("hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia"), which some believe is a humorous misspelling in order to make the word even longer.