Chicks Don't Dig Pirate Voices

[collisionwork]

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. So get to't me 'arties!

I know that some of you may demur, understandably, but at least please try to throw a little "Arrrr" in somewhere in your day, for the hell of it.

Back at boarding school, about 23 years ago, I and a group of friends were into this "pirate voice" thing way before it became the popular craze with the young folks it is today (ah, youth, with their big pants, and their tattoos and their rock and rolls . . .), until we discovered that talking in pirate voices was a sure way to have women avoid us -- as it was put to us (somewhat as an ultimatum) by our female friends who would no longer eat lunch with us if they heard so much as an "Ay, matey" at the table: "Chicks don't dig pirate voices."

This seems to be one of those not-examined-enough lines in the gender wars, a sure line between what men and women appreciate, along with The Three Stooges and the music of Frank Zappa (h/t Tom X. Chao). Luckily for me, Berit is the exception who digs the Stooges, some Zappa music (anything other than "the noodley jazz shit"), and will tolerate the pirate voice, and sometimes even join in.

If you yourself would like to participate, but are inexperienced in this, here is (h/t Language Log) a fine fine superfine instructional video for your dining and dancing pleasure:

And for the advanced student (and I know I've posted this before, but what the hell), you can try singing along with Mr. George 'Arrison:

Comments

[queencallipygos.livejournal.com]

This seems to be one of those not-examined-enough lines in the gender wars, a sure line between what men and women appreciate, along with The Three Stooges and the music of Frank Zappa (h/t Tom X. Chao). Luckily for me, Berit is the exception who digs the Stooges, some Zappa music (anything other than "the noodley jazz shit"), and will tolerate the pirate voice, and sometimes even join in.

Actually, I've often found the whole notion of there being some things that men like and others that women like to be a load of bollocks, largely because all the things that I like that "women aren't supposed to like" are things that I just plain don't get what is inherently male about them. (Like Monty Python. What is inherantly "male" about Monty Python? It's funny, and women like laughing just like men do, so...what's...huh?)

And the things that I dislike that women are "supposed" to like, I don't dislike because of any weird gender issue -- I dislike them because they're crap. (Like "chick lit.")

Yes, you'll find women who don't like Monty Python -- but you'll also find MEN who don't like it. And you'll find women who dislike Frank Zappa -- but you'll also find MEN who don't like it. And for all those girls who told you "chicks don't dig pirate voices," I can introduce you to an equal number of women who not only DO dig pirate voices, but engage in using them themselves -- and would jump on pirate-voice-using guys, possibly ddisrobing as they did so, and scream "FINALLY, A GUY I CAN RELATE TO! TAKE ME NOW!"

Women aren't a separate species, after all; women are people, and people all like different things. That's all there is to it, really.