Weekly Word: Belay

Arr, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day! To celebrate this fine event, I learned a new piratical word: to belay. It’s often used as a command meaning “to stop”, as in “Belay that landlubber’s talk!” Or it can mean “to ignore (an announcement, order, etc.)”, as in “Yarr, belay that order! I need me rum!”

More technically, to belay also means “to fasten (a rope) by winding around a pin or short rod inserted in a holder so that both ends of the rod are clear.” Belaying is also a term used in climbing, meaning “to secure (a rope) by attaching to a person or to an object offering stable support.”

Anyway, for those who plan to celebrate today, I thought you might enjoy this educational video on how to talk like a pirate:

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Don’t laugh! Drinking rum really does help with achieving the proper accent. ;)