# Let's use "pirate" correctly **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884 "2008-11-21T18:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/21 "2008-11-22T04:44:01Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > As to the OP: you fail to grasp the concept that _words can have more than one meaning_. Please read what I actually wrote: > [@Pleonast](#): > > With the recent surge of actual piracy off of East Africa, can we finally stop referring to intellectual property theft as piracy? The crimes are unrelated. I’m not denying that there exist multiple meanings, I’m complaining about the conflation of the meanings. You know, trying to distinguish crimes of robbery at sea from copyright infringement. The Rapture must be near (;)) because, **Der Trihs** is speaking my thoughts perfectly: > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Because as the OP said, actual pirates are in the news. And because this case is such a good example of a melodramatic name being given to something in an attempt to make it sound worse than it is ( real pirates tend to assault & kill rather more people than software pirates ). It’s kind of like calling pickpocketing murder; “Someone murdered my wallet !”. And because, as several posters have demonstrated, the contrast between real piracy and software piracy is extreme enough to be amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/22 "2008-11-22T05:02:48Z")
I really resent when people misuse the word “pirate.” It makes me want to plunder a spanish galleon. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/23 "2008-11-22T06:15:25Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Please read what I actually wrote:I’m not denying that there exist multiple meanings, I’m complaining about the conflation of the meanings. You know, trying to distinguish crimes of robbery at sea from copyright infringement. Face it, [that ship sailed a looong time ago](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=piracy). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/24 "2008-11-22T06:32:27Z")
In fact: > [@](#): > > [Webster’s, 1828](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?resource=Webster%27s&word=pirate&use1913=on&use1828=on) > PI’'RATE, n. [L. pirata.] > 3. A bookseller that seizes the copies or writings of other men without permission. > > ``` > PI''RATE, v.t. To take by theft or without right or permission, as books or writings. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/25 "2008-11-22T08:03:02Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > **CORRECT** : Arr! Me new CD be pirated, so it works only as well as a square-rigged jib in a blowin’ gale! Ye can’t square-rig a jib, ye pox-faced lubber! ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/26 "2008-11-22T08:41:45Z")
A friend of mine said: It’s not piracy if they can’t send the British navy after you. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/27 "2008-11-22T15:43:09Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > With the recent surge of actual piracy off of East Africa, can we finally stop referring to intellectual property theft as piracy? The crimes are unrelated. So they don’t have metaphors where you grew up? That makes me sad. If you’ll PM me the location, I’ll have a whole trainload of figures of speech delivered there. And not just metaphors: similes, apostrophes, personifications, metonymies, synechdoches, irony of all three stripes, and even a bucket of facetiae. ---
**Author:** ![yelimS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/54ee81/32.png) [@yelimS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yelimS)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/28 "2008-11-22T15:47:13Z")
Why are pirates called pirates? because they ARRRR!!! ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/29 "2008-11-22T17:25:59Z")
ATTENTION: **Pleonast** Your concern of the term ‘pirate’ of African activity is to our attention. As you may aware, the official international definition of the term ‘pirate’ is a legal property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Due to a result of the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the ownership of the term ‘pirate’ is within a contract of the Central Bank of Nigeria. In order to transfer ownership, we require your banker’s name, telephone, account and fax numbers. This transfer is risk-free on both sides. Please reply urgently. Yours faithfully, Civil director Terence “Calico Jack” N’wosu ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884/30 "2008-11-22T20:35:45Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > “Mommy, mommy! He called me a bad name!” Why that nasty boy! Did he call you “The P word”? :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-use-pirate-correctly/473884.md?page=1)