Where does it come from? Is it for real or merely an invention for the movies?
It sounds vaguely Scottish. Kind of. But I have a hard time believing that all pirates are Scottish. (However, the idea of a Scottish Pirate - cutlass and a kilt! - mmmmm, happy thoughts.)
What’s the history? What’s the . . . etymology? No, that’s not the word. Anyways, you know what I’m talking about.
I recon most pirates to have been Dutch, English and/or Spanish–depending on which of the other 2 countries were paying them to molest the other 2’s ships. The English ones are the most likeley to have said, “Arrrrgh Matey.” But probably not too many times before the nastier crew members wearied of it.
My bet is on the movies. How else should a salty old one-legged, one-eyed rum-swilling villain speak?
But then again, The Dread Pirate, Roberts was a decidedly well-spoken Englishman.
I think you’ll find the main inspiration for it (and for quite a few other “pirate” stereotypes) is Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” especially the character Long John Silver.
The death of Blackbeard involved a Scotsman. I’ve no idea if he weas wearing a kilt at the time, but a Highlander on Robert Maynard’s crew was the man who dealt Edward Teach’s killing blow.
The story is in that in that final fight btween British forces and Blackbeard’s crew the Highlander and Teach ended up face to face. Blackbeard had suffered multiple cutlass and gunshot wounds already but would not fall. Unlike everyone else, who had cutlasses, the Highlander was swinging around a massive claymore. He hit Teach on the neck, to which Blackbeard said, “Well done lad!” with a laugh. The Highlander replied with “If it’s not well done, I’ll do it better!” and followed up with a second swing to Blackbeard’s neck, this time cutting his head clean off.
The “Aaaaaargh, matey” accent is an exaggeration of English Westcountry. There may be some real historical precedent, as Atlantic-going sailors would tend to come from Bristol and ports in Devon and Cornwall.
And don’t forget http://www.talklikeapirate.com/
As raygirvan says, the accent is mostly that found in the West Country of England - from Bristol westwards via Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall. Obviously being at sea in a multicultural and mulitilingual environment would have altered it somewhat, but that’s the basis for it. Arrrrrrr.
Yes, we had a thread on this a few months ago didn’t we? It’s an English West Country accent. Many of England’s major ports of the time were in the West Country (Bristol, Plymouth, at a stretch Portsmouth, etc.)
Find a large video store.
Rent the films “Treasure Island.” Both versions. One stars Wallace Beery as Long John Silver, and the other stars Robert Newton in the same role.
The 1950s version was arguably the most popular pirate movie of all time (Disney, y’know), seen by zillions of people loads of times.
It is my theory that Robert Newton (and Beery, to some extent) are largely responsible for the “pirate accent” and, for the most part, the cliches (“Avast ye lubbers!”).