WASHINGTON – You don’t have to wait until Halloween to channel your inner Jack Sparrow because Thursday marks a day when you can shout “Ahoy, matey!” for International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

For more than a decade, Sept. 19 has marked a day when people are encouraged to utter phrases like “avast, me hearties,” “aye-aye, captain” or “shiver me timbers.”

Don’t know how to talk like a pirate? The day’s website and Facebook page offer tips and even a video about effective pirate lingo.

Also, pirate wannabes can get a free treat at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Thursday. Patrons who talk like a pirate can score one free glazed doughnut. Showing up in an eye patch, three-cornered hat and a hook could reap even more treasure: customers dressed like a pirate can get a free dozen glazed doughnuts.

The offer extends to Krispy Kreme locations around the country including select locations in Virginia, Maryland and D.C.

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