Talk Like a Pirate

David ReedCreighton University

davereed@creighton.edu www.creighton.edu/~davereed

Captain Jack Sparrow

Captain Blackbeard

Captain Redpen

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Talk Like a Pirate Day

International Talk Like a Pirate Day – September 19th founded by John Baur and Mark Summers in 1995 popularized by columnist Dave Barry see www.talklikeapirate.com for more details

official Web site had a simple pirate translator poorly done, but inspiring

"nifty" characteristics can be used to introduce/demonstrate a variety of programming concepts

GUIevent-driven programmingmeta-programmingstring methods, regular expressions

can be used in a variety of classes using different languages CS0 with HTML/JavaScriptCS1 or CS2 with C++/JavaWeb Design/Programming

it's fun!

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Pirate Translator (version 1.0)

used in a Web-based CS0 course

students critiqued the design of the official page

developed a "better" translation page one button per word/phrase when user clicks on button, translation appears in a

text box

<input type="button" value="hello" onClick="document.PForm.Output.value += 'ahoy ';" />

note: this could easily be done in Java using AWT/Swing

advantages: simple & intuitive easy to extend (just add more buttons) minimal "programming" open for creativity (layout, images, extended

vocabulary, …)

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Pirate Translator (version 2.0)

disadvantage of version 1: button repetition adding a new word/phrase meant adding a new button – danger of inconsistencies

more general solution: metaprogramming store words/phrases in a list structure

to extend the vocabulary, simply add to the list use JavaScript to dynamically generate the buttons

PHRASES = [["Greetings", "hello", "ahoy", "pardon me", "avast", "excuse me", "arrr"], ["People", "sir", "matey", "madam", "proud beauty", "miss", "comely wench"], ["Questions", "where is", "whar be", "can you help me find", "know ye", "is that", "be that", "how far is it to", "how many leagues to"], . . . ];

for (var i = 0; i < PHRASES.length; i++) { document.write("<tr valign='top'><td>" + PHRASES[i][0] + ": <td>"); for (var j = 1; j < PHRASES[i].length; j+=2) { document.write("<input type=\"button\" value=\"" + PHRASES[i][j] + "\" onClick='document.PirateForm.Output.value += \"" + PHRASES[i][j+1] + " \";'>\n"); }}

could use a Java/C++ program to generate the HTML document

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Pirate Translator (version 3.0)

disadvantage of version 2: translation is limited to provided buttons would like to take entire phrases, translate "piratey" parts, leave rest alone

alternative approach used in upper-level Web Programming course user enters text to be translated string methods used to search for words/phrases to translate

utilize regular expressions to match word boundaries, ignore case replace matched word/phrase with pirate translation

PHRASES = [["hello", "ahoy"], ["hi", "yo-ho-ho"], ["pardon me", "avast"], ["excuse me", "arrr"], ["yes", "aye"], ["my", "me"], ... ];

for (var i = 0; i < PHRASES.length; i++) { var toReplace = new RegExp("\\b"+PHRASES[i][0]+"\\b", "i"); var index = text.search(toReplace); while (index != -1) { if (text.charAt(index) >= "A" && text.charAt(index) <= "Z") { text = text.replace(toReplace, Capitalize(PHRASES[i][1])); } else { text = text.replace(toReplace, PHRASES[i][1]); } index = text.search(toReplace); }}

here in JavaScript, but could be any language with strings (regular expressions a plus)

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It be fun!

in conclusion: a pirate translator is fun and engaging

can be used in a multiple courses to illustrate multiple concepts

can provide an open-ended challenge to students critique/design a user interface add to the vocabulary of the translator add new features

e.g., insert random Arrrrrrr's explore regular expressions

e.g., translate words ending in ing to in' (but not swing or handspring)

Give it a try in your class, or walk the plank like the lily-livered landlubber you are!