Basically, pirates would use the term À l’abordage! as a battle cry when boarding enemy ships like described in the phrase’s Wiktionary entry.
Is there a English translation for this, or is it an expression that has no direct English equivalent and should be used in its French form?
Best Answer
"Away boarders!!!!' is a classic cry.
Or, "Away all boarders" in US Navy use.
Wikipedia - Danile V Gallery - the last man to use it officially. They say:
Drawing from sources such as Robert Louis Stevensons pirate fiction, you may be more likely to here terms such as "Avast lubbers" or "Them what dies will be the lucky ones" :-).
The plausibility of "Away Boarders!" is somewhat increased (somewhat) by sites such as:
War artisans workshop - Away Boarders
Away Boarders - pulp fiction
Loud You tube "documentary" - "Away Boarders"
And again