Why is Will Turner's father called 'Bootstrap' in Pirates of the Caribbean?

Question

I've watched the 3 movies, and I'm pretty sure they never explain why they call him 'Bootstrap' Bill Turner. Is it just because both words start with B? Bootstrap isn't exactly the most threatening nickname for a pirate. So why do they call him that?

Answer 1

It's just a nickname.



It had nothing to do with them tying a cannon to his bootstraps. They used to call him bootstrap before that incident.

Jack told will that he was one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill.

Answer 2

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RE:

Why is Will Turner's father called 'Bootstrap' in Pirates of the Caribbean?

I've watched the 3 movies, and I'm pretty sure they never explain why they call him 'Bootstrap' Bill Turner. Is it just because both words start with B? Bootstrap isn't exactly the most threatening nickname for a pirate. So why do they call him that?

Answer 3

Bootstrap Bill Turner

Answer 4

When you look at William "Bootstrap Bill's" Turner's name you have to think of it not as just a bootstrap on a boot. I think it has more to do with the saying and meanings of bootstrap. Like saying to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" means to better yourself without help from anyone. To me his nickname speaks more to his character in saying he's a man that can take care of himself without help from anyone. So the term bootstrap does fit him in that sense. I think it actually makes a good pirate name when you think about it that way. They are supposed to be these men that can hold their own and take a care of themselves and "take what they want and give nothing back". So to me the Bootstrap nickname fits even though it doesn't sound very threatening in the general sense. Great question.

Answer 5

I cant really remember, but something about strapping a cannon to his bootstraps and letting it go off. I think thats how he ended up at the bottom of the sea.

Answer 6

cus when they killed him they tied his bootstraps to a cannon and then threw it over the ship and i htink you can guess what happened