parrotize.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import argparse
import string

TABLE = {letter: f':parrot-{letter}:' for letter in string.ascii_lowercase}

arguments = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Party parrot text-o-matic.")
arguments.add_argument('words', metavar='TEXT', type=str, nargs='+',
    help="text to make badass")
arguments.add_argument('--weak', dest='separator', action='store_const',
    const=' ', default=':parrot:', help="preserve spaces in input, weak")
options = arguments.parse_args()

final = len(options.words) - 1
for i, word in enumerate(options.words):
    separator = "" if i == final else options.separator
    print("".join(TABLE.get(let, let) for let in word.lower()), end=separator)
print()