This little piggy went to the internet

[madbaker]

fionnbharro questioned my use of "bleeding like a stuck pig" yesterday. He'd always heard it as "squealing..." and not unreasonably opined that this version made more sense.

So, here are some preliminary Google results.

from Wordwizard.com ("sweat like a pig"): "In Palmatier's 'Speaking of Animals – A Dictionary of Animals Metaphors," it is suggested that the 'like a pig' may have evolved from the model of the older expression 'bleed like a stuck pig' (17th century) – but that sounds a bit weak."

Wordspy.com, on neologisms: "stuck pig syndrome: The tendency to use the same metaphor inappropriately in other situations. For example, taking the common metaphor "bleeding like a stuck pig" and saying "I'm sweating like a stuck pig" or "That thing is leaking like a stuck pig."

and the OED:
1782, "see how they'll look! Stare like stuck pigs!"
1812: "Bleeding like a stuck pig."
1874: "Staring at you... as if he was a stuck pig."

Apparently we're both wrong. I think both bleeding and squealing make more sense than staring - but I didn't grow up on a farm, so I've never been stared at, bled on, or squealed at by a pig...

Comments

[wyterayven.livejournal.com]

The phrase sweat like a pig has always made no sense to me, since pigs dont sweat. That's why they like (and need) cool wet places...and given a choice they will choose clean wet over dirty wet.....I suppose it makes more sense if it is derived from bleeding like a stuck pig.

And I know exactly where that term came from....as when you slaughter a pig (or any animal for that matter) the idea is to keep the heart pumping as long as possible to help drain the meat, so you dont just shoot them, but in the instance of pigs you stick them in what would be the equivilent of the hollow of your throat and cut that artery. Squealing is pretty self expanatory.....though I wouldnt call it a sqeal myself.

As for staring, I suspect that comes from the blank stare that happens after the initial struggle, when the animal bleeds to death.

I worked on a farm through high school, and actually got credit for it, and slaughtering was one of the things that we covered. I have to say, that although I am not a vegetarian, and I am glad that I know where my meat comes from, I hated that part of the class, and dont think I could do it again, unless I was starving to death.