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

Seeing is understanding...

[albionwood.livejournal.com]

You know what it actually means to "stick" a pig, right?

There's a pretty good scene of the process in The Name of the Rose. Watch that and you can understand the origin of the expression. Nothing bleeds quite like a stuck pig!