LadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 20 hours agoTotallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneimagemessage-square15fedilinkarrow-up1394arrow-down114
arrow-up1380arrow-down1imageTotallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneLadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 20 hours agomessage-square15fedilink
minus-squareTheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1arrow-down16·19 hours agoEven with those small percentages, ‘free as a bird’ was twice as common.
minus-squareMirodir@discuss.tchncs.delinkfedilinkarrow-up23·19 hours agoExactly, only twice as common. To put in other words: For every two times someone says “free as a bird”, one person says “happy as a clam”. That is much narrower than the gap between something commonly said and something rarely said.
minus-squareFooBarrington@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up17arrow-down1·19 hours agoAgain, “happy as a clam” is very informal. “Free as a bird” is much less so, so it makes sense it pops up more often in literature.
minus-squareCapt. Wolf@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up5·13 hours agoIt’s also been used much longer. First known use of “happy as as a clam” was 1833 versus “free as a bird” being used in the 17th century.
minus-squareouthouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.comlinkfedilinkarrow-up10arrow-down1·19 hours agoAlso more poetic, shows up in poetry and song lyrics, pre-written spreches, etc.
Even with those small percentages, ‘free as a bird’ was twice as common.
Exactly, only twice as common. To put in other words: For every two times someone says “free as a bird”, one person says “happy as a clam”.
That is much narrower than the gap between something commonly said and something rarely said.
Again, “happy as a clam” is very informal. “Free as a bird” is much less so, so it makes sense it pops up more often in literature.
It’s also been used much longer. First known use of “happy as as a clam” was 1833 versus “free as a bird” being used in the 17th century.
Also more poetic, shows up in poetry and song lyrics, pre-written spreches, etc.