LadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 4 days agoTotallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneimagemessage-square16fedilinkarrow-up1453arrow-down118
arrow-up1435arrow-down1imageTotallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneLadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 4 days agomessage-square16fedilink
minus-squareTheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1arrow-down18·4 days agoEven with those small percentages, ‘free as a bird’ was twice as common.
minus-squareMirodir@discuss.tchncs.delinkfedilinkarrow-up24·4 days 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-up18arrow-down1·4 days 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-squareouthouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.comlinkfedilinkarrow-up11arrow-down1·4 days agoAlso more poetic, shows up in poetry and song lyrics, pre-written spreches, etc.
minus-squareCapt. Wolf@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up7·4 days 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.
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.
Also more poetic, shows up in poetry and song lyrics, pre-written spreches, etc.
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.