LadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 13日前Totallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneimagemessage-square16fedilinkarrow-up1458arrow-down117
arrow-up1441arrow-down1imageTotallypiefed.cdn.blahaj.zoneLadyButterfly she/her@piefed.blahaj.zone to memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 13日前message-square16fedilink
minus-squareFooBarrington@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up28·13日前Most phrases have very small percentages, as they are measured against all other combinations of words in literature. Since it’s an informal idiom, it’s also much more common in spoken than in written language.
minus-squareTheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1arrow-down18·13日前Even with those small percentages, ‘free as a bird’ was twice as common.
minus-squareMirodir@discuss.tchncs.delinkfedilinkarrow-up24·13日前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.
minus-squareFooBarrington@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up19arrow-down1·13日前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.
minus-squareouthouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.comlinkfedilinkarrow-up12arrow-down1·13日前Also more poetic, shows up in poetry and song lyrics, pre-written spreches, etc.
minus-squareCapt. Wolf@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up7·13日前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.
Most phrases have very small percentages, as they are measured against all other combinations of words in literature.
Since it’s an informal idiom, it’s also much more common in spoken than in written language.
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.