There is an expression "Happy as a clam" but are clams really happy???
2006-08-14 07:22:50 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
It must be the pearl inside...and the silly grin it looks like they have 24/7.
2006-08-14 07:30:08 · answer #1 · answered by Diesel Weasel 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The saying is very definitely American, hardly known elsewhere. The fact is, we’ve lost its second half, which makes everything clear. The full expression is happy as a clam at high tide or happy as a clam at high water. Clam digging has to be done at low tide, when you stand a chance of finding them and extracting them. At high water, clams are comfortably covered in water and so able to feed, comparatively at ease and free of the risk that some hunter will rip them untimely from their sandy berths. I guess that’s a good enough definition of happy.
More at: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-hap1.htm
2006-08-14 14:28:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The full expression is "as happy as a clam in salt water", and it refers to being content in your current situation.
2006-08-14 14:29:01 · answer #3 · answered by Not Allie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The full term is, "As happy as a clam at high tide"
At high tide, people can't go out to dig them up, so they are safe.
For some reason, people stopped using the whole term, which left the shorter version, that doesn't make much sense.
2006-08-14 14:29:24 · answer #4 · answered by Nosy Parker 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I've never met a clam so I wouldn't know.
2006-08-14 14:27:22 · answer #5 · answered by Nico 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, especially when served as a main course at Red Lobster's. Yum, yum. Clams.
2006-08-14 14:27:15 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ive never met a happy clam but i have met a depressed clam...it wasnt purtty
2006-08-14 14:29:43 · answer #7 · answered by Kris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if your happy as a clam, then your as sad as a clown...
2006-08-14 14:31:38 · answer #8 · answered by ۞ JønaŦhan ۞ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well yeah there happy thats why they are shaped liked they are they get happy and there shells stick like a smiley face..
2006-08-14 14:29:39 · answer #9 · answered by jerdan95 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they cant happy. they know they'll end up being served in some sea food place......
2006-08-14 14:28:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋