Sweating like a pig
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340278)
Rockingham, Australia
April 6, 2017 8:41am CST
When I get an idea for a post, I often make a note on a Word document where I write my articles. One such note simply says 'sweating like a pig'. I have no idea what prompted this phrase originally.
As far as I'm aware, pigs don't sweat which is why they wallow in mud, particularly in hot weather. This helps cool them off. Dogs don't 'sweat' in the normal sense of the word either. But I'll leave that for another post perhaps.
The phrase 'sweating like a pig' doesn't refer to pigs of the porcine type but to pig iron which is the name given to the first step when iron ore is smelted. Pig iron is brittle and of limited use. It is heated to extreme temperatures before being moved to moulds. It is dangerous to move the metal at such high temperatures but once the metal starts to cool it 'sweats' and droplets form on the surface of the metal. Once pig iron reaches this point, it is safe to transport it to moulds.
The photo is of genuine artificial pigs in a mall in Adelaide, South Australia.
31 people like this
31 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
6 Apr 17
@AbbyGreenhill Are you suggesting that the statues are not doing a very good acting job?
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
6 Apr 17
@Asylum I like ham....a nice big thick ham sandwich is what I see here!
3 people like this
Edit: My apologies. You obviously know more than me, not that I doubted that. I've just researched 'pig iron' and it seems the main seam of molten iron is called a 'sow'. 
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
7 Apr 17
I didn't know that about pig iron. Thanks interesting information.
4 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
7 Apr 17
@JudyEv Yes that is quite a surprise.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
6 Apr 17
No kidding I didn't know that's what the phrase really means. We use that phrase a lot in the summer around here. Thanks for the info.
4 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
9 Dec 17
@JudyEv When visiting up north last year we took my grandson to lunch and being we were down by his house we told him to pick a place. We went to a little restaurant that was in the middle of a busy town in New Jersey. It specialized in pork and outside the door was a huge pig. I don't know what kind of material it was made from but some kind of metal.
The place was packed and we waited outside for an hour but it was well worth the wait. We met a couple from another state and they found out about the place online. I hope to get there again sometime.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Apr 17
I bet people love those piggies. But why do they call this iron pig iron as opposed to cow iron or something.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 17
In the early days of smelting, the iron was poured into sand moulds. There was a common runner which fed a number of smaller ingot-sized beds. These looked like suckling pigs. The runner was called a 'sow' and the individual ingots pigs. 
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Apr 17
@JudyEv You are a fountain of knowledge!
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@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
6 Apr 17
Learn something new everyday. I never knew that.. I also didn't know that pigs don't sweat!
3 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Apr 17
@JudyEv Yep!
I knew about dogs, that's why they pant.
Did you know that cats can pant too? I have a cat that pants and it's nothing medical. The vet seemed shocked when I told her the cat pants, so she checked him out and he's totally healthy, he just likes to pant. It's pretty funny when he does it.
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@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 17
You've done really well! Learnt TWO new things on one day! 
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
6 Apr 17
Thanks for this informative post. I have used that phrase but didn't know its origin until I read your post.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
9 Apr 17
@JudyEv as do I.
Keep making posts such as this. It is a far better read than what one would see in the internet.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Apr 17
@allen0187 Thanks. I'm really pleased you genuinely liked it.
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@allknowing (136601)
• India
7 Apr 17
I have heard of pig iron but did not know this expression is related to it. Learnt something today and that too early in the morning. It is just around 6 am here
3 people like this
@allknowing (136601)
• India
7 Apr 17
@JudyEv I like to learn and so more the merrier no matter what time it is. (lol)
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
6 Apr 17
You are coming up with some good ones
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 17
oh, see I wondered why, when I knew pigs didn't sweat, that makes sense. As does having a spot to write down ideas. I do wish we had the ability to have drafts on here
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
11 Apr 17
@JudyEv pretty much. I wish I could have some drafts ready so on those busy days I had a post ready to go.
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@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Apr 17
@Jessicalynnt It's a big help just to copy and paste. It only takes a minute if it's already written.
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
6 Apr 17
I use this one all the time. Never new the origin, though.
3 people like this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
6 Apr 17
I just love all the art that seems to saturate Australia's public places! I had a friend here at myLot years ago named Hiccup and he would post things like this. I was always surprised at how interesting Australia was with its streets and all the art on them. Now, I know these things probably aren't everywhere but our city streets here in the states are so bland and boring most of the time. I'd love to see something like those pigs but they'd probably be defaced by the gangs we've let run the streets.
I love it that the pigs look so happy! The one in the garbage can is a hoot!
Thanks for the tale behind the colloquialism, I never knew that!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 17
The stuff in the streets is 'normal' for me but I guess we do have quite a bit. I love these pigs and was glad of the excuse to put the photo up again. Here is a photo of the third one. I love how 'real' they look. Pigs trot along just like this one.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41447)
• United States
6 Apr 17
That's really interesting. I had no idea what that meant.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Apr 17
Y`all have some interesting art around, I love it!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Apr 17
I seem to have missed a heap of comments somehow. Glad you like the piggies and sorry for the late reply.
@Jon2071 (256)
• United States
7 Apr 17
Interesting facts about pigs. It's good that you made the note "sweating like a pig" even though you do not remember the original intent. At least you were still able to create a discussion and give some good information about pigs. I know one thing- they smell bad. We once had a neighbor who kept pigs and it was always quite unpleasant when the wind changed direction and the pig stench came our way. Thank you for the information and that is a great photo!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340278)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Apr 17
Sorry my reply is so late. And pigs do smell although they are supposed to be very clean animals if they have the opportunity.
@Mass_Sonu (1021)
• India
6 Apr 17
@JudyEv I've heard the statement, 'sweating like a pig', but never understood the real meaning behind it, good to know!
2 people like this
