Sick piggy

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   I know, of course, the meaning of sick. And I know what a piggy is. I’ve also learned now (after googling) that I should avoid buying a pig that looks sick or listless. That’s not a problem; so far I have avoided buying any pigs at all. But what does I went sick piggy mean? You probably need to know the context to help me: Again it’s from the book The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton. He writes about how he won stage 16 in Tour de France 2003. He writes that he made a solo breakaway, and then he goes on to describe himself during the 96 kilometers of lonely racing:

I usually pride myself on keeping somewhat of a poker face, but as the photos of that day show, appearances went out
the window: squinty, puffy eyes, tongue out, head lolling back; I went sick piggy.

So I’d be very grateful if someone could explain the exact meaning. Does he mean that he looked like a sick piggy, or that he felt like a sick piggy? I’m sure no Norwegian reader would bat an eye if I wrote "Jeg så ut som en stukken gris" ("I looked like a dying pig") – but it’s much more fun asking you. 

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refugee Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: November 20 2006 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 7026	Topic: Sick piggy Posted: December 19 2012 at 10:22
	I know, of course, the meaning of sick. And I know what a piggy is. I’ve also learned now (after googling) that I should avoid buying a pig that looks sick or listless. That’s not a problem; so far I have avoided buying any pigs at all. But what does I went sick piggy mean? You probably need to know the context to help me: Again it’s from the book The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton. He writes about how he won stage 16 in Tour de France 2003. He writes that he made a solo breakaway, and then he goes on to describe himself during the 96 kilometers of lonely racing: I usually pride myself on keeping somewhat of a poker face, but as the photos of that day show, appearances went out the window: squinty, puffy eyes, tongue out, head lolling back; I went sick piggy. So I’d be very grateful if someone could explain the exact meaning. Does he mean that he looked like a sick piggy, or that he felt like a sick piggy? I’m sure no Norwegian reader would bat an eye if I wrote "Jeg så ut som en stukken gris" ("I looked like a dying pig") – but it’s much more fun asking you.
	He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill)

Snow Dog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 23 2005 Location: Caerdydd Status: Offline Points: 32995	Posted: December 19 2012 at 10:34
	I never heard the expression.


HolyMoly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin Joined: April 01 2009 Location: Atlanta Status: Offline Points: 26138	Posted: December 19 2012 at 11:03
	I'm guessing he means sick as in crazy, mentally unbalanced. I have not heard the phrase before either, though.
	My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran

Dean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout Joined: May 13 2007 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 37575	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:36
	It appears (from a brief Interweb search) that the only person ever to have used the exact phrase is Tyler Hamilton, so basically he made it up.
	What?

rushfan4 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2007 Location: Michigan, U.S. Status: Offline Points: 66588	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:41
	I'm pretty sure that he is basically saying that he looked like a sick pig. Maybe even a dead one.


rushfan4 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2007 Location: Michigan, U.S. Status: Offline Points: 66588	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:41



Dean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout Joined: May 13 2007 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 37575	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:45
	Sure, he was probably as "sick as a pig" or "pig-sick", but the phrase "went sick piggy" is not a common idiom.
	What?

refugee Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: November 20 2006 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 7026	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:50
	Oink you very much for the answers. Hamilton is from Marblehead, Massachusetts, so it might be an expression the kids used in his hometown. Any Marbleheaders around fourty here? I guess not.
	He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill)

Snow Dog Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 23 2005 Location: Caerdydd Status: Offline Points: 32995	Posted: December 19 2012 at 12:59
	I like Soft Kitty


rushfan4 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2007 Location: Michigan, U.S. Status: Offline Points: 66588	Posted: December 19 2012 at 13:06
	"soft kitty..warm kitty..little ball of fur...."


Icarium Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: March 21 2008 Location: Tigerstaden Status: Offline Points: 34083	Posted: December 19 2012 at 18:00
	Bostoners have a special accent and they also have some slang words, my english phonetic lecturer is from Boston, Massachusetts, she might have said it wonce as it soudns Bostonian