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John Moore-Brabazon, 1st Baron Brabazon of Tara took a piglet with him on board an aeroplane in 1909. "When pigs fly" is an adynaton, a way of saying that something will never happen. The phrase is often used for humorous effect, to scoff at over-ambition.
The original version of the succinct ‘pigs might fly’ was ‘pigs fly with their tails forward’, which is first found in a list of proverbs in the 1616 edition of John Withals’s English-Latin dictionary – A Shorte Dictionarie for Yonge Begynners: Pigs fly in the ayre with their tayles forward.
Origin and History. The idiom “when pigs fly” has a rich history that spans centuries, with roots in early literature and proverbs. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its vivid imagery and universal appeal, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries.
Some sources trace the origin of 'when pigs fly' from the late 16th/early 17th century, but these claims are dubious and are not reflected in Google N-grams, which search thousands of books for citations.
Oct 22, 2023 · The phrase "when pigs fly" is a common expression used to describe an event that is impossible or highly unlikely to occur. But where did this expression come from? The origin of the phrase is shrouded in mystery, with no definitive answer as to its exact origin.
If he actually does it, pigs may fly. The idiom "when pigs fly" (or "pigs might fly," "pigs may fly") is an example of an adynaton, which is a figure of speech in the form of hyperbole (exaggeration) to such an extent as to imply impossibility.
Apr 21, 2023 · Origin. The phrase “when pigs fly” was first recorded in 1616 by English lexicographer John Withals in his Latin-English dictionary, where he wrote “pigs fly in the ayre with their tayles forward” to convey the idea of impossibility.
