It's a Regional Thing

The first kiss of autumn this week caused a mail carrier to say "I'm happier than a pig in slop." You don't need to have grown up on a farm to get the idea. Farther north they might say they were "Happy as a clam," though how they gauge the emotional state of a clam I have no idea.

In this part of the South people have a habit of doubling words for emphasis. You might hear someone remark that he was up "late, late" the night before, watching the game. On the premise that sometimes more actually is better, another person might describe a baby as "cute, cute", or judge a pastry as "sweet, sweet."

Metaphors, similes, idioms and slang add spice to language. Used properly in fiction, they can even develop character.