2006-10-18 09:16:21 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
Meaning
A very long time.
Origin
A query at the Phrases and Sayings Discussion Forum, asked if the phrase was "donkey's years" or "donkey's ears". My first thoughts were, "donkey's years of course - donkey's ears is just muddling of imagery from Midsummer Might's Dream".
It turns out that I was being rather hasty. "Donkey's years" is the correct form when meaning "a long time", but "donkey's ears" has also been a jokey pronunciation of that for some time - certainly to the early 20th century, viz E. V. Lucas, 'Vermilion Box', 1916:
"Now for my first bath for what the men call ‘Donkey's ears’, meaning years and years."
In fact, this pre-dates the earliest printed version of "donkey's years", from the Bridgeport Telegram, 1923:
"With a heavy make-up, you'll be the cutest vamp I've seen in donkey's years."
There's nothing to relate "ears" with the passage of time though and it seems that the "years" version came first.
"Donkey's years" is also the source of the use of the single word "donkeys", meaning the same thing. Somewhat like rhyming slang, although not quite that, as doesn't really make sense to call "years" a rhyme for "years".
"Donkey's ears" did exist in a different meaning before either of the above though. In July 1904, the Washington Post published, for reasons not explained, "Twelve Russian Proverbs". These provide us with a peculiarly Russian form of wisdom, including such gems as:
"When the nightingale's voice was praised, the carthorse began to neigh".
Of more interest to us here, they also were of the opinion that:
"He who receives too much praise grows donkey's ears".
2006-10-18 09:24:56 · answer #1 · answered by Confuzzled 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because donkeys live a long time normally
2006-10-18 16:24:17 · answer #2 · answered by ann.inspain 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its a old irish saying meaning you aint seen a person in a long time i havent seen you in donkeys years thats the truth
2006-10-18 16:25:33 · answer #3 · answered by django 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means a long time as donkeys are supposed to live a long time
2006-10-19 07:44:17 · answer #4 · answered by Jackie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
who knows i dont its been around for donkeys years. lol
2006-10-18 16:25:11 · answer #5 · answered by margie m 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ditto D J! Got there before me!
2006-10-18 16:27:36 · answer #6 · answered by Clare 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try this...
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/119000.html
2006-10-18 16:26:58 · answer #7 · answered by speckie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Grandfather's quote, I guess
2006-10-18 16:24:06 · answer #8 · answered by Adsense$Profits? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You remember, it was donks ago
2006-10-18 16:36:20 · answer #9 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my great great grandad
2006-10-18 16:17:59 · answer #10 · answered by hunglikeadonkey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋