Donkey's Ears

YOU would think that children's cute misprounciation or wrong word usage would dissapate over time, thankfully this is not the case. Everynow and again there is an absolute classic and unfortunately there are so many cute and funny things to remember in your child's growing up stage that you may unfortunately miss them.

That's why blogging is great, you can go on, type it in and there it is for all and sundry to enjoy... But I digress.

My personal favourite over the years was aminal and I was so sad when the Young Wan began to say animal properly.

Just there at the ripe old age of 14 she asked 'what's the big deal with people saying donkey's ears?



I hadn't a clue what she was talking about so she explained "you know when people say and you do it too Mum 'oh I haven't seen them in donkey's ears'".

It's DONKEYS YEARS! And I haven't a clue where that saying comes from. So one quick Google later and I found this

[Q] From Jess Paxton in the USA: “Is there a story behind the phrase donkey’s years?”

[A] It’s a pun on donkey’s ears, they being long. The phrase, meaning a long time, is chiefly in British use, though known in the USA and elsewhere, and was first recorded in 1916 as donkey’s ears (which is why we’re sure about the punning origin). Within ten years or so it is recorded in the modern form. The idea was supported by the belief that donkeys did in fact live a very long time.

So it seems the Young Wan wasn't so wrong at all.

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