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We had one of “those moments” in our weekly (reporting) team meeting last Friday.
One of “those moments” when I say something that is perfectly natural for those of us who speak “the Queen’s English,” but leave American’s scratching their heads wondering what it was I just said.
One of “those moments” that, when I hear Americans say that immigrants should all learn to speak English, I say, “and I’d be happy to teach it to Americans, too!”
I forget the topic we were discussing, but I used the phrase “donkey’s years.” This, along with phrases such as “for yonks,” “since Adam was a pup,” and “since the year dot,” are all reasonably common phrases meaning “a long time.”
“Donkey’s years” may also be shortened to just “donkey’s” on occasion too.
The exact origin of the phrase seems to be uncertain, but the most likely explanation is that it is a variation of “donkey’s ears,” with both thought to come from the rhyming slang for “years and years” in an allusion to the length of the animal’s ears.
In 1916, when he penned “Vermilion Box”, E.V. Lucas wrote:
“Now for my first bath for what the men call ‘Donkey’s ears’, meaning years and years.”
This slightly predates the “donkey’s years” version which first appears in print, ironically in an American newspaper, the Bridgeport Telegram in 1923:
“With a heavy make-up, you’ll be the cutest vamp I’ve seen in donkey’s years.”
“Donkey’s ears” works as rhyming slang whereas “donkey’s years” doesn’t. In rhyming slang the last word of a short phrase is rhymed with the word that gives the slang meaning. For example:
‑ “trouble and strife” meaning wife,
‑ “apples and pears” meaning - stairs,
... and so on.
It makes little sense for the phrase to have originated in slang form as donkey’s years, as that would rhyme “‘years” with “years.”
The migration from “donkey’s ears” to “donkey’s years” was perhaps aided by the belief that donkeys live a long time. Lively Laddie, a donkey who had lived up to his name for many years while plying his trade on Blackpool Pleasure Beach was, until his death at age 62, a contender for the “oldest living donkey” title.
The origins of “for yonks” appears even more unclear with its apparent entry into the English language being dated to the very recent 1960s, and no logical point of origin.
One theory is that is comes from a spoonerized version of “donkey’s years,” which I guess would read as “yonkey’s dears.”
“Yonks” would then be an abbreviation of this.
Spoonerisms were frequently used by British comedians during the late 1900s - often as a way of saying words or expressions on television which the censor wouldn’t allow them to say normally.
The late Ronnie Barker gave a most impressive, but certainly “R” rated, version of the story of Cinderella, re-written completely in spoonerized English (which saw the main character’s name changed to “Rindercella, in keeping with the spirit of the text.”)
Barker’s recitation appeared to have been filmed all in one cut, which was amazing not only from the humor side, but the linguistic gymnastics he was required to perform to get the words out correctly.
To give you an idea, Barker’ story (complements of the internet - if you search hard enough you might even be able to find video of him reciting the full piece) began:
“This is the story of Rindercella and her sugly isters.
“Rindercella and her sugly isters lived in a marge lansion. Rindercella worked very hard frubbing sloors, emptying poss pits, and shivelling shot.”
Imagine trying to tell a full story speaking like that without tripping over your words!
I did work with an English chap in New Zealand who also used the phrase “I don’t give a donkey’s,” which had a very different meaning, and the omitted anatomical item was very different to the ears.
Although ironically, if you use the British spelling, the region referred to is an anagram of “ears!”
Again, ironically, the American spelling of that particular word is also another word for donkey!
“Since Adam was a pup” is a reference to the Biblical Adam, who lived a long time ago, and while he was never technically a “pup,” this clearly refers to when he was young - an even longer time ago.
“Since the year dot” also appears to have an unknown origin, and first appears in regular usage during the late 1800s.
That makes it the oldest of the four, and although it you might say that it has been around for donkey’s years, it certainly wasn’t commonly used since the actual “year dot!”
But that’s just being a little too pedantic!
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