h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"I've not seen/eaten/flown over/ [subject] for 'Donkey's Years'".

What? Why not just say you haven't seen it for AGES? What does 'Donkey's Years' actually mean? Do donkeys live for a long time or something?

The only thing I can think of is that a "donkeys year" is actually 60 years in human terms.

Isn't 7 dogs years supposed to be 1 of our human years ?

I don't know.....I really am quite tired !!

I think donkeys can live up to 50 years. So maybe, back in the not so good old days, when life expectancy was 30 years for a human, a donkey was the gift that just kept on giving. It could last a couple of generations. Of course this may just be lies I am making up on the spot, but it is a theory....
BCNU - Crescent

I think the original phrase was "donkey's *ears*" - if a length of time was "as long as donkey's ears" it was obviously very long indeed. Over the ears... sorry, years, it's become corrupted into "donkey's years".

On the subject of donkeys, I was having a debate last night;

Do mules come from: male horse/female donkey OR female horse/male donkey?

Also, why can't they reproduce?

Furthermore, have any human/other species creatures ever been created? (other than Vanessa Feltz)

My Nan always said it was because you never saw a dead donkey ie) they live for a long time.Therfore their years are of long duration.
Actually now I read that, it makes no sense at all. I've been lied to. Curses

Yes. I think the "ears" theory is most viable - I think some people say "ears" as opposed to "years".