You wouldn’t write on a donkey’s back, but in French you might. Find the right term and you’ll also find a French village and something that might make you step on the brakes. What might make you step on the brakes?

daBomb619

A speed bump. The French term "dos d'âne" literally means "donkey's back", but is also the name of a village on the French island of Réunion, as well as the term for a speed bump. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dos_d'%C3%82ne http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com/motdujour/2009/05/niddepoule.html Sep 07 09, 6:11 PM

edmund80

Oui! But let us not forget about the dos d'âne desk, the thing that you can write on. "...from the French meaning literally a "donkey back bureau", which is a small desk designed for ladies, usually with a slant top front that folds down for the writing surface." http://buzzonantiques.blogspot.com/2009/03/words-of-day-bureau-and-dresser.html http://www.detonge.com/?task=meubles&article_ref=6740&lang=en http://www.theelyseecollection.com/m0855.html And yes, "dos d'âne" also means the village in Réunion, France or, as you said, a speed bump. http://www.fallingrain.com/world/RE/0/Dos_dAne.html http://books.google.com/books?id=IZtfaBDhNoIC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=dos+d%27ane+%2B+speed+bump&source=bl&ots=gh3UFSFjxK&sig=BMugPqjyg2-vzLbbAXn9FiiEhRo&hl=en&ei=JWmkSqbwAoTatgPi6YSNDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#v=onepage&q=dos%20d%27ane&f=false Sep 07 09, 10:03 PM