pai dos burros

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

Literally, “father of donkeys” (or, less literally, “parent of dunces”), with burro (“donkey”) here meaning unintelligent person. A metaphor for wordbooks as parental figures teaching their young children (the ignorant) about the world through short descriptions of fundamental concepts, and subsequent vocabulary expansion.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈpaj duz ˈbu.ʁus/ [ˈpaɪ̯ duz ˈbu.hus]
    • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /ˈpaj duʒ ˈbu.ʁuʃ/ [ˈpaɪ̯ duʒ ˈbu.χuʃ]
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈpaj doz ˈbu.ʁos/ [ˈpaɪ̯ doz ˈbu.hos]
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈpaj duʒ ˈbu.ʁuʃ/ [ˈpaj ðuʒ ˈβu.ʁuʃ]

Noun

pai dos burros m (plural pais dos burros)

  1. (Brazil, slang) a dictionary
    Synonym: amansa-burro

Further reading

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