Literal translation
as stubborn as a donkey
Meaning
as stubborn as a mule
Explanation
This expression means as stubborn as a mule, and stands out for the rare transparency of its meaning: the literal and the figurative nearly coincide, without any hidden metaphorical detour. The donkey, ai, embodies in Provençal popular imagination, as in many other cultures, the very figure of stubbornness, reputed to refuse moving forward or changing its mind once an idea is set, however much its owner insists. The adjective testard, built on testo, the head, directly names a headstrong, obstinate character, one who digs in and will not budge. The comparison coumo un ai thus works as a simple intensifying reinforcement of a trait already named by testard, the animal serving as a universally understood measure of stubbornness. The register is familiar and neutral, used both to complain about someone's character and to describe it with a certain resigned fondness, especially within a family. The traditional pronunciation recorded, with its stress pattern and particular rendering of the final diphthong, confirms how alive this animal comparison remains in everyday spoken language.