The Word “Banana” Has Many Jobs in German

Manfred Papst explores the multiple meanings the word “banana” holds in the German language, beginning in Switzerland. The term, likely originating from a Bantu language and arriving via Portuguese around the late 16th century, initially denoted the fruit itself. However, its usage has expanded considerably.

Germans now use “alles Banane” to indicate that everything is alright. Conversely, “Das ist mir Banane” means something is unimportant. The expression “sich Banane fühlen” describes feeling unwell.

Papst notes the word also appeared in the title of a song by the Neue Deutsche Welle band Zoff, and in a 1923 song adapting an American tune about a desire for bananas. He further uses the banana as a tool to explain the philosophical difference between realism and nominalism. The origins of some phrases remain unclear, like “alles paletti.” Papst will present his new book collecting these linguistic observations on June 4th.