Words: banana, n.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.MY HISTORY master, David Jones, once read out the overdue library books, including 21 Popular Economic Fallacies: "The whole subject's a fallacy!" Witness the current dispute over bananas and consequent cashmere crisis. Nations are trying to be top banana.
One of many senses absent from the OED, it is a vaudeville term, in use by the Fifties, for ranking slapstick comedians (fitting, then, for politicians' disputes). It can also mean penis, fender, football pass, aeroplane, an adaptive Asian and jaundice victim.
Some believe that Moses' grapes from the Promised Land were really bananas. Meanwhile, let us honour the great Jane Grigson by insisting on tiny ones from the Canaries. Too few are imported: excellent with gin or kirsch, not rum.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments