#41: Mysterious Fruit
So, “pineapple” is called “ananas” in pretty much every language besides English, and it’s one of the weirdest differences. Why do English speakers have a completely different word for this beloved fruit? Pineapple doesn’t even grow on a pine tree or taste remotely like an apple! The root of this word probably comes from the time of Spanish conquistadors coming to the Americas.
The Spanish language uses the word “piña” instead of a version of “ananas” and that could be why English adopted “pineapple.” The more common word “ananas” comes from the Tupi word “nanas,” meaning “excellent fruit.” This word honestly makes way more sense, because pineapple is a pretty excellent fruit indeed. Can we all agree to make “ananas” a thing in English?