--- In Nostratica@yahoogroups.com, rmccalli@... wrote:

> I guess the "banana" language substrate would be similar to

the "Starbucks"

> language substrate of the current era with words such as "-

ware", "double

> mocha latte", "karaoke" etc. In that sense, perhaps it was not so

much

> consciously contrived but rather a product of an econonic elite.

'Banana' refers to an apparent partial reduplication of words, as in
English 'banana'. I've seen this substrate attributed to the
language of the Ubaid culture that preceded the Sumerian culture. I
wish I could tell you more about it. I'm only quoting what I
believe I've seen on Cybalist, Nostratic or Nostratica, but the only
bananas turned up by an archive searches were edible bananas.

Richard.