1 definition by Peter Rogers
Interjection. It was once thought to refer to either the ancient Sumerian god of unpredictability, or to an obscure phrase used in conjunction with having been asked to attend a sock hop. Nowadays the word is more commonly used to create a brief, distancing moment -- what Theatre theorists refer to as a "Brechtian Moment" -- for the listener/reader. It makes ‘em go: “huh?” Basically, the word helps shake people up a little, bringing their conscious minds into a little sharper focus, even if only for a moment or two. That, and it helps bring an element of absurdism into their everyday lives. Like a non sequitur. Banana.
by Peter Rogers January 23, 2006