No, bananas are not generally called figs. However, there's a specific regional variation in terminology.
Regional Variation: "Green Figs"
In certain Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, a distinction is made between ripe and unripe bananas. Unripe, green bananas are sometimes referred to as "green figs." This is a localized usage and does not imply that bananas are figs botanically.
- Key Distinction: The term "green fig" is used primarily to differentiate the unripe green banana from its yellow, ripe counterpart. It's a colloquialism, not a scientific classification.
This clarifies the apparent discrepancy: while bananas are not figs, the term "green fig" is sometimes used in specific regions to refer to green bananas. The use of "fig" in this context is a regional colloquialism and not a botanical classification.
