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Is there a word or phrase that you grew up with, something you felt was unique to your family?

Maybe it was an expression your parents or grandparents used to show affection or describe frustration, only to eventually discover it had foreign origins? Or perhaps you still wonder where it came from?

Borrowed words have flooded most languages, including English.

, Anatoly Liberman, beloved etymologist and professor of languages at the University of Minnesota, joined MPR News host Kerri Miller to explore the roots of familial words. 

In that interview, he mentioned he had just finished a dictionary of idioms. That book finally published in January 2023. This Friday on Big Books and Bold Ideas, Liberman is back with Miller to discuss it. 

In the meantime, enjoy this joyous conversation about familiar words from our archives. 

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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Every family has words that are unique to their closed circle. We discuss their roots in a new book, “Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of English Idioms.”

Every family has words that are unique to their closed circle. Maybe it was the word the grandparents said when they were upset. Maybe it’s a phrase only the sibling group would understand. In August 2021, beloved etymologist and professor of languages at the University of Minnesota Anatoly Liberman joined MPR News host Kerri Miller on her daily show to discuss the roots of familial words. This coming Friday on Big Books and Bold Ideas, Anatoly returns to talk about his new book, “Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of English Idioms.”

From the archives: Anatoly Liberman on familial language

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