The Language of Belonging: 14 American Words You Never Knew Had Immigrant Roots

Words are more than letters and syllables. They are how we tell our stories, preserve our heritage, and share our humanity with the world. Common American dialects and phrases comprise a slew of words that are rooted in the immigrants who brought their hopes, heritage, and humor with them.  

America’s vernacular is a gumbo of global idioms, and below are 14 words that add flavor to our verbal melting pot.

America is a democracy, and that leads us to our first word…

1. Democracy

“Democracy” is a Greek word combining the word demos (people) and kratos (power). This word means power to the people, and we the people are here for it.

2. Slew

Sluagh is an Irish term meaning a “crowd” or “host.” In America, we use “slew” to describe a large number or crowd.

3. Barista

When ordering your latte from your favorite local coffee shop, you might leave a tip for your barista. But did you know that “barista” is an Italian word for “bartender” and Americans repurposed it to describe an espresso-machine operator?

4. Nosh

With your morning coffee, you might want a light bite. “Nosh” is a Yiddish term that has become colloquial in New York City for a light snack.

5. Buckaroo

If you ever visit or work on a ranch, you might hear this word. A “buckaroo” is a cowboy and is the anglicized or English pronunciation of vaquero, the Spanish word for cowboy. So, grab your 10-gallon hat, spurs, and horse, buckaroo!

6. Kindergarten

Many of us remember our first day in kindergarten, but little did we know that the word has German roots that literally translate to “garden for children.”

7. Angst

When watching a horror movie, you might begin to feel angst as the characters run from the villain. What you might not know is that angst is a German term adopted directly into English to describe a deep feeling of anxiety, dread, or insecurity.

8. Long time, no see

If you haven’t seen your buddy in a while, you might use this common American phrase that directly mimics the syntax of the literal Chinese phrase hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn, meaning “very long time, no see.”

9. Schlep

When carrying groceries or luggage, you could use the word “schlep” to describe the action. From the Yiddish shlepn, “schlep” means to drag or carry something heavy and tedious, and is a very common saying in New York City and the Northeast.

10. Music

“Music” means “the art of the Muses,” nine Greek goddesses who watched over the arts and sciences.

11. Aficionado

If someone knows a lot about music, they might be considered an aficionado. This Spanish word describes an enthusiastic fan or expert of a specific discipline.

12. Chutzpah

If you’re confident, one might say you have chutzpah. Derived from the Yiddish term khutspe, “chutzpah” means extreme self-confidence or audacity.

13. No can do

This common American slang is the word-for-word translation of the Chinese phrase bù xíng or bù ké yǐ.

14. Boss

Lots of us call our managers our boss. Derived from the Dutch word baas, meaning “master,” American workers began using the term to avoid using the English word “master.”